God's Plan for Marriage Is Very Clear for All to See
- Print print this page
- Discuss 19 comments, Blog about
Advertisement
by the Rev. Gregg Newton
Special to The Pilot
On May 8, we will be voting to add to our state constitution the Marriage Protection Amendment. The amendment reads like this: "Marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic union that shall be a valid and recognized in this state."
Some would ask, "Why do we need this amendment, since we already have a law that states this?" Unless the amendment is passed, the current laws that we have on marriage are vulnerable to politicians and activist judges overturning them to invalidate our marriage law.
Others have begun to ask, "Why should there be guidelines or standards for marriage? Why can't everyone just do as they want, whether that is heterosexual couples living together without being married, married couples having affairs and different partners, homosexual couples getting married or a man having five or six wives?
Many are even asking, "Why do we have to follow biblical guidelines and standards for our relationships, and why does God get to set the rules and guidelines?" The answer to that question is found in the very beginning. Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created..." Which means that without God there would be nothing, and it was God that created and came up with every idea, including that of marriage.
And God's plan for marriage is stated in Genesis 2:24: "A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife."
Some want to say that's Old Testament and not for today, but Jesus in the New Testament quoted this verse twice. And we, including the 20 other Moore County ministers who join me in submitting this column, believe that God's word is still relevant and true today and that God's plan for marriage, whether it is in the state constitution or not, is still one man and one woman.
We also recognize that everyone in our county and state was created by God. Genesis 1:27 states that God created us in his image and created us male and female. As God has created us, he made each one of us unique and special.
We all have different attitudes, personalities, likes; we are all of different shapes, sizes and color, but for all of us there have to be standards and guidelines, for without them there would be confusion and chaos, and God chose the standards for marriage to be that of one man and one woman.
As we look at our homes, families and marriages today, we recognize that there are a lot of battles that we are facing. There is pressure coming from so many directions, spiritually, financially, emotionally, morally, and so many other attacks we are under.
Many a family and home have battle scars and hurts from bad decisions a husband, a wife, a mom, a dad, a son or daughter have made. For that reason, we are thankful that our God, who has set the standard and guidelines in his word, is a loving, gracious, merciful, patient and forgiving God.
God is ready to forgive us, heal us and give us another chance, just as Jesus chose to forgive the lady caught in adultery instead of casting a stone. We as pastors, as we encounter and minister to so many families who have battle scars and hurts, want you to know that we love you and that we are praying for the families of our area.
Each one of us must remember that God is loving and forgiving, but he has also set a standard for us to live by, for Jesus did forgive the lady caught in adultery, but he also told her to go and sin no more. God can and will give us a second chance from our mistakes we have made, and we as your pastors are praying for a revival of hope and healing in our marriages, families and homes.
May God bless each and every one of you as you seek to serve and live for God. We encourage you to get out and vote on May 8.
The Rev. Gregg Newton is pastor at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
More like this story
Advertisement
Comments
The_AnonymusProfit 1 year ago
Rev. Gregg, I have posted on this issue many times. I choose not to post on Mr Creech's article but I will put my two cense in for you to read.
I am a Christian. I am a conservative. I know my bible. I understand my bible. I will vote against this amendment.
What you have to get through your head is that this is not a biblical issue. There is a reason we separate church matters from state matters. Homosexual marriage may be a thing of evil to you and the 20 other ministers,...It is simply not relevant.
The church has not place dictating what a citizen of the United States can or can not do with their lives. I say this and please understand, I love the church, I love what the church is, but the church has cancer, it is suffering from Ministers, Deacons, down to the lowest parishioner who go to church not for salvation, but for political gain, social notoriety, and a slew of other things.
Instead of worrying about what is going on outside your church doors, look at what is going on inside the doors.
And ill leave you with this, We have a new church in Moore county, well, fairly new, it is called grace church, I have never been inside, but it appears to be our first "Mega Church" I just wonder, did Jesus ever need all this luxury to preach the word? I wonder how many blankets, coats, medical supplies, food goods, etc could have been purchased for the hundreds of homeless children in Moore county with just half the money it cost to build that monstrosity.
(Apologies if you attend grace church and I offended you. I can only speak my mind)
jimt 1 year ago
So the good Rev. would have us become a theocracy. Glad he cleared up that little issue.
polyman71 1 year ago
Gregg, You are absolutely correct about "God's Plan for Marriage".
Unfortunately, there is no god.
Other than that detail, you nailed it.
Keep your mumbo jumbo out of my reality.
teufelhunden 1 year ago
Your "reality" wouldn't exist without God, dude.
jimt 1 year ago
Teuffy, "Your "reality" wouldn't exist without God, dude." Prove it!
JD 1 year ago
Are you friends with "Pastor" Sean Harris? This hate speech reads familiar.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/01/north-carolina-pastor-sea_n_1468618.html?ref=mostpopular
lakeview 1 year ago
Good article Pastor Gregg !!
Godsgirl64 1 year ago
Thank you Pastor Gregg for standing for the truth of God's word! Great article!
nothingspecial 1 year ago
Thank you Pastor Gregg and our other 20 community Ministers!!!! Thank you, Pilot for posting this!
OldSpook 1 year ago
Well stated Pastor Gregg.
My take on this is that it is good to support the homosexual as a person, but it is not necessary to condone or support the homosexual lifestyle.
The_AnonymusProfit 1 year ago
I think you guys need to go re read the constitution
CJ 1 year ago
It's odd to me that when a conservative gives their viewpoint on almost any issue its called "Hate Speech" but when a liberal gives their viewpoint its not hate. Wander which side the hate is on?
jimt 1 year ago
TAP, to those guys the Bible trumps the Constitution, even though they are convinced that they are much better Americans than you, and especially than me. They probably have American Flag decals on their cars and may even raise Old Glory to the top of their flagpole in the morning. Too bad they don't know anything about the Constitution or constitutional law, both of which must give way to the "truths" in the Bible in their view. Which, in fact, actually makes them un-American.
danielLytch 1 year ago
To those who scoff and those who are misinformed: this article should serve as valid, undeniable proof that not all Christians are discriminative, holier-than-thou zealots who wish for all sodomites to be condemned. These 20 men of God have compiled this letter not only in obedience to God, bit out of genuine love and concern for lost souls-gay and straight. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:3 that "the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." This is prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes. God is still calling, if you will only humble yourselves and repent.
theonewithsense 1 year ago
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." . As a conservative, I'll vote no.
JD 1 year ago
OK theonewithnosense
As a conserative ( I am and I am not a neocon that hijacked the party)
You must be ok with these other GREAT INSIGHTS from the O.T. Leviticus 20:9
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. 20:10 If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 20:13 If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death. Deuteronomy 22:20-1 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. Exodus 35:2
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.
Hope you never cheated on your wife. Also as a conservative do you want to kill gay people?
As a conservative I am VOTING NO. Because I believe government should stay out of people's personal lives. Why are corporations people but gay people are treated less than by the most pious of our society. It is just wrong.
Easygoing 1 year ago
Enough with the Bible telling us what to do. Why not the Koran?
greentara13 1 year ago
Might as well be the Koran; why can't people just live their lives and be happy? Why do all these dissatisfied and unhappy people have to moan and whine about other peoples lives? Why does it matter so much? Can't you put faith in God to put it all right? PLEASE put all your excess energy i.e. whininess, unhappiness, fat-assery (gluttony, etc) to helping others! Ya'll do read the Bible right?
hereswhatithink 1 year ago
Thank You Pastor Newton for standing up for what is right!!! They're are so many things being twisted with this ammendment and it is nothing but a SURE sign of the LAST DAYS we are living in! I'm proud of all who are taking a stand for Jesus Chirst! The Bible says in Matthew 5:11, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."