Following Judah's Lion

The Traditional Marriage Debate

There will be much chest pounding this coming election concerning traditional marriage. Many evangelical churches and millions of believers will become openly bellicose about such things, and we have already seen these pledge signings about the issue. We, as believers, have only the Bible as our standard and to the Scriptures we must bow. And in light of that, we know that marriage was meant to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. That is our so called “position” on the issue, but what should be our position politically on this issue?

Let me ask you a question: Are you in favor of a man of 25 marrying a 14 year old girl legally? Why not? The Scriptures say nothing of it and in fact Mary herself may have been around that very age. Wouldn't that be "traditional"? Are you in favor of two Satan worshipers (man and woman) marrying? And when they marry are they Biblically married? Would you allow them to adopt children? Should a preacher marry them if he is in favor of “traditional marriage“? Why not?

Should two Muslims (a man and woman who are members of Al Qaeda) marry, and if so are they exhibiting your political form of traditional marriage? Do you support a man who has been divorced ten times marrying a woman who has been divorced 20 times? If traditional marriage is your benchmark, and if that is what defines a believer, then they meet that criteria. If an unrepentant serial killer named Richard Ramirez (the night stalker) marries a deluded woman (he did), do they represent traditional marriage? Both adults, one man and one woman - a traditional marriage?

You see, when we as believers set some moral standard and promote it publicly and politically to a fallen culture we both obscure the gospel and join hands with many unbelievers who take the same stand on that particular issue. And when we debate issues on a fallen political battleground, we take the sacred and mix it with the profane. The issue for us is not what should America believe about marriage, but what should we as believers believe and manifest about marriage. And what we believe about marriage has nothing to do with what the majority of Americans decides is right, and if America votes a traditional marriage amendment it does not affect the church at all.

In fact, if such an amendment would be enacted into law, many lost Americans would feel some misplaced sense of moral and religious accomplishment and even favor with God. They are sadly and eternally mistaken. God is not interested in what a nation believes. God is invested in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to every sinner on the earth. Moral and righteous conduct must be preached and lived within the church and not used as some moral talisman against the wicked hordes of liberals.

What would you say about a man who murdered two people promoting a law against men who murder twenty? Or promoting a law against murder itself? The church takes a traditional marriage stand while she herself divorces at the very rate as does those who take an opposite view. Most evangelical churches have many, many divorced and remarried people as members, and many of them are married to mistresses. Most preachers marry divorced people because God forgives. So is divorce part of a traditional marriage, and if so, and if God does forgive, then let us support a constitutional amendment endorsing divorce. Of course God forgives, and each situation must be judged by the Spirit, but my point is that the church is very hypocritical when it speaks as a moral champion and not as a humble voice of redemption in Christ.

We as believers adhere to being legal in marriage because that does not interfere with our commitment to God's Word, but what the fallen government does or does not recognize as a legal marrige is irrelevant to us. If the government no longer recognized the marriage of two believers by their pastor, would that change what we believe? And if the fallen government recognized gay marriage what concern is that to us? We follow Him and we call others to believe in Christ. Remember, this same government sees all religions as equal and takes no stand on the veracity of any.

Please, my brothers and sisters, take a break this political season and sit back in prayerfulness and humility, and listen to what people are saying. Then listen to what the Spirit is saying. Do not get caught up in the endless moral melee as if that battle can ever be won. But let us all get deeper into Christ and preach Him and His redemption to Democrat, Republican, Independent, and all creatures everywhere. Our message is different, our church is different, our lives are different, and most of all the Lord Jesus is different. Lift Him up and not some moral crusade usually defined by the political atmosphere of the day.

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever!