Traditional Marriage and a mighty river of change

 

(Judg 8:30 NKJV) Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

The Christianity Today article “Is the debate Gay Marriage Over?” posted on 24 July 2009, reflected in dismay as what it sees as “traditional Christians feel like the armored tank of history is rolling over them, crushing traditional marriage under its iron treads”. Their main arguments are founded on their definition of “Traditional Marriage” as a marriage between a man and a woman, they argue therefore that Gay marriage is against Traditional Marriage. Whilst we narrowly defined the concept of marriage to straight people, we explain it as long term faithful relationship, whose purpose including procreation rather than a pursuit of individuality. It is a play on words to narrowly define marriage, and then associates marriage to traditional values outside this definition, so that we can associate the lifestyle of gays to immorality. We are afraid of gay marriage because it reflects an aspiration to be in a long term faithful monogamous relationship instead of an individualistic existence. It undermines our rhetoric that gays are only interested in a self centered promiscuous lifestyle but in reality are no different than straight people in their yearning for companionship and relationships. Our false logic and rationalization hides our anti-gay motivations and in the long run will be rolled over by the armored tank of truth and revelation through time.

The definition by the Christian Right that Traditional marriage is good just because it is between a man and a woman is illogical. Marriage between a man and a woman, has an incredibly high percentage of divorce (25% of all adults according to Barna Research), rampant adultery, and many hundreds of thousands of abortion. When we say we are defending traditional marriage, what morality are we defending? Straight couples to continue to divorce, have adultery and abortions just because they are straight? Jesus specifically highlighted the Pharisees of their adultery because they condemn all others for seemingly insignificant issues whilst committing grave sins. Modern day Christians may not be much different with divorce rates higher than the general average. Whilst we are trying to stop gays from getting married to prevent their relationships from being recognized, protected, and valued, more than a third of Christians are themselves divorcees. Christians are putting a totally unreasonable burden and yoke upon gays causing them to depart from the church whilst engaging in terrible sins themselves. This was what Jesus referred to as white washed tombs, full of skeletons on the inside, and leading the masses to damnation.

We know biblically and instinctively that "male and female he created them," … ("Is the debate on Gay marriage over", Christianity Today, July 2009)

The Christianity Today says it knows biblically and instinctively that marriage is between a man and a woman since God created a man and a woman. However, God did not “create a man and a woman” but created man first and woman later (out of man) for relationship and to populate the earth. This does not imply that the offspring were intended to be or is required to be 100% straight. Gay sons came from straight parents. Man and woman need not be joined together to become one complete flesh as the woman originally came out of man.

The bible examples of Traditional Marriage were between a man and many women, and NOT one women and one man. The bible also does not call it marriage, but ownership where the woman was treated as a property to perpetuate the man’s lineage, in a patriarchal culture which is man centered. They brought the woman caught in adultery but not the man. The Gospels emphasized on adultery between a man and a woman being the cause of family breakdown rather than homosexuality. Jesus did not mention gays other than when alluding that they were born as such and not subject to being enticed by women in the context of straight adultery! When the OT mentioned about gay sex, it was in the context of straight men worshiping idols.

The Rev Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston tried to rationalize that homosexuality was a sin like any other sin such as lying. It is obvious that, Homosexuality like heterosexuality by itself has nothing to do with lying. Such deliberate attempts to paint a bad picture of gays by association - with underage sex, sex with animals and the dead, means that gays are guilty simply by our associations. This is morally and intellectually destructive because it is a false witness and it causes many deaths by our condemnation. The natural rule of law and justice, will demand for compensation upon the church. The Jews left Egypt with gold being the back charges for all the work done for which they were not paid for. We should not forget that God is a God of Justice. Be prepared for a great shaking of the church.

Homosexuality is only mentioned occasionally from the pulpits yet the impact will be very great. Jesus warned us to be careful about the yeast of the Pharisees because though their hypocrisy impacts the entire faith, like the yeast causing the cake to enlarge substantially. Therefore, the anti-gay focus of the church undermines its righteousness and morality. In comparison, you would see no positional statement against adultery and divorce even though mentioned in the 10 commandments and highlighted by Jesus. We dare not point the finger at ourselves especially the many who sits at our pews. This lack of consistency shows the depths of our unrepentant heart and hypocrisy. We do not point to ourselves as the defaulters, to see ourselves as the main cause of destroying traditional marriage and morality rather than blaming gays.

The armored “gay marriage” tank of history rolling over traditional Christians will not crush the institution of marriage; rather it has the capacity to redefine the church from one of love and grace through Christ, to one of hypocrisy, self righteousness, killing of the innocent and false witness. We have crossed the line ordained by God, of 1000 years of religious persecution against gays and capital punishment because of their sexual orientation. It is a tsunami of a thousand years of history, a tank armored by the blood, tears and faces of those who had perished and suffered because of our narrow religious dogma, hypocrisy and utter cruelty. It was Henry the Eight, the famous adulterer, and the head of the Church of England, who first instituted capital punishment against gays – no finer example of the great hypocrisy of Christians defending the so called traditional marriage. We have chosen to cause harm instead of expounding God’s love and grace of the Gospel message of salvation. We have fought and persecuted the weak and the outcast. We have lost in many ways. We have distorted Christianity from the message of salvation through Christ, to a message of protecting the highly dysfunctional straight marriage so that it could be reserved for straight people and they could continue abusing their straight marriages just because they are straight. The people will know us by our stance of gay marriage rather than our love for people and for God.

(Isa 61:1 NIV) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

(Isa 61:2 NIV) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

 

Christianity Today called itself a magazine of “evangelical persuasion”, but Jesus never spoke against gays, especially in the aspect of coming against marriage even though He spoke very strongly of the real causes being the religious seemingly law abiding leaders. How evangelical is our anti-gay rethoric? Don’t gays need Jesus Christ first and foremost? Do they have to be straight before receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour? Sexual orientation by itself is innate, and makes one no greater or lesser sinner. When we are confused about sin, we would soon be confused about the message of the Gospel and our salvation in Jesus Christ. For so long, there has been grave injustice and harm perpetrated by the Church. However, Justice is beginning to roll down from up river, from heaven itself, declaring the Year of Jubilee for all, that they may come to know the Christ who loves them, and who created them, just as they are, wonderfully whether a gay or straight person. All are indeed welcome and accepted Home at His table. His mighty hand is moving forth like a mighty army, to prepare the way for the Lord. In the coming years, there will be great freedom for the gay community but a great shaking and cleansing for the church who will be engaged in fighting this undefeatable armored tank. The Holy Spirit is moving like a mighty wind and river, powerful but unpredictable in its direction and appearance, with full of surprises where homosexuality and gay marriages will be legalized next. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is sweeping forth with a proclamation of freedom in Christ to the GLBT community that cannot be stopped for this is the Good News Message.

Come as a Mighty River

 

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