Of all the hot button topics today, it seems none is hotter than homosexual marriage. You can find examples of politicians, football players, actors, musicians, and even former mega church pastors (i.e. Rob Bell) chiming in with support for the normalization of homosexual marriage. In fact, entire denominations have changed their doctrinal position to support this lifestyle. In former days, Christians could attempt to take a neutral position on gay marriage. However, it is so polarizing an issue today, soon (I believe within the next 5 years) we will know where everyone in the Christian community stands on this question. I do not support the lifestyle of homosexuality for many reasons, and I am against making laws to normalize marriage between two persons of the same sex (the same goes for other marriage alternatives like a person who wants to marry multiple people or to marry an animal, etc.). I believe the overwhelming evidence of scripture, church history, and nature is on my side. The question I would like to answer then is: Why Does Biblical Marriage Matter To God, If It Indeed Does?
Consider these things:
Marriage is a picture of His love for us:
According to the Westminster Confession, the primary purpose of all life is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” I submit that this is also then the primary purpose of marriage, so the question becomes: What does a God-glorifying marriage look like? The Bible has a lot to say here. Scripture repeatedly symbolically refers to the relationship between Christ and the church as a marriage. That relationship is seen in the Bride (The church) and the Bridegroom (Jesus). In the well-known verse Ephesians 5:25, Paul reminds us of what Jesus did for His bride: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” When dealing with a marriage, it is ALWAYS seen between one man and one woman in the Bible. There is no counter-example. The Word constantly shows us this picture from Genesis to Revelation. There is a feminine person and a masculine person in this relationship. Marriage is a picture of his covenant love for His church and that marriage is between The Man and his bride.
Marriage is part of the process of growing the kingdom:
Part of the original dominion mandate given to Adam and Eve was to “be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28) Furthermore, we see this same mandate after the flood of Noah. (Genesis 9:7) We see it again when the nation of Israel is born. (Genesis 35:11) No less than 7 times this phrase “be fruitful and multiply” appears in Scripture. Additionally, children are said to be “a blessing” in Psalm 127. Here’s the point: part of the way of growing the kingdom of God is through procreation. It does not take a scientist to know that it takes a male and a female for this process to happen. If everyone decided to live the homosexual lifestyle, then we would only be one generation away from complete extinction. How are we going to grow a kingdom if there is no one here to grow it? Being fruitful and multiplying is a gift and a command from God. Nature itself testifies to this. Homosexual marriage and the homosexual lifestyle are anti-natural, and they are anti-kingdom growth.
Marriage is something that the Creator has already defined:
Are we allowed to rename the Mona Lisa, or even the iPhone if we wanted to? No! Why? Because we did not create them, the naming rights belong to Leonardo Da Vinci and Steve Jobs, respectively. It makes sense that only the Creator has the right to define what something is and what something is not. The Lord has said that the only true and biblical marriage that He recognizes is that of a marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24-25). Since He is the Creator of this world, He has every right to define what He created. If I, or anyone else, tries to step in and take the place of God by calling something good that He has called evil (1 Corinthians 6:9), may they be cursed. That seems harsh but those are not my words or my view, but God’s Words and His view. May it be a loud warning for those who would dare do so (Isaiah 5:20). If God has declared something holy, just, or right who are we to say otherwise? He is the Creator and as Creator has every right to set the rules and regulations. Hear me out, what is more amazing than the rules themselves is that He forbids things like homosexuality for the good of mankind. He has declared marriage to be holy, good and beneficial only when it is between one man and one woman. Anything outside of these confines is sin and is detestable to God.
Does marriage really matter to God? I believe it most certainly does. Do homosexuals matter to God? They most certainly do. They, like every other person in the world, still bear His image. We as Christians should still love homosexuals as our neighbors. We should still treat them with dignity, as we should every human being. However, part of loving your neighbor is telling the truth to your neighbor. If we really want to love our neighbor then we must love them enough to tell them that God has something to say about the matter of homosexuality. He has offered them grace and mercy. He has offered them salvation, but to gain these things there must be recognition of their sin. There must be repentance of that sin. There must be forgiveness for sin. This is what a loving neighbor would say. This is what a loving God has said. This is what the God of marriage has proclaimed. Marriage matters to God and it should matter to us as well.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Adam B Burrell.
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