There are many people today, especially in my state, that are considering this question at this time. Regardless of what the voters decide on the subject in my state (Minnesota) or nationally, there is one thing that we must know: The God of the Bible not only instituted marriage, but He has spoken that the institution is to be between one man and one woman for life.
This has nothing to do with what God says about homosexuality (though the God of the Bible has proclaimed homosexual sexual behavior as well as heterosexual sexual behavior outside of the covenant of marriage as a sin- see 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:8-10, Romans 1: 18-32 and others). This has to do with the first institution that God has established and that Jesus Christ- the one true and only begotten Son of God confirmed while he walked the earth. Please read and consider the scriptures in terms of marriage:
Genesis 2: 20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
There are a few things that we can commonly learn from this passage. The help that was meet for the man was not found in all creation. Not one of the animals could fulfill the role of a help that was meet, in other words, one that could complete the man and strengthen him where he was weak. To solve that problem, God decided to create a help that was meet. When God, the sovereign, omnipotent, and omniscient(all-knowing) King of all the universe created woman. God did not create another man to be a help that was meet, though He could have, if that would have fulfilled God’s intentions. The reason woman was created is that she was the perfect complement for man and the man was the perfect complement for woman in terms of the marriage covenant, which God established the same time that He created woman. He established this covenant that humans would rule over the earth and populate it, ultimately that the marriage relationship would demonstrate the relationship between Jesus (the Savior) and the church (those He has saved) (see Ephesians 5)
Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, also agreed, quoting the book of Genesis, and adding his interpretation in terms of divorce:
Matthew 19:4He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 19.5:”Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So they are no longer two but one flesh. 19.6: What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Herein lies the conflict between those who are calling for marriage laws to be extended to same-sex couples. It is not marriage the way that God planned it, it is not the way that the Chosen people (the Jews) recognized it, nor is it the way that Jesus, the incarnate Son of God and the founder of the faith we call Christianity, indeed the Head of the Church says it is. Jesus proclaimed that God created man and woman, and that God established marriage as a life-long covenant between one man and one woman. Nothing changes this- not the failure of man and woman to keep the covenant, not the changing times and the opinions of man or the state, nothing. Marriage is an institution founded and established by God to be between man and woman.
There are many questions that arise out of these absolute statements. Allow me to place my two cents here.
- What about equal rights? Shouldn’t people be free to marry whomever they want? Yes, people should have equal protection (see the 14th amendment) under the law of the land. That is why any man can propose marriage to any woman, and if she agrees, they can be married (depending on certain age restrictions and familial relationship) in any state of the union. Any woman can agree to marry any man who decides to propose to her. Thus men and women have equal protection under the law, it matters not their race, their background, their religion, or their sexual orientation. What the homosexual agenda attempts to hoist on the rest of the country is special rights. They desire to have the law of the land recognize their orientation as a special class of people that ought to be able to marry someone else of the same sex. They already have rights that are equal, but they want special rights. What is keeping the Jerry Sanduskys of the world from demanding a reestablishment of pedastry for those who have an affinity for young boys? After all, he was born that way.
- Why can’t I marry the one that I love? See # 1 above. You can marry the one that you love, if that person is of the opposite sex and that person agrees to the marriage. I have loved lots of women; however only one agreed to be my wife. You have the right in this country to love whomever you want. Indeed, though it is immoral in the eyes of God, you can have sexual relations with that person you love outside of the covenant of marriage, but that sin (along with lying, stealing, coveteousness and other sexual immorality) will bar you from the kingdom of God (see 1 Cor 6:9-10) You just cannot marry that person.
- Doesn’t the will of the people or legislation change the definition of marriage? It may in the eyes of the state, but like the laws concerning abortion (infanticide) it does not change God’s view or the Christian’s responsibility concerning being obedient to the word and the will of God. Abortion is murder in the eyes of God, and no murderer will inherit the Kingdom of God. Marriage, for the Christian, is always between one man and one woman for life. Any other definition is not the way that God intended or supports. You cannot vote for gay marriage or participate in a homosexual union and be a Christian in the Biblical sense, as you are rebelling against the Word of God.
- Doesn’t the Bible change with the culture? Many people believe this, but it is simply not so. They look at the Bible and try to interpret it to justify their particular sin or their lifestyle choices. They might say that Paul ( for example) could not possibly know that homosexuals were born this way etc. etc. By saying that, you are saying that humans wrote the Bible, that it was not inspired by God and the human others were not carried along by the Holy Spirit, and that the Bible is just a book like all other books. In claiming this, a person who claims to be a Christian could have no assurance of salvation, could not be assured that Jesus is God, that He rose again- indeed that He even ever existed.
