LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Position Paper
Submitted to Dr. Joshua Chatraw,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
THEO 650-001
Ethics and Christianity
by
Stephen Geddam
05/14/18
Introduction
Marriage is one of the important phase of the life in a human perspective and even God feels the same thing in a human life because marriage is something that is a God ordained legal union that is meant to be between a man and women that consists of companionship, procreation, and even raising the children who should be Godly in the middle of the society that they live in because they are representing the God the Almighty. The line of marriage came into existence in Genesis 2:18(KJV) where God feels for man by seeing Him when He made all the other animals and creatures one plus one, but the man was so alone and God thought to Himself and said that “it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” But that is not it for a man to have a woman of his own.
When we go further in verse 24 of Genesis 1, we can see that after a woman had been created from a man’s rib, God declares that “therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” God made marriage so meaningful and useful and made it in a Godly way. God has such an amazing perspective on marriage. However, in this modern world everything is vice-versa. In one of the individual life, when the dynamic world hits in everything is constantly changing, including such a sensitive matter as marriage. In the Bible, man was made for women and women for man but in today’s generation homosexual marriages like gay and lesbian marriages became common. I still wonder do they realize what the world is made of and what is the purpose of their lives. In this modern world we can observe that a man proposing and getting married to a fellow man as well as a woman getting married to her fellow woman. In the last 10 to 15 years the stats had shown that the percentage has grown little higher but it went up the mount Everest when The ruling by the United States supreme court on 27th June 2015 made the decision by accepting the gay marriage in the society which has brought about a paradigm shift in the definition of marriage and has caused a surge in homosexual activities in United Sates; not just United States as of July 1, 2017, about twenty-one countries of world have endorsed gay marriage and more are still deliberating on legalizing it. Where is the world going my friends? This is something serious that we being as the true body of Christ should know and discuss and stand firm for the truth that God has put in our heart. To be a better person of God, how you need to tackle these issues. Well that is exactly this paper will make you realize just by giving the biblical standard for marriage, and the consequences of homosexual practices in the society.
An Overview of Marriage
Let us see what the overview of marriage is. as we stated in the beginning of this paper, that this marriage is kind of an institution where marriage involves a strict covenant between a man and a women and God being the center of everything. This is something that a man and women come together with a mutual consent where they enter the line of arrangement to be together forever. This should be done with the divine law and within the families which will bring out the best. Ashley Montague an anthropologist proclaims that there is no society where marriage does not exist in some format. Thinking of that statement, everyone will totally agree to that. To that extinct the institution is, therefore, is a universal phenomenon. When we this and think about this we can come out with two logical possibilities and that marriage either is of supernatural origin, or it had a naturalistic beginning. This is something that we all should think deeply in this modern world. Those who favor evolutionary theory claim that marriage is “a human development from animal mating relationships.” Harvey Lock and James Peterson, think that there are some scholars who are in the center to dispose and they wanted us to develop the marriage in to two some activities of animals below man. These are someone who are bold enough to compare human to the birds and mammals because they argue that an enduring relationship between one or more males and one or more females is prevalent among birds and higher mammals.
Best services for writing your paper according to Trustpilot
Wayne Jackson come up with a brilliant counter for the above statement by Lock and Peterson and he believes that it is true that some creatures seemingly mate for life, the ape family, allegedly higher on the evolutionary scale than birds, is quite wanton, however, that does not augur well with the notion that marriage progressively developed as several brands of creatures were becoming more erudite. Now you must be thinking that that was one brilliant counter and you bet it is. Biblical view on marriage is explicit. God created man, and from his side – in earth’s initial surgical procedure – formed his wife. The two were designed to “cleave” to one another (Gen. 2:21-25). In a discussion with the Pharisees, Jesus cited this Old Testament proof, and stated: “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). Bible has clearly stated about the marriage clearly well if that is the case of marriage that is designed by God, then who in the world has the authority to overrule that. Men and women, the human world, do not have the right to regard the revered human relationship in an inconsiderate, self-directed manner.
God’s Institution of Marriage.
