What Is Marriage?

The topic of what is marriage gained news headlines last week as we read reports like this one from Fox News:

A federal judge on Wednesday overturned a California ban on same-sex marriage, ruling that the Proposition 8 ballot initiative was unconstitutional, but a pending appeal of the landmark ruling could prevent gay weddings from resuming in the state any time soon.

Well, we should not be surprised by such a ruling from this judge when Fox News also reported:

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Vaugh Walker, one of three openly gay federal judges in the country, gave opponents of the controversial Proposition 8 ballot a major victory.

Go to Fox News for the entire news report: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/04/federal-judge-overturns-californias-sex-marriage-ban/

First, I point out that Proverbs 23:7 states, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Ultimately, the ruling has nothing to do with the US Constitution, but everything to do with a person’s heart, and how a worldview based on a person’s starting point will interpret the Constitution.  In an ultimate sense, there are only two religions in the world—one starts with God’s inerrant and authoritative Word, and the other starts with man’s word (opinion).  The nation of America was started primarily by people who built their morality on God’s Word—many were Bible-believing Christians.  When one starts with God’s Word, then it is obvious that marriage was created by God—the first marriage came into existence when He made Adam and Eve—male and female.  That is why Jesus Christ—the Creator, our Savior, and the Word—when asked about marriage replied:

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19: 4-5).  Jesus quoted from Genesis as literal history (in fact, He quoted Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24 in order to give the origin and meaning of marriage—one man for one woman, a male and female).

Of course, if one does not start with God’s Word,  there is ultimately only one other option: starting with sinful man’s opinions, then marriage can be defined however one wants to—morality is relative.

If a judge in his heart supports “‘gay” relationships and does not accept the Bible’s clear teaching on marriage, then obviously, as he thinks in his heart, so he will speak—so will this judge rule.

Generations ago in America, a judge would not have made such a ruling as the one referred to above.  So what has changed?  America is continuing to abandon God’s Word, and thus, building its cultural worldview on Mans’  word—this is the culture war—a battle between Christian absolutes and secularism along with its consequence of moral relativism.

What does Jesus Christ say about  “gay” marriage?  Well Jesus is the Word, so whatever the Word states, it is Jesus speaking to us.  So Jesus, in Romans 1: 24-28 teaches us:

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.

Actually, a sign that God is  turning a nation over to judgment is the increasing acceptance of homosexual behavior—as a result of outright rebellion against God and His Word.

America, which has been the greatest Christianized nation in the world, has legalized abortion (allowing the killing of millions of children in the womb) contrary to God’s Word, continues to legalize “gay” marriage contrary to God’s Word, continues to throw Christian symbols out of public places, and has allowed the religion of atheism to be imposed on millions of children in the education system—including 90 percent of children from church homes who go to that system.  Most of the church leaders have compromised with the pagan religion of the age (millions of years and evolution—the pagan religion of this age to explain the universe and life without God) with God’s infallible Word.  No wonder God is turning this nation over to judgment.

So what is the answer for what is happening in America?

God’s people need to unashamedly and uncompromisingly stand up for God’s Word, repent of compromise, and call church and nation back to the authority of God’s Word.  Generations of children need to have their hearts and minds captured for the Lord Jesus Christ—to build their thinking on God’s Word, not man’s opinion.

Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:7)

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken