Protecting Marriage is Political Activism?

Before the Second World War, the rise of Adolf Hitler forced German Christians to make a choice. Some attempted to make peace with the Nazis, engaging in dialogue and endless discussions. Most in this group ended up allowing their churches to become accomplices.

The other main group advocated staying on the sidelines and simply obeying the government, saying that gospel witness was just too important to be muddied up with controversial political stances.

In both cases, Hitler had little to fear from these pastors-and he knew it. "They will submit," the Fuhrer said derisively. "…they are insignificant little people, submissive as dogs, and they sweat with embarrassment when you talk to them."

Well, the battle has moved to Minnesota. This November, an amendment to define marriage as being between a man and a woman will be on the ballot. You would expect pastors in the Land of 10,000 Lakes to take a clear stand.

Unbelievably, a couple of evangelical stalwarts are electing to sit this fight out-choosing not to endorse the amendment. Leith Anderson, a former pastor and President of the National Association of Evangelicals is one. John Piper, of Bethlehem Baptist Church, is another. During a recent sermon, Rev. Piper said "Don't press the organization of the church or her pastors into political activism . . . Expect from your shepherds not that they would rally you behind political candidates or legislative mandates, but they would point you over and over again to God and to his word."

I'm all for pointing people to God's Word-surely we need that! But is attempting to protect marriage from a dangerous redefinition mere political activism? Anderson warned that "churches should seek to be nonpartisan in their approach to teaching moral truths." Agreed! But defending marriage is not a partisan activity!

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Evermyrtle

America, today is caving in and have been doing so for a long time. JESUS CHRIST stood and did not cave in, HE DIED FOR US, THE MOST HORRIBLE DEATH THAT MAN COULD CONCOCT The question is, how many of us are willing to sacrifice anything for HIM, our life style, our worldly goods, our lives? HE died for us but would we die for HIM? Perhaps that is why HIS word says in Matt. 20:16, "So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen. We should think about it, "Is our lives more important than living for HIM, forever.

No need to ask me what I would do, only GOD has the answer to that one, because I am a weak, cowardly, sinner. With HIM I will stand, without HIM I will fold.
- daves
  
  There is no reason for Christians to oppose gay marriage.
  
  You can oppose homosexuality because of what it says in the Bible but you do not sin just because someone else is homosexual.
  - keyboardshark
    
    daves says: "You can oppose homosexuality because of what it says in the Bible but you do not sin just because someone else is homosexual."
    
    Of course we do not sin by someone else sinning, unless we participate or encourage the sin. That is not the issue. The issue is that God has a very specific definition for marriage, which does not include two persons of the same sex, or multiple partners:
    
    "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
    Genesis 2:24
    
    "4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
    
    5 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?
    
    6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
    Matthew 19
  - Evermyrtle
    
    Actually part of the word Christians is CHRIST meaning we follow HIM. HE is GOD'S SON which make HIM GOD, also. GOD says that homosexuality is an abomination to HIM. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah As Christians what is a abomination to GOD is an abomination to us. That means if we do not oppose "gay marriage" WE ARE NOT CHRISTIANS!!!
  - Quanuck
    
    This is the problem with homosexuals. Homosexuals EXPECT others to fall into the trap of accepting their way of life. We are all sinners and must love each other as our brothers and sisters. However, we DO NOT have to like what others do. Christians are in no position to accept homosexuality as being normal or acceptable behavior. Marriage is not a right but civil a contract between a man and a woman for the protection of future children. Spiritually marriage is a religious rite between a man and a woman promising everlasting life together until death. Homosexuality is a choice in behavior like theft is to a criminal. If someone grows up enjoying taking things that belong to others, it is a choice whether or not to act and steal things or behave. One has a choice to act out their sexual urges natural or unnatural.
aceituna

Leave the definition of marriage to religions. Let the government completely leave out the definition of marriage and dwell on households instead. Households can include husband and wife, sister and brother, 2 sisters, or more, 2 friends or more, father and son and/or daughter, mother and grandchild, any combination as long as they live together under one roof and support each other. Let the govt. set up the legal rights according to households rather than marriage. The churches can set up the definition of marriage and bless it.
- Trisha
  
  Catholics call it "matrimony", and it can never be anything other than a bond between a man and a woman. It is so much more sacred and binding than marriage. You must prepare for it by taking the time to really think about what you are doing. The couple must be ready for a lifetime commitment and love each other unconditionally.
  The government calls it "marriage". Marriage is nothing more to the government than a legal union. It is used when filing income taxes, and determines who has the right to what in the event of divorce. They don't encourage couples to be married before having children. They don't encourage couples to be faithful. They don't discourage couples from separating so easily – Pay the money, and your out of the marriage just like that. As long as the couple is not blood related and is has no Sexual transmitted diseases, then they can be married. You don't even have to love the person you are marrying.
  I am not sure why it is so important to gays and lesbians that their civil union must be called "marriage"? Why would it be so bad if the government recognized their union, but called something other than "marriage".
  - daves
    
    There are many cases of bigamy in the Bible. Moses had two wives.
    
    It wasn't until the 1800's that the United States defined marriage as one man one woman.
    - daves
      
      What does Jesus say when the people start to pick on Mary?
      
      "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
      - keyboardshark
        
        daves says: "What does Jesus say when the people start to pick on Mary? "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
        
        So in other words, what you are implying is that unless we are entirely sinless, we have no business declaring sinful what God has called sinful? That idea does not square with the rest of the Bible.
        
        "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
        Ephesians 5:11
        
        "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."
        II Timothy 4:2
        
        "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."
        I Timothy 5:20
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        Make ready to slaughter his sons for the guilt of their fathers; Lest they rise and posses the earth, and fill the breadth of the world with tyrants. (Isaiah 14:21 NAB)
        
        Of course this clear verse opposes other verses.
        