The interesting thing about marriage is that, through the ages or to say through the years we’ve see that man has fallen in the perspective of God but the marriage that God has put from the time of Adam and Eve hasn’t changed a bit. In the Garden of Eden, the day when God created Eve from the ribs of Adam, God Initiated and inaugurated the marriage which has stood the test of time for virtually six thousand years. The book of Genesis reveals that God established matrimony as something holy. Of course, there is no doubt in that everyone knows that man has defiled it. Still, it is a God ordained method of joining one man and one woman together so that – “the two shall be one flesh.” Jesus Christ referred to marriage in his ministry on earth. He states, “what God has joined together let not man put asunder.”
This is a strong statement that the LORD intended to show the inviolability of marriage as well as the sinfulness of divorce. Jesus emphasized a clearly stated the sacredness of marriage when he said that God put a man and a woman together, but did He ever said that man and man put together? We should really appreciate the tradition at this point of view because One of the Characteristics of a Christian Marriage is the traditional vow by the couple to stay faithful to each other despite all odds. And it is also one of the reason that all the newly engaged young couple are instructed to take this vow before the presence of the Lord because marriage is something that is ordained by God and it will always be faithful to the last breath of life. The lesson that we can learn from God’s institution of marriage is that there will be trials and difficulties in the marriage life, but God wants the couple to be together and be strong in the Lord despite of what the difficult situation they are in. The spiritual lesson that we can learn from that is that two becoming one flesh and one body. John Davis declares that “The first marriage that God performed is quite clearly a pattern. Those who attempt to mount a biblical case for homosexuality must completely abandon reasonable hermeneutics”
Homosexual Practices and its Consequences
Homosexual practices/marriages have far reaching negative implications on the wellbeing and the continuity of any given society. It is for sure that when God created His creation is perfect including human way of life and thinking. It was half through the line I believe that changed the thoughts of human and started to attract to the same sex which I believe that not everyone is intimate in that but only very few that are changing the landscape which ended up in a big time on the society. It is God who is founder of the institution of marriage, He is the only one who deserves the right to dictate the right form that marriage. God is the seen as the inventor of the marriage as the Scripture indicates “so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen 1:27). Everyone should believe that the above scripture itself is the proof of what God has intended for the man and women and that is to come together as one body as a husband and wife. Even after He created eve from the ribs of Adam and God made Adam to go into deep sleep, He saw Eve and appreciated Himself for all the handwork that He did and she became Adam’s flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone.
Procreation/ Continuity Issue
Human beings are supposed to carry on with the work of creation after the order of God because the Scripture declares “ye are gods” (Psa. 82:6). The main interesting that God has commanded after creating Adam and Eve is the root cause for all the lives in this world. After creating Adam and eve, He didn’t just leave them alone, but He commands the mankind after the creation is to multiply as it stated in Genesis 1:28; “and God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that mov eth upon the earth.” So, this shows that, God has already planned everything ahead. For man to be “fruitful and multiply” God knew what needs to be done because he has already designed a means through a legal union between a man and a woman which is otherwise known as marriage.
The days has changed we should say. In this modern world though many claims that an advancement in science and technology can enable one to have children without the natural process that involves intercourse between a man and a woman. Let’s take that into account with homosexual people. How can they have a child because the reason is for sure to have a child is that the party will still need an external donation to successfully procreate a baby. If homosexual, is an ideal marriage plan and that sounds devastating to the human world and if that is what everyone wants, I bet that would be from century from now, but it will take a new generation, but will this be continued? Will there be any young people to carry on with such a culture?
