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| The Logic of the Logos |
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On November 4, 2008 the people of California voted to amend the State Constitution to include this statement: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Why was this vote and amendment necessary? No doubt there are many diverse reasons why 52.1% of the people voted in favor of this amendment, but the single and primary issue involved is the use of the word MARRIAGE when applied to a union of same sex couples. It is the word MARRIAGE that proponents of this amendment want to retain as applicable only to a union of one man and one woman. Opponents of this amendment, in contrast, are not satisfied with just living together or partaking of all legal rights through available DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP arrangements, but insist on using the term MARRIAGE for their same sex partnerships. What is the history and significance of the word MARRIAGE? No doubt, MARRIAGE has served many diverse purposes and satisfied many different objectives at different times and places in human history. However, there are some universal reasons and definitions of the word MARRIAGE that have found acceptance in most societies on earth. Traditionally, MARRIAGE by definition means the union of a man (male) and a woman (female) for the purpose of procreation, and to establish the legal father of a woman’s children. Since same sex couples are not able to procreate, for obvious reasons, they cannot fall under this common definition of the word MARRIAGE. In other words, the objective of the California amendment is to maintain the definition of the word MARRIAGE to the union of a man and a woman. Same sex couples can call their union a DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP or coin any other name, just NOT MARRIAGE. Another word closely related to the word MARRIAGE is the word FAMILY. Again, the objective of same sex couples is to become and be known as FAMILY, after all, the purpose of MARRIAGE is to become FAMILY. But again, there are some universal reasons and definitions of the word FAMILY that have found acceptance in most societies on earth. Traditionally, FAMILY by definition means a father (male), a mother (female) and children (male and female). Two males, or two females, no matter how many children they may adopt, cannot be called FAMILY, for obvious reasons, under the traditional definition of the word FAMILY. Of course, a given society can decide by majority vote or court dictate that starting tomorrow red will be called blue, up will be called down, etc., etc.. But, does that really change red into blue, etc., etc.? Of course not. Neither will, nor can, a majority vote, or a Supreme Court decision, change the inherent definition of what a MARRIAGE is and what constitutes a FAMILY. However, a more fundamental question is; who established and came up with the idea of MARRIAGE and FAMILY in the first place? The answer to this question takes us directly to the biblical account of Genesis, an account, of course, not recognized by the homosexual community. The fact that God the Creator of humanity “made them male and female” from the beginning for the purpose to become one, and to “be fruitful and multiply,” cannot be changed by man, nor by a Constitutional Amendment, not even by a Supreme Court. God has given man certain inalienable rights and MARRIAGE between a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation, and to establish FAMILY is one of those rights. Redefining the words MARRIAGE and FAMILY cannot change their inherent meaning. Let us now consider the biblical account of the establishment of MARRIAGE and FAMILY. Based on Gen. 1:28; 2:18 and 2:24; the institution of MARRIAGE and FAMILY was established and ordained by God for the welfare and personal fulfillment of man and for the increase of the human race. In Gen. 1:26, 27 God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion….So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” What was the image after which man was created? The most widely held Christian belief is that God was a TRINITY consisting of the Father (male), the Son (male) and the Holy Ghost (neuter?). If this would have been the image of God, how would Adam and Eve have reflected that image? Without going into details, Adam and Eve obviously could not have reflected the image of a Trinitarian God. Another belief, held primarily by the Churches of God, is that God was a TWINITY consisting of the Father (male) and the Son (male), or of God (male) and his Spokesman (male). If this would have been the image of God, how would Adam and Eve have reflected that image? Obviously they could not have reflected the image of a male/male God. God created Adam and Eve (male/female) and not Adam and Steve (male/male). No, none of the above can be true. God created Adam (male) and Eve (female) after his image which means that both male and female genes came from the ONE God who alone existed “in the beginning.” The fundamental building blocks of MARRIAGE and FAMILY represent the image of God, and were transferred to humanity through the creation of Adam (male) and Eve (female) so that God can be seen in every MARRIED couple and in every true FAMILY. Man is truly without excuse, for man himself is the image and reflects who and what God is. But God does not only talk the talk, He also walks the walk. After all, God is our example and it is up to every individual to emulate God to the greatest degree possible. There is physical MARRIAGE and FAMILY for human beings, and there is spiritual MARRIAGE and FAMILY for spirit beings. God is a Spirit Being, and spiritual MARRIAGE and FAMILY are the very reason why angels, the physical universe and human beings were created. Jesus command is that “you must be born again” in order to see and enter the kingdom of God. Yes, it’s all about MARRIAGE, FAMILY and PROCREATION, both on the physical and on the spiritual level. In Exodus chapters 19 thru 24, the ONE God is proposing MARRIAGE to the slave nation ISRAEL. ISRAEL accepted, promising: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” However, ISRAEL soon became unfaithful to her husband the LORD God. Both, Hosea and Isaiah prophesied the judgment of God upon faithless ISRAEL but, with the eye of faith, God looked forward to the day when ISRAEL would be restored to a place of honor and blessing. Let us now move forward to the most important event in human history, to the “fullness of time,” the BIRTH of Jesus, the SON of GOD Almighty. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.” Mary was impregnated by GOD, through the power of the Spirit of God, and the WORD of GOD (God’s sperm and or seed) became flesh, became a human being, became the firstborn SON of GOD, named JESUS by God His Father. Let us be clear about who the parents of the LORD Jesus Christ are! There can be no doubt that a Spirit being, the GOD of the Old Testament, Yahweh Elohim is the Father of Jesus. Neither can there be any doubt that a human being, the virgin Mary was the Mother of Jesus. The question we need to ask is: Who was Mary? Mary was an obscure peasant girl living in Nazareth when the angel Gabriel, who was sent by God, came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the LORD is with you!”…. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with GOD.” The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible describes Mary’s character as: “The Mary of the New Testament represents all that was finest in Jewish womanhood and motherhood. Her deep spiritual sensitivity; her purity, faith, and obedience to the divine will; her scrupulous attention to the training of her son in the religious traditions of his people; her loyalty to him, as evidenced by her presence at the Cross, even when she did not fully understand him – all mark her as a person of remarkable qualities.” Even though the Bible is not specific about Mary’s background, she was a devout Jewess and there is circumstantial evidence that she belonged to the Davidic line. Now, the critical and all important question is this: What was the relationship between God and Mary? Did God commit fornication with a woman that was betrothed to another man? Not at all, for the answer to this question is given by the fact that GOD was the Father of Jesus, and MARY was the Mother of Jesus, therefore, Mary MUST be the WIFE of GOD! Mary was an ISRAELITE woman and as such represented all of ISRAEL and was chosen by God to carry and give birth to His firstborn Son. Mary, on behave of all Israel, fulfilled the original MARRIAGE covenant that required obedience, when she answered the angel Gabriel, i.e., God her husband: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the LORD; let it be to me according to your word.” God in His own time will take back His wayward wife – Israel, when she repents and returns to her husband in the attitude and submission displayed by Mary. Mary’s relationship to Joseph was based on a physical marital covenant. Her relationship to God was based on a spiritual marital covenant. Let’s pick up the story of Jesus, the only (so) begotten Son of God. Shortly after His birth, shepherds from the fields, and wise men from the east, representing Jews and Gentiles, came to look for and to worship the Christ-child that was born king of the Jews. At age 12, Jesus was found by His mother Mary and His step-father Joseph “in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” No wonder, for it was the WORD (of God) that became the SON (of God) who was about His Father’s business! At age 30 Jesus was baptized by John, not because He needed to repent of sin, but to be our example and to convey that baptism is necessary to receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. His Father acknowledged His obedience when the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God was descending like a dove, and God spoke for all to hear: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This then was the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Shortly thereafter, Jesus, now full of the Holy Spirit, was confronted with the supreme test and temptation by Satan with the three critical “if” questions that He answered with “it is written,” perfectly fulfilling the law and the will of God and thereby becoming the Savior of mankind. Then, on the day of Pentecost, Jesus began to raise up a people for Himself, out of the spiritual wilderness of His day, the Church of God, and entered into a MARRIAGE covenant with spiritual Israel consisting of Jews and Gentiles. God Almighty, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Creator of heaven and earth, was and still is MARRIED to the twelve tribes of national Israel under the old covenant. Separated from His wife yes, but, His love for her is unwavering and forever. Eventually, Israel, His Wife, will repent and recognize her own Son, the Messiah, and return to her husband who will receive her with open arms. God has not forgotten His people Israel: “a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved.” Yahweh Elohim, God Almighty, entered into a MARRIAGE covenant with the physical Church of God, Israel/Mary, and as husband and wife they had their firstborn son whom they named Jesus, in the fullness of time, 2000 years ago. God the Father did not have a son WITHOUT a wife! The WORD of God became the SON of God who lived, suffered and died paying the penalty of our sins. He was resurrected from the dead by His Father and assented to heaven from where He will return “for the MARRIAGE of the LAMB (male) has come, and His BRIDE (female) has made herself ready.” There is no place and no mention in scripture of a male/male or female/female relationship where the words MARRIAGE or FAMILY could be applied. The amendment to the California Constitution is correct; "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." It is correct not because the people of California voted, but because God Almighty made it so from the beginning. Click here for a printer friendly version of this article. Click here to return to the article index.
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