As our culture continues to debate issues related to gender identity, diversity, and inclusion, I think it is important to ensure that every member of LifePoint Church reads and understands our statement on marriage that the elders approved in 2014. We approved this statement then because our society was beginning to question these basic principles. I post this statement again now because, in the past nine years, our society has moved even further down the road toward a complete rejection of the institution of marriage and the reality that there are two sexes within the human community. The statement can be found on our church website. Here is how it is worded:
We believe that God ordained the institution of marriage as a gift to humanity. We believe that marriage is an exclusive union between one man and one woman in which each is called to love one another, encourage one another, and serve one another per the example of Jesus Christ and under his authority. Marriage is more than a civil contract and establishes a covenant relationship that is united by God and illustrative of Christ’s relationship with his church. We believe that in order to preserve the integrity of this sacred institution and the local church, as the Body of Christ, it is imperative that elders of LifePoint not sanction homosexual marriages or same-sex civil unions. We also believe that marriage is permanent and that any breach of this covenant is grievous and sinful, therefore we are committed to maintaining the integrity of the marriages within our church family.
We believe that any practice of sexual immorality, including fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, incest, bisexuality, or attempted sex changes, is sinful and in direct violation of the Bible. It is therefore imperative that all persons employed by the church, or serving in a leadership capacity, abide by these biblical mandates and conduct themselves accordingly. We do, however, believe that God is gracious and offers redemption to those who, seeking his mercy, confess and forsake their sin. We also believe that every person, being created in the image of God, must be afforded love, kindness, respect, and dignity.
Here are a few quick points I would like to make. First, we do not believe that the church’s purpose is to win political battles. Our purpose in this statement on marriage is to make plain our understanding of Scripture. This statement clearly stands against the rising tide in our culture in relation to marriage, relationships, and sexuality. As the early disciples of Jesus stated and practiced, even to the point of shedding their own blood, “[W]hether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:18-20). We speak these truths with humility, not with a smirk or a desire to stir up the pot.
Second, when we say that any breach of the marriage covenant is grievous and sinful, we are not saying that everyone who has been divorced is living in sin. What we are saying is that when a marriage covenant is broken it is the result of sinful human nature. There are some marriage covenants that are broken with the sanction of God, but even so, the cause for the divorce is rooted in sin by at least one member of the marriage covenant. Our goal is to do all we can to maintain the integrity of the marriage covenant at LifePoint to the best of our ability.
Finally, please read the last two sentences of the statement slowly, and then read them again. This is not a “we hate sexually immoral people” statement, no matter how those who oppose our views in a skeptical society may label us. We are all sinners—some redeemed by the grace of God, all created in the image of God. All are welcomed by God when they come to him in faith. Those who refuse to submit to Christ need our prayers, not our hatred. We are called to treat all people with dignity and respect; heterosexual, homosexual, divorced, single, married (or however else one may designate themselves in our society). Our goal is to preach Christ and him crucified, not to make a boilerplate statement to rub in the faces of those who see life differently than we do. At one time every one of us was an enemy of God, as Titus 3:3-8 so clearly reminds us. We should know this Scripture and repeat it to ourselves often.
Our society is changing rapidly. None of it is taking God by surprise. Let’s hold fast to the word of God amid these changes and extend a hand of love and grace while we do so. Nevertheless, while we do so, let us continue to speak the truth in response to falsehoods and half-truths. Some will hate us for this. As we will discuss in this coming Sunday’s message, we need to remember that they hated Jesus first (John 15:18).
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym