Beyond Saying "I Do"

Today on my calendar I have marked the word "wedding." Yep. I get to officiate another wedding ... something I have enjoyed doing a few times across the course of the past thirty years.

Marriage has been in the news a lot in recent months ... especially since our president has come out in support of gay marriage. There has been a lot of discussion about marriage and what it is and who it is for. So ... here are a couple of thoughts on the issue.

- Marriage is a gift ... a gift from the God who made us and who knows what is best for us. He knows that for the vast majority of us, it is in our best interest that we be married (see Genesis 2:18-24). 


- Marriage is to be between a man and a woman. From the beginning, marriage was designed by God be a one man ... one woman relationship (see also Matthew 19:4-9). 


- Marriage is also to be life-long. Jesus makes it clear in the Matthew 19 passage that marriage that from the get-go, God clearly intends that people marry for life.


Now ... I could say more, but based on what I have said above, here are some implications for all of us who claim to follow Jesus! 


1. We must take a stand for traditional marriage. The term "gay marriage" is actually a contradiction in terms. A gay marriage may be a relationship ... even a civil union ... but it is not a marriage (at least not in biblical terms).

2. We must take just as strong (if not stronger) stand on the permanency of marriage. Far too many Christians have adopted our society's view of marriage ... that it is more than a "going steady" relationship ... but not much more. Therefore, when things aren't working out in the marriage ... it's time to be getting out of the marriage.

3. We must treat our spouse as a gift from God to us. When you start thinking about one another in these terms ... it has a way of changing the relationship .... for the better!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj