The Traditional Marriage

The foundation of marriage was undermined long before former President Obama decided not to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act (1996 law that bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages) in February 2011. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, on June 26, 2015, that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right, this was not the end of the debate of what is acceptable in the marriage relationship in America. This too was just one more step away from the biblical understanding of marriage.

Advancing the attack on traditional marriage, Mark Goldfeder, a senior lecturer at Emory Law School, recently published Legalizing Plural Marriages: The Next Frontier in Family Law. Godfeder states in his introduction:

  “This is the first book that explains not only why the legalization of plural marriage may be on the horizon in America but also why the idea is not really as radical as you might at first glance think; why the legal arguments against it are surprisingly weak; and how … it would not actually be that difficult to accommodate.”

In a recent Gallup poll, 17 % of Americans say the practice of having more than one spouse is “morally acceptable,” more than twice the percent when the same question was asked in 2003. What happened in our culture that has eroded the acceptance of the biblical understanding of marriage?  Many want to place the blame on the actions of political leaders, courts or fringe groups influencing public opinion. 

Does the Church have any Influence?

The real power behind the erosion of the biblical understanding of marriage is the declining influence the church is placing on moral behavior. Many church groups have abandoned biblical teaching on moral behavior instead, seeking numerical growth.

In the 1970’s, doctrinal teachings in many church groups were set aside as divisive and unproductive in church growth. The focus of evangelism was shifted from the great the commission:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Amen.” (Mat 28:19-20)

  “A come and see” ideology replaced the great commission given by Jesus and became the new “commission” of the seeker-friendly church.

What Really is the Purpose of Worship?

The seeker-friendly movement, endorsed by most mega-churches, attempts to make the Lord’s Church appealing to the lost and unlearned therefore shifting the purpose of the worship service. The seeker-friendly churches changed the focus of the worship service from teaching the followers of Jesus about the righteousness of God to proclaiming the love of God. The teaching of these churches left out the need for repentance of sin as a requirement of salvation. 

Church growth was soon to be conflicted with evangelism and adding people to the attendance of the church service being equal to people being born-again. With the shifting focus from a “go and teach” ideology to increasing the number of people who were attending the church groups, this also changed the structure of the church. Churches were being polluted with people who had not accepted the teachings of God’s righteousness and awaiting judgment for unrepentant sinners demanding a change in the response to immoral behavior.

A “come as you are” appeal to the world become a “stay as you were” reality and the churches were being built around people who were lost and unwilling to accept biblical teachings on moral behavior. The resulting outcome was that churches were and are filled with people who are involved in fornication.

Today many of the seeker-friendly churches not only allow but promote co-habitation as acceptable and as well  refuse to condemn homosexual behavior as abnormal and condemned by God. Normalization of fornication in the church has been created and accepted in many church groups.

The biblical intent for the assembly of the followers of Jesus is revealed in the Apostle Paul’s rebuke to the Corinth Church. The church in Corinth had allowed and promoted worldly behavior in its church gatherings and the Apostle Paul declared “that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.” (1 Co 11:17)

The Apostle Paul said attending church services at the Corinthian Church was spiritually unhealthy. The reasoning for this statement is found in how the Church allowed immorality to exist and even was promoted in the church. The Apostle said:

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles…” (1 Co 5:1-2)

The apparent acceptance of these immoral behaviors in the church community has placed a stamp of intolerance and hate on followers of Jesus who believe and teach biblical morality. What happened in the Corinth church has come to pass in today’s seeker-friendly churches.

“…ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” (1 Co 5:1-2)

Does your church encourage a structure and worship services that worldly people are comfortable with? Does your church group allow or even promote fornication? If so, you are attending a church that is unhealthy for your spiritual life. The bible is clear to the followers of Jesus that when you are in a place that has embraced worldly behavior.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”  (2 Co 6:14)

If the church you are attending does not teach the righteousness of God that demands repentance and obedience to Him and His word, perhaps it is time for you to:

“… come out from among them, and be ye separate…” (2 Co 6:17)