Where do Christians stand on so-called marriage equality?
Marriage is an institution ordained by God for the blessed union of one man and one woman. Marriage was given in an act of divine love for the good of man and woman, to be the means by which a man and a woman join sexually, to procreate, and to present a picture of Christ's love to the world (Genesis 1:28; 2:18, 24; 1 Corinthians 7:2–16; Ephesians 5:23–33). The notion of marriage "equality" is that any two (or more) persons of the same sex can be joined together in the same type of God-ordained union. However, marriage is not something that is created and defined by man, so it cannot be re-created or re-defined by man. The essence of marriage just is the joining together of one man and one woman, any other union or relationship is not a marriage.Not all professing Christians oppose the redefinition of marriage. Even some well-known television personalities and public ministers have voiced support for marriage equality. Still, most Christians hold fast to clear biblical instruction and the teachings of the historic Christian faith. These believers ground their faith in the timeless truths of Holy Scripture. They believe that God's Word is living and active, and profitable for teaching, reproof, and correction (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16).
Christians are not opposed to marriage equality because they are bigoted or spiteful. Rather, Bible-believing Christians seek to live by the Word of God. They also seek to live and to work within a society and culture congruent to the way God has ordered creation. Same sex, polygamous, and other deviant relationships are demonstrably unbiblical and outside the natural order. Christians are also not opposed to marriage equality because they lack love and compassion for those who desire to live in life-long same-sex or polygamous relationships. Christians are commanded to love their neighbors, and many Christians live out this command on a daily basis toward those who wish to redefine marriage.
It is important to note that the Christian position on marriage is not for the sake of oppressing those who disagree. Their position is based on the recognition that it is God who gives moral principles and precepts, and these are given for the good of man. God is not harmed when we disobey Him, we are. It is for our own good that we obey what God has commanded regarding marriage (and many other things). It is for our own good that we grow in sanctification, holiness, in likeness to Christ. The chief purpose for man's existence is to know God in Christ and to glorify Him. And this cannot be accomplished when man chooses to live in wanton rebellion.
The rules given by God in the Bible, and written on our hearts, serve as guardrails on our lives. Despite the high opinion we have of ourselves, the Bible gives us a dead reckoning: "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Christians also reject marriage as a mere social construct. They do not think that marriage is something created by culture or society as a convention or means of legal pragmatism. Societies and laws frequently change, but the commands of God are grounded in His immutable nature. If marriage is an important moral issue, then not basing it on that which is transcendent and unchanging is the height of folly.
If God has spoken about marriage, and He has, then not heeding His words is the worst thing we can do. Most people like and agree with what God says prohibiting murder and theft. And they like what He says regarding loving our neighbors, helping the poor, and so forth. But they dislike that God also tells them what to do regarding sexual behavior and marriage. From this disdain and love of autonomy comes forth a myriad of futile objections and Scripture-twisting fabrications. Contradicting God is of course wrong in principle. Opposition to God has always proved disastrous. And opposing God over the way He structured the union of man and woman, the sexual relationship, and the fundamental family unit has, and will continue to have, disastrous consequences.
Christians stand within God's will as they uphold the sanctity of biblical marriage. They choose to be on God's side and on the side of sound biblical teaching. Christians also love, pray for, minister to, work with, and earnestly desire the salvation for all lost people. Grace abounds in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the mercies of God are new every day (Lamentations 3:22–23).
What does the Bible teach about marriage?
Biblically, what constitutes a marriage?
In marriage how do the two become one flesh?
Is homosexuality a sin?
Can someone be gay and Christian? Is it possible to be a gay Christian?
Truth about Marriage
