--First thing I take from this is that a man is to "leave" their parents, this I believe is signified in the ceremony of the public commitment of the two to each other.
--Secondly that the man is to "cleave" to his wife(female), to show tender affection and faithful commitment in a permanent relationship of growing love
--Thirdly that they are to "be one flesh" in physical union, noting the most exclusive and deepest intimacy.
--Finally, did we note that this was one man, and one woman? One of each, only one, and both of opposite sex.
Furthermore in Leviticus 18:22, God clearly states, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is an abomination." or in Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Now one could argue that we are no longer bound by the laws in the Old Testament. When Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sinful nature on the cross, he put an end to the Old Testament law. In Romans 10:4 it says, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." And again in Galatians 3:23-25 it states "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to brung us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." He put us instead under the law of Christ. In Galatians 6:2 it says "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." which is to... "(Jesus said unto them) Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:37-39 KJV. By obeying both of these commands, we will do all that is required of us by Jesus. In order to do both of these, we should automatically be falling within the context of many of the commandments, for many of them fall within the realm of loving God and loving thy neighbor. In Galatians 5:14 He states, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
But in Mark (New Testament) it says this again, reinstating the commandments found in the Old Testament, in Mark 10:6-9 "But form the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain but one flesh."
And in Romans 13:8-10 "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Though shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
We believers are not here to judge, God tells us again and again in the Bible not to do so, but rather to love. To live in a manner that edifies and builds up others, that promotes harmony. God has a plan for humanity, and his intentions for marriage and sexuality are clear. One man and one woman, married. But instead of sitting here and condemning homosexual people, I will instead share God's loving warning, and try and show His grace for them who have strayed from His will for marriage.
In James 4:12 it states, "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judges another?" Saying that we are not put on earth to judge others, but to enlighten them on God's plan, to show them God's love, and to leave the judging for the only One who's judgment matters.
Hebrews 13:1-5 "Let brotherly love continue. be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honorable in all, and then bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
In John 8:7-11 "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. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 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 women standing in the midst. 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? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more." Jesus is a forgiving man, he paid the ultimate price for each and every single one of us weak humans on this earth.
Romans 1:26-28 "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." This is what our nation needs, turn to God and be forgiven. Seek Him, and repent.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be no deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, now thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." No matter what we do, God leaves the freedom of choice up to us. Those that choose to follow Him, His commandments, His will, they will be granted the kingdom of heaven, those that opt out, well your choice, but you are missing out on the greatest of all gifts.
Case in point, I am not saying that their sin is acceptable, or that this law being passed makes their actions okay in God's eyes, but rather that we are commanded to love one another. We can hate the sin, but love the sinner with God's love. Pray for them, pray that they will turn and seek God's face and that this nation will seek His will and strive to keep His commandments. God's forgiveness, mercy, and grace are always available to those that want them.
*all Bible verses quoted in this blog are pulled from the King James Version of the Bible
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