Marriage

I grew up listening to Paul Harvey. He recently passed away shortly after losing his lovely wife “Angel.” I enjoyed hearing him announce the anniversaries of couples who had been married for many decades. His love for his own wife and his admiration for those who had stayed with their commitment to their spouses was clearly apparent as I would listen to his noontime visits. Paul Harvey has since passed on, and so has the meaning of marriage.
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I am so grateful for my own wife. Proverbs 18:22 says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” I truly found a good thing. She was worth waiting for, and I hope I do not take my special “angel” for granted. Many of my friends were married before I was, but I was committed to waiting for the right one. Proverbs 31:10 asks, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” I was looking for such a prize.
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In my quest for a mate to love and cherish, I always knew that I was looking for a woman. In earlier times that would have been so obvious as to not even to be stated. Today things have changed so much. Our Iowa Supreme Court has trampled on the very meaning of the word marriage, suggesting that two people of the same gender can be united in matrimony. By the way, there is a vote every couple of years on whether or not these judges should be retained. All the judges currently on the Iowa Supreme Court voted against the ban on same gender marriage. Typically the section on the election ballots pertaining to judges is ignored because people do not know anything about them. Well folks, I’m not telling you how to vote, but do not forget next election, that you know something about each and every one of these judges now. Further, it would be wise to know what kind of judges you would expect a candidate for Governor to appoint as well. If I understand it correctly, if enough people vote no on a judge, then the Governor must appoint an new one.
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Enough on politics though. I am not as alarmed over what is happening in our courts as I am over what is happening in our churches. Recently a preacher named Rick Warren suggested that he was more concerned over the economy than he was over what had happened here in Iowa concerning homosexual marriage. Other so-called pastors actually said that this decision was good. What is going on when people who call themselves “Christians” so blatantly go against what the Bible teaches?
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Now I understand that not everyone will agree with what the Bible teaches on this issue. I actually expect those who reject God and His Word to disagree with me. That is understandable, but I must make it very clear what the Bible says about this issue for the sake of those who claim to be “Christian.” If you believe God and His Word, you cannot ignore these verses.
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“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31
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“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Leviticus 18:22
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“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Romans 1:26-32
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“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” 1 Corinthians 6:9
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Some folks get angry when such verses are used. It is almost as if they believe that if the rest of us ignore these passages, then God will too. I am just a man. I have no right to change or ignore the word of God. Further, it is my job to warn about what God says, even if it steps on some toes. It is time that more “Christians” took a stand for the Word or God, or else quit calling themselves “Christian.” This challenge includes the wolves in sheep’s clothing who call themselves pastors and yet reject the clear teaching of the Word of God.
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Some may argue that my call for people to quit calling themselves “Christian” will lead to fewer Christians, and therefore I should be careful what I ask for. Think about it, if they do not stand for what Christ taught anyway, why would we want them to call themselves by His name when they are really just imposters? Is God glorified by that, or does it just confuse the rest of the world about what it means to be a Christian? “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9