Today in California a Federal judge overturned the Prop 8 vote regarding Same-Sex marriage deeming it to be unconstitutional.
It is not a surprise to many of us that the issue is raising its ugly head again. Our land languishes in the mire of moral darkness and the USA is not a true republic or democracy. It is governed in the end by a liberal elite who are intentionally anti-Christian.
The Same-Sex issue will no doubt gain front page news again as the Gay-Lesbian lobby seek to have their way. As a Christian I am not disheartened by the fact sinners are pursuing their sin. It only serves to affirm the truthfulness of the Scriptures. It serves to stir me to greater evangelistic activity. Our hope is not in Federal courts, or political campaigns, our hope is the power of the gospel.
We must strive to love the homosexuals of our generation and offer them the deliverance they so badly need. Deliverance from the enslavement to sinful lusts and practices that are extremely powerful and extremely blinding. Only Jesus Christ by the power of His Spirit can bring any of us out of the darkness of sin and the bondage of our own depravity. We must preach Him, we must live according to His ways and seek to see those lost in their sins rescued before it is too late.
The hostility to our message is intense, it is mighty, but the God of our message is Almighty. Let us commit ourselves to prayer and let us not fight a spiritual war with carnal weapons. The Lord is our strength and the gospel is our confidence. Let us show it by preaching it and living it in the days ahead ! Let us love our enemies and let us tell them of our Savior and let us suffer their vitriol refusing to give in to their carnal demands to recognise that homosexuality is acceptable before God and that same-sex marriage is a civil right, when in reality it is a redefining of a God-given institution.
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Upholding the Sanctity of Marriage
Over these past weeks since the close of the 2009 and into 2010 I have been absorbed in studying the subject of divorce and remarriage. My normal expositions of Mark brought me to Mark 10 where our Lord is confronted again by the Pharisees. Their questions regarding divorce faced me with the task of looking again at a subject I had long since thought I settled.
In my deliberations, which I am still in as I write, certain things became clearer to me and some things gave me new perspectives. Perhaps the clearest issues came in terms of what Scripture really says in terms of divorce and what it does not say. The new perspectives came in the realm of emphasis and focus when it comes to this subject.
It was good to see afresh that divorce is not something that is commanded or required of us. In fact God hates it and sin causes it. Those who experience divorce experience something tragic and painful and something that no doubt cuts deep.
When we raise the subject of divorce the issue needs to be done in the context of the biblical emphasis on the sanctity of marriage and not how many reasons does someone have to get out of their marriage. Mark 10 and Matt 19 indicate that when our Lord was asked about lawful divorce He responded by speaking about the sanctity of marriage.
The exception of Matt 19;9 has caused much disagreement in the church, but I am persuaded that DA Carson is spot on when he says it should simply be allowed to have its normative force in the text. The sin of porneia does give concessionary right to divorce and therefore remarriage, if you understand the inseparable connection between the two. The Lord does not command divorce on such terms, nor recommend it, He simply concedes it.
No doubt marriages that can exercise gospel grace and forgiveness when porneia arises are to be encouraged, but the hardness of heart that can exist does mean that divorce will occur. We must work with those whose marriages are tarnished by such sin, but realise that we still must deal with some harsh realities in the realm of broken marriages.
In my deliberations, which I am still in as I write, certain things became clearer to me and some things gave me new perspectives. Perhaps the clearest issues came in terms of what Scripture really says in terms of divorce and what it does not say. The new perspectives came in the realm of emphasis and focus when it comes to this subject.
It was good to see afresh that divorce is not something that is commanded or required of us. In fact God hates it and sin causes it. Those who experience divorce experience something tragic and painful and something that no doubt cuts deep.
When we raise the subject of divorce the issue needs to be done in the context of the biblical emphasis on the sanctity of marriage and not how many reasons does someone have to get out of their marriage. Mark 10 and Matt 19 indicate that when our Lord was asked about lawful divorce He responded by speaking about the sanctity of marriage.
The exception of Matt 19;9 has caused much disagreement in the church, but I am persuaded that DA Carson is spot on when he says it should simply be allowed to have its normative force in the text. The sin of porneia does give concessionary right to divorce and therefore remarriage, if you understand the inseparable connection between the two. The Lord does not command divorce on such terms, nor recommend it, He simply concedes it.
No doubt marriages that can exercise gospel grace and forgiveness when porneia arises are to be encouraged, but the hardness of heart that can exist does mean that divorce will occur. We must work with those whose marriages are tarnished by such sin, but realise that we still must deal with some harsh realities in the realm of broken marriages.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Glory of Marriage
Elaine and I just recently celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary. As I reflected on the blessing that is mine in my beloved wife I am reminded of the mercies of God to me in giving me such a precious gift in life.
Seventeen years have gone in so quickly in many ways, yet much has happened and many experiences have marked our lives together. We had the blessing of taking a couple of days away at San Simeon on the Central California Coast. In visiting Hearst Castle the tragic monument to William Randolph Hearst, the Rupert Murdoch of the 1920's and 1930's we enjoyed watching the amazing sunset over the Pacific, and enjoyed the quaint shops of Cambria. It was good to have time to discuss important family matters and just relax and rest.
The companionship, friendship and love that I share with my wife is more and more precious as the years go by. God has given us a glorious thing in marriage, God will bring it to an end one day, but until then we desire it to be all that God intended. How blessed I am. I love you Elaine and rejoice in what we have by God's grace.....soli deo gloria...
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