It's a Marriage Issue!

**Thanks to the Manhattan Declaration for being the source of information for this post!  All quotes are from this document, unless otherwise noted.  See last week's post for background information on the Manhattan Declaration.**

"The impulse to redefine marriage in order to recognize same-sex and multiple-partner relationships is a symptom, rather than the cause, of the erosion of the marriage culture."

Did you catch that?  The desire to redefine marriage is not causing marriage to breakdown, it simply highlights the fact that marriage is breaking down.  We have lost the understanding of the meaning of marriage.  Marriage is not intrinsically about romance, but commitment and openness and protection of LIFE!  Yet, mentally many people have already redefined marriage.  They see it as an adult-centered union that exists to make you happy.  And if you're not happy?  Then leave!

We have already lost much ground.  We have the cultural use and acceptance of no-fault divorce, co-habitation, contraception, extra-marital sex and more all gives way to the belief that all sex-acts are equal.  But God's Word shows us differently:

"God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

"He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate."   Matthew 19:5-6

"Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her."  Ephesians 5:21-25

We see that God's Word shows marriage to be created by the Lord for one man and one woman.  In fact, marriage seems to be the crown jewel of creation as He designs the union of one man and one woman to be life-giving.  In this sense we become co-creators with Him, opening our total, faithful, fruitful love to life itself.  This, marriage, is the first institution created.  Before any society, government, or state, we have marriage.  The Bible begins with the marriage of Adam and Eve, celebrates the marriage of Solomon, is the first miracle Christ performs at Cana, and ends with the wedding feast of the Lamb in the book of Revelations.  In fact, the imagery of husband and bride is used by Christ more than any other analogy.  Christ is the bridegroom; we are the bride.  Our earthly union of marriage reflects the greater reality of our union to Christ. 

And so we see that "it is critical that the impulse [to redefine marriage] be resisted, for yielding to it would mean abandoning the possibility of restoring a sound understanding of marriage and, with it, the hope of rebuilding a healthy marriage culture." 
 
Often when this subject arises, we are accused of bigotry or hatred.  Advocates of same-sex marriage frame the debate as a civil rights issue like racism and sexism, as if they are victims in search of fairness and equality.  Americans sympathize with that approach, but this is not accurate.  We must reframe the debate.  We're not victimizers! 

The central issues is that same-sex marriage is impossible.  The question is not should we redefine marriage, but can we?  NO!  Society doesn't have the ability to redefine marriage.  This is not bigotry or discrimination, but a lack of ability.

Stay tuned for more next week!  In the meantime, hop on over here and sign the Manhattan Declaration yourself!  Become a "fan" on facebook and tell everyone you know about this ground-breaking document!