The Christian Case for
Traditional Marriage
The Rev. Kurt P. Nemitz
C
an one accept “gay marriage” as legitimate and still imagine oneself a
faithful follower of what Jesus Christ taught? Some people are trying
to persuade us that it is consistent with Jesus’ teachings to accept sexual
relationships between man and man and woman and woman. In fact, some
even argue that it is discriminatory and unfair to deny them the right to
marry. But thoughtful consideration of the word and spirit of Jesus’ teachings
definitely answers: Marriage is between one man and one woman only.
Jesus’ fundamental teaching about the relationship between men and
women was simple and clear:
From the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the
two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore
what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Mark 10: 6-9)
With these words He was affirming what was said by God about the
purpose of creation in the first chapter of Genesis: that man was created for
woman, and woman for man, and that when joined together, male and female,
they are intended to form an image of God Himself and to participate in His
work of creation. Consequently any other unnatural sexual conjunctions were
and are “an abomination.”
And so the direct command was given to the Israelites:
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. …. Th