All true Christians must surely be saddened and deeply concerned as we have witnessed, in our day, the marginalization of the institution of marriage in our nation.
The recent decision by the Lords to accept the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill redefining marriage was deeply disturbing. It would seem that our nation is now set to defy God and impose this bill with all its evil implications. Our nation is in a desperate state of moral and spiritual declension, reminiscent of the dark days of the Judges, when ‘everyone did that which was right in his own eyes’ (Judges 21:25).The words of Jeremiah the prophet are so relevant and apt for our nation:
How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? (Jeremiah 9:8,9)
For all their professed wisdom, the overwhelming majority of our elected representatives, in both Houses, have shown themselves to be fools in rejecting the Word of the Lord in regard to the institution of marriage.
God has defined marriage. Governments have no right or mandate to attempt to redefine marriage. Marriage must not be redefined. God’s word is forever settled in heaven. When asked about marriage, Jesus took the Pharisees back to the Word of God and to the declaration by God recorded in the book of Genesis:
Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (Matthew 19:4,5; Genesis 2:24)
Contrary to the beliefs of many in our society, marriage is not some arbitrary idea concocted by man¬kind and thus able to be structured in any way that we see fit. Rather, marriage is instituted by God Himself for our benefit and for His glory. Societies, like buildings, need firm foundations. It is dangerous indeed to tamper with the foundations of any building. In our present troubled and broken country it is an act of criminal folly to undermine an institution which has not only has proved its worth through the centuries in our society but is directly mandated by God.
The first marriage is found in Genesis. This is the template for all subsequent marriages and the standard by which they are to be judged. God created a man and a woman who were to have and raise children. In Genesis 2:24 we read that man and woman are to come together in marriage as one flesh. This reflects God’s intention in creating men and women and shows the basic non-negotiable ingredients of marriage, a sacred covenant between one man and one woman in intimate physical union. Like all other covenants, it is governed by God’s commands for the sake of His glory, and this glory is displayed as husband and wife are faithful to God’s design for marriage
Following and obeying God’s commands is the path of blessing both individually and nationally. Our nation is intent on flying in the face of God’s law. In the redefining of marriage, our national government is seeking to do that which is right in its own eyes and in effect saying, ‘there is no God that we should obey him’. The Scriptures declare that:
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good (Psalm 14:1).
This legal enactment of this abomination will bring the judgment of God upon our nation. In these dark days of moral and spiritual decline in our nation, God’s people need to lay hold upon God and claim the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14,
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Editorial by the Director of Ministry