Enforcing Minority Moral Upon Majority
Gay marriage is one of the most recent times hit the top of the mountain when that became a legal in some of the countries. The legalization of gay marriage, gay Marriage means having the morals of the minority forced upon the majority. But for sure there is a huge problem with this gay marriage. I still wonder how come people know that it is a sin and still decides to take that moment and embrace it when the hell fire is waiting for them on the other end of their lives. I believe this is when morals come into existence. Normally, morals should not be forced on anyone though there are exceptions. Morals are the once that needs to be followed personally and that involves the true heart. Morals are forced on others by preventing them from stealing, raping, murdering, indulging in substance abuse and so forth It is never good to force the moral on someone. But the issue then becomes what is morally right and wrong in the first place and altering morals in a society causes stress. The law should start to impose a moral among the minority transgendered male upon most of the female. There are such things that comes up when a law is forced for a Christian judge at a wedding ceremony to issue a wed homosexual couple against their belief is just forcing the minority over the majority.
Biblical Era’s Effects Regarding Homosexual Practices.
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Wonder how this homosexuality is still in existence. Matter of fact, the rate of homosexuality has been increasing every year. We saw in the beginning of this research it was said that God detests homosexual practices. During the times of Mosaic Law, if this practice was indulged, the punishment is so severe that it has the impositions such as death on such people (Levi 20:13). But the most intellectual and most dangerous destruction that was recorded and came upon Sodom and Gomorrah by none other than God Himself. Why God had to be so much angry on them? Is homosexuality being the only cause for their destruction? This is when scholars chip in their thoughts. In that many of the scholars thought it was not just homosexuality but there are some other reasons that made God to show His wrath on them. Let us take a look in Genesis 19 of what the destruction took place of Sodom and Gomorrah.
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
Scholars are the ones that give us the brief thoughts on what the destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah could really be. It was to the fact that it was not destroyed just for the homosexual practices, but it was also due to men being abusive and uncharitable to all the strangers that are making their way into the land and also humiliate them showing no mercy and they wanted to engage in bestiality and so forth. It looks like the angels were on a mission to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because the instruction was passed by God before He even step His foot in that place. Thus Genesis 19:13 says “for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.” That portion of the scripture proves it is not just the homosexual activities that mad God to destroy but also other reasons.
God’s Institution Can Turn into God’s Wrath.
The above itself showed what a homosexual practice can make God turn into. It will turn the all loving God into heel and He will send the wrath where no one ever will be saved. God said above everything Love is the one that is important and the pure one. God’s main attribute is Love and then comes mercy. The Scripture points out that his mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23). The God’s mercies are new every morning can turn into his anger forever. What has turned God into heel to destroy the entire nation of all the age groups and that is none other than the homosexual practices itself.
Conclusion
It is said that in the beginning of the study that it is one only gay marriage that is making the difference in the society well that has proved in this study. Well this study had started with a high-flying introduction that stated the how much union male and female need to become one in the form of God’s institution called marriage. And this should be done in the presence of the Lord Himself because that is how much importance God is giving towards marriage. We’ve also discussed what made the world to change upside down coming down the line from Adam and Eve to present modern world coming up with gay relationship turning into gay marriages and governments of the countries making this as official. This study showed the wrath of God in the form of Sodom and Gomorrah when the practices of homosexuality came into the form. That proves that “gay marriages are morally bad according to the biblical standard” and we need to stay away from them and let us be the change for the people who need to change and let the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be glorified.
Bibliography
Ankerburg, John, and John Weldon. The Myth of Safe Sex. Chicago, IL: Moody, 1993.
Balswick, Judith, and Jack Balswick. Authentic Human Sexuality. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 1999.
Brown, Michael L. Can You be Gay and Christian? Lake Mary FL: Charisma House Book,
2014.
DeYoung, James B. Homosexuality: Contemporary Claims Examined in the Light of the Bible
and Other Ancient Literature and Law. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2000
Gagnon, Robert A. The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics. Nashville,
TN: Abingdon, 2001.
Hall, Laurie. An Affair of the Mind. Colorado Springs, CO: Focus on the Family, 1996.
Heimbach, Daniel R. True Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in
Crisis. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004.
Jones, Stanton L., and Mark A. Yarhouse. Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the
Church’s Moral Debate. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000.
Laaser, Mark. Faithful and True: Sexual Integrity in a Fallen World. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 1996.
Lovelace, Richard F. Homosexuality: What Should Christians Do About It? Old Tappan, NJ:
Revell, 1984.
