There are a number of “hot potatoes” happening around the world, instigated by those pushing a liberal agenda (all-encompassing). Many of these “hot potatoes” affect the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, politics, morals and ethics. Our country is not immune. What happens in other countries finds its way to our country. One of the “hot potato” issues that has been progressing in “demand” is that of the church recognizing, accepting and performing homosexual marriages. Yesterday, CNN and other Media Houses ran articles relating to what the Church of Rome announced. The Church of Rome is more commonly known as the Roman Catholic Church, headed by a pope. CNN writes:
The Vatican said Monday that the Catholic Church would not bless same-sex unions, in a combative statement approved by Pope Francis that threatens to widen the chasm between the church and much of the LGBTQ community. Explaining their decision in a lengthy note on Monday, the Holy See referred to same-sex unions as a “choice,” described them as sinful and said they “cannot be recognized as objectively ordered” to God’s plans. The stance is certain to disappoint millions of gay and lesbian Catholics around the world. “The blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit,” the Vatican’s top doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote in the statement. God “does not and cannot bless sin,” the statement added. The decision is a setback for Catholics who had hoped the institution would modernize its approach to homosexuality. Dozens of countries, include many in western Europe, have legalized same-sex marriages, and the Church’s reticence to embrace LGBTQ people has long held the potential to alienate it from younger followers. “It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage, as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex,” the statement said.
Please understand that being from a reformed, evangelical stable I cannot accept and agree with the Church of Rome’s Doctrinal position on many things. When you adhere to the Scripture as God final Word, inspired, inerrant and authoritative, you cannot in the same breath accept that which is un-Biblical and of human origin to be true mainstream Christianity.
Having said that … I need to commend and applaud the Church of Rome for their stance on same sex marriages, even though they are shaky on their view on homosexuals as individuals. Where the world demonstrates actively for full recognition regarding homosexuals, same sex marriages and adopting children to create a family … and into the fray we have … LGBTQ+ to mean all of the communities included in the “LGBTTTQQIAA” … (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, 2/Two-Spirit, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally, + Pansexual, + Agender, + Gender Queer, + Bigender, + Gender Variant, + Pangender). We who are Christian and subscribe to the Bible as explained above need to understand that God created a male and a female and throughout the Bible He requires and expects His people to conform to His guidelines for marriage and sexual relationships.
Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
(Read Genesis 2:18-23 for the way God made women for man.) God says to these human beings (male and female) He created that they must procreate … have children, multiply. The only way this could be done is through having sexual intercourse.
The male and the female performing coitus. But before this could happen … there needed to be marriage!
Ge 2:24 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
The first phrase reveals the preparation for and the composition of marriage, the second the legal marriage and the last the consummation of the marriage … the sexual union. Nowhere in all of the scriptures does God reverse, change or modify this statement. He speaks against any form of homosexuality or other sexual immorality (be it adultery, fornication, incest, bestiality, etc.) in places like Genesis 19 (Sodom); Leviticus 18 – whole chapter; Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6 as examples.
The opposition to God’s requirements for men and women, marriage and sex is not something new … but what is new is the forceful insistence on total equality. God and His laws governing such relationships are rejected. “Self and what I want” forces the new agenda of equality in the individual (male seen as female and visa versa); equality in marriage (with the decision made as to who is wife and who is husband even when both are male or female; with the same yardstick used for who fulfils the role of father and mother once adoptions take place. So when the Church of Rome refuses to “bless same sex marriages or unions” they are abiding by Scripture. When they say, “God does not and cannot bless sin”, they are spot on.
The “hot potato” in our country is that the government want to change the existing rules relating to marriage officers. Until the present we have had the right to refuse to marry same sex couples. Now they want to force us into the position where we cannot refuse to marry such people because of religious convictions. The only option we have then is to revoke our marriage licenses. This will put more pressure on the under staffed Department of Home Affairs. We are called to abide by the Word. We must honour God and face the consequences. However harsh the reaction might be, when we honour God, He will honour and protect us His people.
Dear God, so many tend to rebel against Your Word forcing their will upon those who desire to live in obedience to You. Seemingly governments of the world support and accept unnatural behaviour to gain votes during elections. Graciously help true Christians to remain steadfast, faithful and focused for Jesus sake. Amen.