In the Alliance we unite to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to our cities, our regions, our country and “the ends of the earth.” Throughout the church’s history there have been events that seem to hinder this redemptive message. Such an event took place today when the Supreme Court issued a decision that requires every state to recognize marriage between two people of the same sex.
In the next few weeks the National Office will offer an in-depth analysis of what this decision does and doesn’t mean for the local church. But for now, it reminds us that “this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a world yet to come” (Hebrews 13:14). It reinforces that our hope is in Christ (Romans 5:2-5; Hebrews 6:17-20) and not in any political or judicial system. And finally, it encourages us to be loving and faithful witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“I’m disheartened but not surprised by today’s Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality,” notes U.S. Alliance President John Stumbo. “The current trajectory of our nation is a steady walk away from historic Christianity and biblical teaching. Today’s ruling is yet one more marker on that dangerous trail. However, as the Alliance family, we hold the scripture higher than human reasoning or courts. We will welcome the love of Jesus to flow through our hearts to all who disagree with us. We’ll refuse to get into shouting matches over these issues. And, we’ll continue to uphold Christian marriage as determined by our Creator and defined in Matthew 19:4-6: “Haven’t you read,” Jesus replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.””
Under no circumstances will our clergy perform weddings contrary to this Biblical standard. Meanwhile, may we take every opportunity with everyone we encounter to extend the life-giving gospel of Jesus in a winsome and loving manner.”
We affirm the following statement by the National Association of Evangelicals:
God Defined Marriage
God designed marriage for humanity. As first described in Genesis and later affirmed by Jesus, marriage is a God-ordained, covenant relationship between a man and a woman. This lifelong, sexually exclusive relationship brings children into the world and thus sustains the stewardship of the earth. Biblical marriage — marked by faithfulness, sacrificial love and joy — displays the relationship between God and his people. [1]
While commentators, politicians and judges may revise their understanding of marriage in response to shifting societal trends, followers of Jesus should embrace his clear vision of marriage found in Matthew 19:4-6.
Nothing in the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges opinion changes the truth about marriage. What has changed is the legal definition of marriage, which is now at variance with orthodox biblical faith as it has been affirmed across the centuries and as it is embraced today by nearly two billion Christians in every nation on earth.
In its role as a moral teacher, the law now misleads Americans about the true nature of marriage. Evangelicals and other followers of the Bible have a heightened opportunity to demonstrate the attractiveness of loving Christian marriages and families. Evangelicals should renew their commitment to the sacrificial love and covenantal faithfulness to which Jesus calls all husbands and wives.
As witnesses to the truth, evangelicals should be gracious and compassionate to those who do not share their views on marriage. Those who continue to embrace biblical teaching on marriage will increasingly appeal to the First Amendment protection not just for abstract belief, but for the practice of their faith. The National Association of Evangelicals calls on Congress to enact laws, on the president to implement policies, and on the courts to render judgments that uphold the freedom and human rights of all Americans.
[1] Theology of Sex (Washington, DC: National Association of Evangelicals, 2012), 10.
CONTACT:
Gary D. Friesen,
Vice President/General Counsel
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (719) 265-2068