While listening to Glenn Beck the other day, he was trying to make the point that because he didn't believe in homosexuals marrying didn't mean he was against homosexuals as people. He espoused his good relationship with a gay couple even though they disagreed on marriage.
Yet it occurred to me Glenn wanted a rule - marriage for heterosexual couples only - without any authority. Laws or rules only work if they have a foundation in authority and power -- a source higher than us to make them work. To enforce them.
If we take God and the work of the Cross through Jesus out of the mix, none of the debates and arguments work. It's just that -- debate. "My way is better than your way. No, my way is better."
Taking God out of the marriage equation, taking "sin" out of the human behavior equation, marriage has no rules. Sex has no rules. Anyone, anywhere, anytime.
If marriage is to be between one man and one woman, it's because God designed it to be that way from the beginning. Re: Garden of Eden. Why? To show his devotion and love to us, The Bride of Christ. Re: Revelation.
Marriage can't be redefined without Him. In fact, it can't even be defined without Him. If we base our social norms on ideologies outside the knowledge of God, anything goes. There's no reason not to let anyone marry who wants to marry.
Let's get really bold in our thinking here. What if, say, we reserve sex for marriage? Hmm. Now it's not just homosexual "sex" we're dealing with, but adultery, fornication, any behavior outside of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman.
Hebrews 13:4 - "Let the marriage be kept honorable in every way, let the marriage bed be undefiled... God will judge those who commit sexual sin, especially those who commit adultery."
I know, this sets the bar pretty high. But God is telling us through His Word what He requires. It's His, well, Constitution. We really are without excuse.
Thankfully, He's a God of love and mercy. He embraces weak, sinful humans. But don't be deceived, He won't let His Word return to Him void without accomplishing His intentions. He will judge. He will call into account.
Will you be ready? Will I be ready? Working on it!
You can't change God to fit society. He will change society to fit Him. If you're struggling, talk to Him, ask Him for understanding. Start by reading the Bible and dialoging about it. "What is this? God, I don't understand. Help me to get it."
He will.
As a new believer, I spent a lot of time underlining the things I found inscrutable in the Bible. I feel like the Lord rolled out the red carpet for me as I brought him all my questions and unloaded my unbelief--asking Him to remove it. I appreciated this post!
ReplyDeleteHe only writes what's good for us in the now and in the long run. Praise to Him as a great FAther and Saviour.
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteThis is good! My only "problem" if you could call it that is this . . . the homosexual community doesn't care and we're not going to reach them with creating laws. We're going to reach them by loving them like Christ loved. Christ didn't hang out with the religious "right" in fact he chastised them for standing on the law, He hung out with those who were the worst of the worst. I believe we need to change our approach tactic and we'll see a change.