Marriage between one man and one woman used to be a common belief.
If you look at our culture today you would get a confusing sense of what marriage is. Some would say that marriage is between a man and a woman. Others would say that marriage is between two individuals regardless of their biological sex. It doesn’t stop there. Some would say that marriage can be between as many people as desired, otherwise known as polygamy. You see how confusing it can be if we base the meaning of marriage on what the world says or desires.
As Christians, we know that God created the marriage institution and he defines it as a covenant between one man and one woman for life.
For decades, proponents of homosexual “marriage” have attempted to legalize this relationship and have the government endorse it. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was legal in all 50 states. This ruling overrode more than 30 state constitutional amendments that outlawed same-sex marriage. Just a decade or two ago nearly all 50 states recognized marriage as the union between one man and one woman. It wasn’t just Christians that believed in this sacred union as being between a man and a woman.
In a 2008 interview with Pastor Rick Warren leading up to the election, Barack Obama stated that he believed marriage is “is the union between a man and a woman.” Apparently, this wasn’t a genuine belief at the time. Obama went on to flip-flop on this issue and endorse same-sex marriage during his presidency. Nonetheless, the former president publicly supported the biblical view of marriage.
Other well-known Democrats expressed similar sentiments. In 2013, the office of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) put out a statement supporting a biblical view of marriage.
“Senator Manchin believes that a marriage is a union between one man and one woman. His beliefs are guided by his faith, and he supports the Defense of Marriage Act,” said Manchin spokeswoman Katie Longo.
In 2012, longtime Democrat leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) stated, "My personal belief is that marriage is between a man and a woman. But in a civil society, I believe that people should be able to marry whomever they want, and it's no business of mine if two men or two women want to get married."
I cite these individuals and their statements to further the point that biblical marriage used to be a common belief in America. It’s not hateful, bigoted, or narrow-minded to believe in the sacred union that God designed.
Despite the title wave of support for same-sex marriage and other sexually perverse behavior that has come to the forefront in the last few decades it is still critically important to promote and defend marriage the way God intended it.
Harvard faculty member, Robert H. Shmerling, MD, published an article which stated that those who are married (compared to those who are single) “tend to live longer, have fewer strokes and heart attacks, have a lower chance of becoming depressed, be less likely to have advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis and more likely to survive cancer for a longer period of time, and survive a major operation more often.”
Shmerling goes on in the article to specify why he believes these benefits are bought about.
Studies affirm what we know to be true. Marriage is healthy and good for individuals, families, and society.
Even though God’s design for marriage is under assault and ridicule, as Christians we must be committed to that which God calls good. Let us press on in our belief and support that marriage is between one man and one woman for life.
For more information about our By Design project aimed at promoting marriage visit afa.net/bydesign.
