The Family in Crisis
July 11, 2004
Intro: Today we are dealing with a topic that many will find uncomfortable and disturbing. Many Christians believe that our political lives and our spiritual lives should not mix. However, that is like saying the oxygen we breathe in and our blood should not mix. We can’t help it. They automatically do. We cannot live in a spiritual vacuum without it affecting our social conscience and today in America, the family is in crisis.
This week, Congress begins debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment which would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Without this law, the activist courts in the United States are prepared to destroy the institution of the family. It is imperative that we as Christians take a stand and allow our voice to be heard.
To that end, today has been called Protect Marriage Sunday. Churches all across America are being urged to challenge their members to be involved in this important social debate.
Today, I will share with you God’s view of marriage, the distortion of the homosexual agenda, and one application point that could change the course of our society.
I. God’s Design for Marriage
The first thing we must understand is that government did not create marriage. God created marriage between Adam and Eve and people for hundreds of years before there was a political or social organization were practicing marriage.
Dr. Alan Keyes, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and political commentator says:
“Marriage pre-exists civil society. It is not defined by government; it is not defined by society.”
(Interview on Citizen Link- March 9, 2004)
God created marriage in the Garden of Eden.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:24 (NIV)
God created marriage to be a union between one man and one woman.
Every scripture reference that speaks to marriage speaks in relation to one man and woman.
“Five thousand years of recorded history have come and gone, yet every civilization in the history of the world has been built upon it.”
Dr. James Dobson “Marriage Under Fire”
Three ancient civilizations gave themselves over to homosexuality:
Sodom and Gomorrah, Greece and Rome. All perished.
“Marriage is the traditional building block of humanity. It is intended both to unite couples and bring children into the world.”
Chuck Colson, Breakpoint. Org, May 17, 2004
Husbands and wives fulfill each other in ways no other man of woman was intended to.
“Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ…. Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church.”
Ephesians 5:22 & 25(The Message)
A woman provides stability for a man and a man provides intimacy for a woman. We were created to “Fit” together physically, emotionally and spiritually to create a family unit.
Children need the stability and assurance that comes from having a mother and a father.
Chuck Colson, who heads prison fellowship, cites these statistics for the importance of a mother and father being present in a child’s life.
*Boys who grow up without a dad are at least twice as likely as other boys to end up in prison.
*60% of adults and 72 % of adolescent murderers never knew or lived with their father.
*In the toughest inner-city, 10% of kids from two parent homes get into trouble while 90% from broken homes do.
*Girls raised without a father in the home are five times as likely to become pregnant while still adolescents.
*Children from broken homes are nearly twice as likely to drop out of high school.
“Listen, my son to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”
Proverbs 1:8-9(NIV)
God designed a family to be one man and one woman united to fulfill each others needs, produce children and train future generations.
II- The Homosexual Fallacy
People believe that a person’s sexual preference has not bearing on me and should be left to their own desires. The homosexual activist says that two loving dads are better than an arguing mother and father. They also say that this only gives homosexuals the same right as everyone else. These statements are all false.
Sexual Preference
God did not design us to have sexual relationships with people of our own gender. Physically we are not created that way, and God does not condone that behavior.
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” Leviticus 18:22(NIV)
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations for unnatural ones and were inflamed with lusts for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received themselves the penalty for their perversion.” Romans 1:26-27
God does not condone heterosexual or homosexual sin.
Homosexual activists have claimed that people are born homosexual. This is against every scripture that you can read.
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves not the greedy not drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.” I Corinthians 6:9-11
“There have been many attempts by researchers to prove that homosexuals are born that way. None has proven the case.”
Dr. James Dobson
“Marriage Under Fire”
The Effects on Children
The idea that children are better off in a loving homosexual home than a feuding traditional family is taking the best of one situation and comparing it to the worst of another. It applies to oranges.
The Netherlands and Belgium have begun the practice of gay marriage and given it equal status of male-female unions. The results are indisputable.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden began the practice in the nineties. The consequences for the traditional family have been devastating.
*Many couples no longer marry, they simply cohabitate.
*In Norway, 80% of firstborn children are born out of wedlock.
*60% of subsequent births are out of wedlock.
“It appears that tampering with the ancient plans for males and females spells doom for the family.”
Dr. James Dobson
The “Right” to Marry
Marriage is not a right protected by society, but an institution recognized by it. There are laws regarding marriage. You cannot marry a close relative, you cannot marry your pet, and an adult cannot marry a child.
To claim a “right” to marry is ignorance of our rule of laws.
“The social contract which gives the basis for civil society includes as one of its major premises the fact that society will respect the family. If, in fact, steps are taken in a society to undermine the institution of marriage, that destroy the respect for the family, its responsibilities, its obligations and the authority of the parents then the contact that is the basis for civil society is broken and breached.”
Dr. Alan Keys in Citizen Link
March 2004
III. The Federal Marriage Amendment
This week congress begins discussions on the Federal Marriage Amendment. Activist judges have begun legislating about marriage because there is a vacuum of laws to define marriage. The FMA would define marriage as between one man and one woman throughout our nation.
Potential Problems Without Federal Marriage Amendment
From Family News, April 2004
1) The impact on children.
We have already looked at statistics involving children from non-traditional homes, but what will be the effect on children with several “moms” and “dads”, six or eight “grandparents” and half-siblings?
2) It opens the door for more “alternative” unions.
Where does it stop” Polygamy, Pedophilia?
3) Every public school will have to teach that this is acceptable equally with traditional marriage.
4) Homosexual couples will be treated equally with heterosexual couples for adoption.
5) The teaching of the Gospel will be curtailed.
“Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are His. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.” Malachi 2:15(NIV)
What Can You Do?
1) Pray
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14(NIV)
2) Respond
Contact your elected officials urging them to vote for the Federal Marriage Amendment.
In order for an amendment to be passed, it must be passed by a 2/3 majority of both houses. Now 34 senators plant to vote against.
Christians must make our voice heard to protect the family.
Here is a sample letter to write your Congressmen and Senators.
Dear ______________,
You have probably heard in the past few weeks the charge that the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would define marriage in the U.S. Constitution as the union of one man and one woman, would write discrimination into our country’s founding document. Don’t believe it for a second.
The truth is the Constitution is going to be altered one way or another. Either that change will come from unelected, unaccountable judges intent on creating a right of homosexual couples to marry when the Constitution grants no such right; or it will come from the American people through this Amendment to preserve marriage as it has served society for millennia.
Amendment supporters have been disparaged as “bigots”. How can that be, when the language being proposed is identical to the language of the Defense of Marriage Act passed by 427 members of Congress? Are they and former President Bill Clinton who signed the bill into law bigots too?
Don’t fall for these manipulative arguments. Stand firm for the sanctity of marriage.
Sincerely,
Addresses for Senators and Representative
Mark Foley Bob Graham Bill Nelson
104 Cannon HOB 524 Hart Senate Office Bldg. 716 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
202-225-5792 202-224-3041 202-224-5274
772-878-3181 WWW.graham.senate.gov WWW. billnelson.senate.gov
www.house.gov/foley
