God’s original plan for the family consisted of one man and one woman united in marriage until death. The Bible reveals that God is not only the Creator of mankind, but also of the institution of marriage. The God approved, natural desire between men and women united in marriage appears both in the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 2:24, I Corinthians 7:1-5). What constitutes marriage is not subject to any human modification. There seems to have been little debate throughout world history until modern times. Today’s society has perverted marriage by changing its definition and allowing variations among the population.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that 77% of college-educated Democrats did not believe that gender was determined at birth by one’s biological sex. A rapidly growing problem reaching epidemic proportions in society today is the intentional confusion and misrepresentation in sex roles leading to the deterioration of the family and morality. This goal seems to be best achieved by propositioning a social conflict approach where one group is pitted against another through the idea of injustice. In a permissive society, the idea of limiting personal freedom is often perceived as negative. For example, it is not by coincidence that society has also accepted easy divorce, cohabitation, abortion and euthanasia. It is simply the fundamental change of society over time toward an anything-goes mentality. Those wishing for traditional marriage and other values are labeled as intolerant, insensitive, hate filled and bigoted. Homosexuality is one more freedom that has been acquired.
We appear to live in an age where the best way to avoid guilt and sin is to simply change the rules. Whether through scientific research, media manipulation, good business policy or government intervention, the attacks upon marriage have been constant and increasing in intensity for decades. The US Supreme Court ruled that not allowing same sex marriage is a violation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection under the law clause. Same-sex marriage has been legal in all 50 states since 2015. As of 2011, the US Federal government no longer enforces the Defense of Marriage Act passed under President Bill Clinton in 1996.
Approximately 80% of all sexually transmitted diseases in the United States are connected to homosexuality. The average lifespan of a homosexual male is 20 years shorter than a heterosexual male. Suicide is six times higher for homosexuals compared to heterosexuals. Depression, anxiety and substance abuse are all higher for homosexuals. The average number of sexual partners is around eight for a heterosexual while a homosexual reports anywhere from 10-106 partners per year. Child molestation reports for homosexuals account for about 33 percent of these crimes reported in the United States. The connection between homosexuality and medical and psychological problems has often been overshadowed by ideological and political agendas to the detriment of many struggling with this issue.
The idea that any behavior is unable to be unlearned is wholly foreign to Bible teaching. Paul found practicing homosexuals in Corinth who stopped this behavior. Verse 11 of I Corinthians 6 is where Paul mentions a list of sins including homosexuality, but he says they were able to stop this behavior when he says such were some of you. The biological explanation of homosexuality has been perpetuated not because it is a fact, but because it allows those affected a guilt-free excuse to continue in it. If homosexuality is so beneficial then why are there so many lies perpetuated and indoctrination used to support it? The debate over whether homosexuality is genetically determined or a learned behavior was never really a debate. When one carefully examines the issue the end result provides one more reason to have full and complete confidence in the Word of God.
-Mark Mitchell, TBC Faculty, Wilson, NC