Disciples of Christ, Defenders of Marriage

Marriage  has been part of society since Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden. 

Marriage is ordained of God. In the Bible we read “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matthew 19:4-5.) 

Adam and Eve were given the commandment to “multiply and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 1:28.) Procreation is one of the main reasons for establishing families. Every society on earth has recognized marriage between a man and a woman and the family as the “natural and fundamental unit of society.” - United Nations, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” General Assembly Resolution 217 A (III), Dec 10, 1948. 

Many studies show that children raised by a father and a mother do better in their cognitive, social and emotional well-being. (See Paul R. Amato, "The Impact of Family Formation Change on the Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Well-being of the Next Generation, www.future of children.org.)

President Russell M. Nelson in a commencement address give at BYU on 14 August 2014, stated:

“Male and female are created for what they can do and become, together. It takes a man and a woman to bring a child into the world. Mothers and fathers are not interchangeable. Men and women are distinct and complementary. Children deserve a chance to grow up with both a mom and a dad.” 

Only a man and a woman have the ability to create another life. This power of procreation is sacred and given to us by God. Misuse of the procreative power leads to unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease, and abortion. When used by married couples this power brings unity and love unequal to any other.

There are many tools that Satan uses to destroy the family. Among these are divorce, sexual relations outside of marriage, same-sex attractions, pronography, and even careers. I will discuss one of these issues in the remainder of this post. Same-sex marriage.

In 2015 the United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is Constitutional,which means that it is to be legal and recognized in all 50 states. This ruling was passed with a 5-4 majority. The 4 dissenting judges gave excellent reasons for their dissension. Two of their arguments are:

• ·         The Supreme Court does not have the authority to legislate or make laws.
• ·         Marriage is instituted in civilizations for the welfare of children.

As Christians we need to love all mankind. We are all sons and daughters of God. We need to show love to others, but we do not need to accept things that are against the teachings of Jesus Christ. He showed us how to do this when he forgave the woman taken in adultery. (See John 8:3-11) Love the sinner, but not the sin. Remember the two great commandments are to love God and to love our fellow men. We can live as disciples of Christ by showing forth love to all people.

Disciples of Jesus Christ are to defend marriage and the family. We can show our support of marriage by our example. A true disciple of Christ will prepare to stand for truth and righteousness. As we obey the Lord we will be blessed with power from God. We can use this power to help us defend the family unit. 

President Nelson stated, “The day is gone when you can be a quiet and comfortable Christian. Your religion is not just about showing up for church on Sunday. It is about showing up as a true disciple from Sunday morning through Saturday night – 24/7! There is no such thing as a ‘part-time’ disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus invited anyone who wants to be His disciple to take up His cross and follow Him.” p. 3.

 Let us stand ready when the call comes to defend marriage, family and the Lord!