        "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin" (Deut. 24:16).
      - keyboardshark
        
        @Jeff:
        
        The context of Isaiah 14 is a judgement against the King of Babylon, a very specific situation, not a general statement of law like Deuteronomy 24:16.
      - Evermyrtle
        
        Dave, do you know any reason anyone should pick on Mary??? Ignorance isn't so bad if you try to overcome it,. It is horrible when you feed it with just more ignorance and stifle all the truth that comes your way.
      - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
        
        Which 'Mary' are you talking about?
      - keyboardshark
        
        Actually, the passage to which daves refers does not mention the name of the woman:
        
        "3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
        
        4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
        
        5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
        
        6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
        
        7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
        
        8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
        
        9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
        
        10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
        
        11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
        
        John 8
    - wesley
      
      the usa had no reason to define marriage before the 1800's for it was assumed to be between one man and one woman. they only had to define it because of the Mormons practicing polygamy.
- mesamanp47
  
  Tuna; households have already been defined by the feds. Every time you submit your income tax return (I assume you do pay taxes) you declare your household. Now you are on target, leave the definition of marriage to ecclesiastic interpretation, not the definition offered by communists, muslims, pagans, etc. and etc. States have already defined the legal rights of marriage, the vast majority of states still holding firm on "one man, one woman". That, by the way is the single most devastating obstacle facing the LBGTAP (lesbian, bi, girlymen, transexes, animals, and plants).
Chris

This article is worthless when you bring Hitler into the mix. Marriage is not threatened – that is completely bogus.

Nobody is "forcing" you to do anything different. This is just contrived hate from supposed Christians.
- mesamanp47
  
  How did you define your logic, Chris? Marriage IS threatened, that is traditional, majority rule definition of marriage. What you espouse is the acceptance of marriage as any combination of copulating mates, male/male, female/female, male/animal, male/vegetable, female/animal, female/vegetable. I presume other combinations as the odd-ball set contrives them in the future.
- Evermyrtle
  
  if you are offended with our post, why do you come onto this site and read our them? Are you being forced and I admit, we do hate evil but not the people committing the evil, We love you and pray for you.
  - Quanuck
    
    Amen! Homosexuals expect acceptance where they should just expect love and understanding. We are all sinners and should love each other as brother and sister. However we DO NOT have to love the sins our brothers and sisters commit.
lambsev

God is betrothed to His people. Even before Jesus God established a love relationship with Israel analogous to a marriage.

America is 350 million individuals. It is perhaps the most pluralistic nation in History. Was that the intention of the founders? No. But that is what God has permitted America to become. Perhaps God is using the USA today to show just how incompetent men are in solving their differences by secular means! I tend to agree with Piper as to the priority of Pastors. IF the pastors give faithfully the word of God to their sheep, THEN those sheep ought to be equipped to make "political" judgments.

But God gives more than pastors. Could Piper not teach us of prophets (and apostles), and what their role is today?

Surely the prophets before Jesus brought the word of God regarding the nation of Israel the many nations surrounding her. Today the world is a "small world" and Israel is surrounded by all of it. To think that God has nothing to tell us of what concerns Israel and her future redemption as well as the future of the nations may be ignorance or a lack of faith or both. And that is where the deficit is found. Churches ignore Israel, or they cast Israel aside as having no importance or future, or they teach against Israel. Some have gone so far as to divest their financial portfolios of any investments which involve Israeli interests! It is as if they think the Old Testament to now be void of any truth. They ought to go back to it and rediscover how God looks upon Israel as a bride, a wife to be even in the Old Testament. And that has something to say about marriage, the topic of this article.
lambsev

People will not be free to do as they wish forever. They will, all will one day die! Then we will discover what is true or not true of the presuppositions we now hold! So I don't worry about marriage. We have to remember the martyrs who were challenged to recant their faith in the Messiah or be murdered for their faith in the Messiah. This is happening today in many Islamic nations, in China and India and in other nations. Could your faith withstand a knock at the door in the middle of the night, an arrest, a trial and an execution?

If these unbelievers want to make it "legal" to marry homosexuals, all they need do is get enough votes to bring it to pass in their legislatures. What can you do about this? The only things I know how to do are to pray, and to be such a godly example to others that they will wish to have the faith you have. But some who see your godliness will react against you, just as they reacted against Jesus. The outcome is according to God's will.

Proverbs 16
1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Sharon B.

I guess if the pastors and reverends in the mid 1700s thought like John Piper we might still be a colony of Great Britain. Have you read some of the sermons those fine gentlemen preached? They were political activists. So, why shouldn't today's clergy be the same and stand up for what's right in God's eyes? Oh, I forgot, the IRS will come get them for doing that kind of thing these days.
- msjallen
  
  Interesting that pastors can get the message across regarding the dangers we face from our government through how they teach Bible Doctrine. I doubt that there is one liberal in our church and in its ministries around the world because of God's Word being taught correctly.
  - wesley
    
    Bible doctrine what that supposed to mean? Jehovah's witnesses say they believe Bible doctrine. they believe in the Arian heresy which was the principle heresy addressed in the Council of Nicaea in 325AD. true Christian doctrine does not start with the Bible but is reinforce by the Bible. Christian orthodoxy starts with the creeds of the faith; Apostle's, Nicene, and Athanasius'. we run into trouble if we believe that the Bible is the beginning and end all of our faith. the church in America and in most industrialized nations have abandoned the main purpose which is to make disciples where as more and more disciples start influencing culture they bring forth cultural change.
John J Flanagan

Political issues that effect the Christian faith in our fallen society need to be confronted. Call it political activism if you wish, but I would call it spiritual activism and we must not waffle, must not show cowardice, must contend for right over wrong, and must do it decisively.