Marriage – What Would Jesus Do?
In just a few days time, the House of Commons will vote on what is certainly the most significant issue to come before it in this Parliamentary session. The Commons is on the verge of initiating a huge social re-engineering project and wrecking lasting damage on the vital institution of marriage.
MPs are threatening to move our nation away from God’s pattern for marriage as the union of one man and one woman for life. God gives that pattern not to oppress or restrict but because He loves us and delights to see humanity flourish. As our Creator, He knows and wants what is best for us individually and collectively.
What would Jesus do?
Built into creation and throughout the Scriptures, this is God’s pattern for marriage – a pattern that ultimately speaks of His own relationship and love for His people.
And when Jesus Christ, the most compassionate person ever to have walked on earth, was asked about divorce, He went out of His way to uphold God’s pattern for marriage. We read in chapter 19 of Matthew’s gospel:
“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’?"
Jesus cared too much to have any place for the redefinition of marriage. He took people back to God’s original good pattern. He didn’t duck the issue. He spoke clearly – because He cared.
What will we do?
The question for us in these critical days is whether we too will speak up for God’s good pattern for marriage, whatever the cost?
Those pushing for this change want us to think it's inevitable. But now is not the time to lose confidence and seek compromise - it's time to pray and speak!
We need to see these proposed changes for what they are. ‘Redefinition’ is really erosion and destruction.
- Eroding marriage in this way will bring greater hurt, pain and brokenness in our society and make it harder to address these issues.
- Eroding marriage will lead to greater exclusion of churches from public life and make it harder for people to hear the Gospel truth and experience Gospel love.
- Eroding marriage represents a rejection of God’s pattern and a further move away from Him, the giver of life and reconciliation.
- Eroding marriage will affect children and future generations even more than us, leading to even greater confusion about identity, purpose and meaning.
As we face these critical days, we need to ask: “Do we care enough? Do we care as much as Jesus cares?”
If so, we must be prepared to speak. Yes, with compassion, gentleness and kindness. Yes, with awareness of the reality and struggle of same-sex attraction that some experience. But with confidence that God’s pattern for marriage is good and that its erosion will only bring damage and hurt.
We need to ask: “Are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we ashamed of marriage?”
Join us...
May God give us grace and strength to stand together in these crucial days, crying out to Him in prayer and speaking of His gift of marriage to our society.
We plan to do just that at the prayer gathering outside Parliament next Monday (20 May) and Tuesday (21 May) at 12-2pm and 5-7pm on both days. Please come along if you can.
If you can't make it to London next week, why not organise a prayer gathering at your local church?
Finally, thank you for all that you are doing to pray and stand for marriage.
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