Dave wants to know our thoughts!

Dave Black asks for our thoughts on gay marriage. 

• Traditionally the church has never been involved in the marrying business. It amazes me that so many who are anti Popish rules from Rome – don’t know that it was in the 15th century when the pope decreed for a marriage to be valid, the priest had to perform the ceremony. Till then, if people wanted to be blessed by a priest, they stood at the bottom of the church steps and the priest would bless the couple. Luther, during the reformation, forbade his priests from marrying anyone, saying it was a personal decision between the couple, state and God..insisting it had nothing to do with the church. Fast forward to the 17th century in London. There was mass corruption in the docks, where prisoners had conjugal rights. and prostitution was rampant. The authorities decreed that for a marriage to be valid, a priest had to witness it.
• I cant find any record of any priest in the OT performing a marriage ceremony.
• I can’t find any record of any apostle or church leader in the NT performing a marriage ceremony.
• It appears to me through reading Scripture and early church history, that marriage was very similar to what we call a defacto relationship in our modern era.
• I can’t find any precedent in the NT where the early church tried to change state laws and make rules for society – instead, its my own understanding that the church was to teach its people how to live within the framework of societal rule.
• You cannot legislate salvation and Kingdom living.
• You cannot legislate morality.
• Seems to me that the church in all its protesting and trying to make societal rules and laws – have lost the power of what it means to be Kingdom people.
• Polygamy was reasonable common and legal in the NT era. Yet the Apostle Paul, said he would only ordain elders if they had one wife. He never told the church to kick out those who had multiple wives from the church.
• I would treat any homosexual couple who wanted to learn more about Jesus and give their lives to him, in the same way I would any other person doing so.
• I would be happy to have them come to my church – but, I would not ordain them to eldership.
• I once took a gay man through grief counselling when his partner of 28 years had died. – His pain was real. His loss was real. His tears and heart ache was real. We need to remember we are talking about real people, with real feelings, real emotions and real heartache.
• It seems to me that when the NT lists a heap of sins, its normally to ensure that we all know we have no right to judge another for their sin, as we have our own to deal with.
• I have learnt that sexuality is not black and white – for instance, I know of people who were born with both genitals or boys who had micro penis’s Often the medical establishment would snip the little penis off, and make the boy into a girl. Sometimes they got it right – often they got it wrong. Here is the rub – the church would be happy to see that boy made a girl (legally) be married to another boy…. when in fact they are endorsing same sex marriage.
• Do I believe practicing homosexuality is a sin – yes I do. But, then again, I also believe that God isn’t into a whole heap of other relationships when heterosexual people get married. Just because someone utters some words and some vows are made – doesn’t mean God is blessing that relationship.. Don’t believe me.. read the book of Ezra chapters 9 and 10.

I think the church would be more fruitful and effective if it went out and ate with sinners. Seems to me those Jesus spoke the most harsh about, were those who criticized him the most for eating, drinking and doing life with sinners. And its within those ongoing relationships – just perhaps the Spirit of God may move powerfully bringing many to repentance – because, they saw the love of Christ in action.