- Doesn’t the fact that over 50% of marriages ending in divorce demonstrate what a broken institution it is? Absolutely, but that does not change God’s view on marriage. It is humans that fall short of His perfect standard. Just because two men or two women could be lifelong partners does not change the fact that God’s only definition of marriage and the only good marriage is between one man and one woman for life.
We have all fallen short of God’s standard; indeed there is no one that is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10) We are all in big trouble on the day of judgement if we have only told one lie (Prov 12:22, Revelation 21:8) if we have stolen, committed adultery, even looked with lust. That is why we need a Savior, to save us from our sins. That is why Jesus came. He was perfect, never transgressing the law of God. When He was crucified, God treated Him exactly how we deserved to be treated. He crushed His Son for our iniquities (See Isaiah 53) so that we could could gain His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Peter 2:24). What we must do is recognize that we are sinners, that our most righteous works- even religious ones- are filthy rags in the eyes of God, and turn from our way (repent) and trust (believe/faith) in Christ alone for our salvation. If we will do that, God will rescue us from sin and give us a new nature, one that actually desires to love, follow, and obey God.
Legislation will not save you, marrying the one you love will not save you, religion will not save you. Only Christ alone can save you. Turn from your way (which is the wrong way, it is the broad way that leads to destruction) and turn to Jesus. He is the only way that leads to life.
There are actually 8 different types of marriage laid out in the Bible: Man+Woman, Levirate, Man+wife and concubines, Rapist+his victim, Man+Woman and her slave girls, Soldier+Prisoner of war, Man+multiple wives. If you believe that marriage is a creation of the christian god, does that mean you don’t believe in non-christians marrying? Every society in the world has some version of marriage, many of them very different than the modern, evangelical christian idea of it. Are you negating all of those marriages?
Where is your scathing attack on divorce? Despite all their focus on “traditional biblical marriage,” divorce rates in this country are highest among evangelical christians. Since the bible holds divorce to be adultery, shouldn’t this be of more concern to you than two consenting adults wanting to share their lives. I think that goes under the speck in your neighbors eye versus the plank in your own…
Thank you for your comments. I will address each one of them and point back to may article which was on one subject, that is, redefinition of marriage to include same sex couples.
1. There is only one type of marriage sanctioned and instituted by God. It was between one man and one woman for life. God did not establish any of the other marriages that you stated; these were all lined out for when sin occured (e.g. when a man would inappropriately lay with a slave, he became fiscally and covenantly responsible for her). These others that you spoke about were not approved or sanctioned by God. God just laid out the penalties and the sacrifice for those who did such things.
2. Non-Christians are not under the grace of God, but they are under the law of God. They will face Him on the day of judgement. However, His law is written upon their heart, and the marriage covenant is one that God will not hold those who are not saved guiltless for. In other words, whether you believe in God or not, you will be judged according to His law on the day of judgement. A Christian is under grace, meaning, their sins have been paid for so that they are seen as righteous before God because of Jesus Christ. So, marriage, as a covenant established by God, is recognized by God as two people entering into a covenant which they are responsible for before God.
3. God hates divorce, but because of the hardness of mans heart, made allowances for divorce. Just because sinful man breaks God’s covenant daily does not change the law nor does it make God the author of evil. God is a righteous lawgiver, and a righteous judge. Just because murder happens does not mean that the law should be changed for the benefit of the murderer, nor does it make the legislature ineffective. It simply means that the murderer has transgressed the law.
Divorce is wicked; but it is expected due to the hardness of hearts on one or both of the parties. Check this out, though: Jesus said if you even look with lust, you have already committed adultery. How do you hold up to that standard? I know I fail according to that standard, I am an adulterer. But the good news is that Jesus came to save sinners, of whom I am the chief! The speck vs. the plank is for those who judge unrighteously; I know I was a sinner in need of a Savior. Because of that I turned to Christ in faith, and now because of His righteousness I am seen by God as righteous. I now have the power, in the Holy Spirit, to live as God would have me to live. On my day of judgement, I will receive God’s mercy rather than the punishment that I deserve, not because I am good, but because God is merciful, and allowed Christ to take my place. I hope you will find that same mercy.