“Same-Sex Marriage” Undermines “Traditional Marriage”!

by Bobby Witherington

On September 21, 1996, Congress enacted DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, which recognized marriage as being between a man a woman. However, there is a tremendous push on the part of various, well-funded, politically-powerful groups to have DOMA declared unconstitutional. Several States have already passed laws whereby they recognize the legal legitimacy of “same-sex marriage”! Moreover, various supporters of “same-sex” marriages are recommending books for the Public School system, books which undermine traditional marriage and call upon schools to “act out gay weddings”! It is very probable that we are approaching a time in our nation’s history when teachers who openly oppose “same-sex marriage” in the class room will be fired!

Frankly, I have a problem with the term “same-sex marriage.” It makes about as much sense as talking about “French fried ice cream”! For that matter, I am not too keen on the term “traditional marriage,” mainly because it, in my view, tends to view marriage simply from the perspective of “tradition,” as opposed to marriage as God designed it! However, as it relates to this article, I am using the term “traditional marriage” in an accommodative sense to refer to “marriage” as it has always been viewed by people in general.

But first, let us consider marriage as God designed it. It was God Who “created man in His Own image” (Genesis 1:27). It was God Who said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Genesis 2:18). It was God Who then “caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam,” Who then took “one of his ribs” from which He made “woman” and brought “her to the man” who then said, “this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:21-22). God then said, “therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Thus it was God Who made the first wife for the first husband, and deemed that the two should “become one flesh.” As it relates to that first marriage, which was divinely intended to be a pattern for all subsequent marriages, God made one husband for one wife. As many have pointed out, the first marriage involved Adam and Eve, it did not involve Adam and Steve!

As we come to the New Testament, we note that some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason” (Matthew 19:3). Jesus then reminded them that God “at the beginning” made them “male and female” and He then quoted Genesis 2:24, saying, “for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Matthew 19:4-5). You will please note that Jesus, referring to the marriage relationship, identified it as consisting of a “male and female,” not a male and a male, nor a female and a female! Jesus evidently looked upon a lawful marriage as being a union which “God has joined together” and He then cautioned, saying, “what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). He acknowledged that Moses, because of the “hardness” of hearts, “permitted” men to “divorce” their wives; but He also said that “from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8; cf. Deuteronomy 24:1-4). And Jesus then said, “I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9). Moreover, the apostle Paul, by inspiration, later said that “the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of her husband” (Romans 7:2).

Not only was marriage divinely designed to be a union of “a male and a female” i.e., a husband and a wife, it was intended to be the lawful union for the procreation of the human species, (I Corinthians 7:2-3; I Timothy 5:14). Sex outside of marriage is “fornication” from which God-fearing people are commanded to “flee” (I Corinthians 6:18). Sex within marriage is both honorable and obligatory (I Corinthians 7:2-3). The Hebrew writer plainly stated, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

Throughout human history, marriage has been regarded as a union between a man and a woman. To my knowledge, until recent years, there was no such phenomenon as “same-sex marriage!” However, many in our nation are doing all within their power to divorce this nation from God. Consequently, as they view it, marriage is not a union designed and regulated by God (Whose very existence many deny!), but a Civil Rights issue. However, for any civil society to survive there has to be limitations placed upon a person’s “rights.” It has often been observed that “no one has the right to cry ‘fire, fire,’ in a crowded building.” No person has the inherent “right” to take the life of another human being. Our prisons are filled with people who assumed the “right” to kill, pillage, plunder, and rape. Our government, at this point, with reference to marriage, places certain limitations upon the rights of both men and women. For example, polygamy is not only unscriptural; it is also unlawful. If “same-sex marriage” can be forced in as a matter of human “rights,” why can not the same be done at a later date with reference to polygamy? What will prevent a father from marrying his daughter? What will prevent a mother from marrying her son? What will prevent adults from marrying under-age children? If everything is reduced to a “human rights” issue, how long will it be before pedophiles begin asserting their “rights,” and how long will it be before some of us “Bible-thumping Neanderthals” will be diagnosed as being afflicted with a disease called “pedophilephobia?” How long will it be before such an article as this will land its writer either in jail or a mental institution?

Returning to the title of this article, “Same-Sex Marriage Undermines Traditional Marriage,” we affirm that the distinction between men and women is a part of being human, and that any domestic “partnership,” “relationship,” or so-called “marriage” consisting of men joined to men or women joined to women is “against nature” (Romans 1:26), and it undermines the very basis of a civil society. Let us now momentarily consider the advantages of life-long heterosexual marriages:

1. It means that the human species can be perpetuated. God, at the beginning, “made them male and female,” and said “Be fruitful and multiply …” (Genesis 1:27-28). Males and males can co-habit, even as can females and females, but the offspring produced is net zero. All advocates of “same-sex marriage” should be thankful that their parents did not subscribe to that view point!

2. It means that children have both mothers and fathers, who jointly provide them with both the nurture and the security needed to become healthy, productive citizens.

3. It means that mothers and fathers will not be forced to raise their children alone. Let’s face it! Raising children is no easy task! It is doubly difficult when either the mother or the father has to assume the roles of both mother and father!

Conclusion

In every time period, and in every society, it has been observed that “traditional marriage” helps provide stability for society. Homosexual unions, not only are “against nature” (Romans 1:26), they undermine the very basis of a civil society and invariably contribute to the physical, social, moral, and spiritual deterioration of society. Yes, we ought to “love” our neighbors “as” ourselves (Matthew 22:39), (and our neighbors include homosexuals), but genuine “love” does not include the condoning, or the legalization, of that which is contrary to the well-being of all concerned. Alcoholics are not helped by making it easier for them to get drunk. Sex addicts are not helped by increasing the availability of pornography. Laziness is not cured by increasing government hand-outs to those who refuse to work. And homosexuals are not helped by undermining legitimate marriage, or by granting them special “rights,” causing them to believe that they can continue their perverse life style without suffering dire consequences.