Greens MP Adam Bandt is pushing his barrow in parliament at the moment about gay marriage being aligned to a relationship of love and that gay marriage is somehow all about love. Now there are some confusing, and skewed aspects in this line of thinking.
Firstly, marriage is a creational institution handed down to the world by God to Adam and Eve for the whole of the human race to observe. This is between a woman and a man and it was to be held as a responsible and proper relationship to be held for all of mankind to follow. It became a family institution that was to be recognised by all as a relationship that would foster the birth of sons and daughters. This institution of marriage became embedded in many cultures, nations and religions from the day of creation. Marriage as an institution was maintained throughout the world and reiterated through the establishment of the Law with Moses as handed down by God and given to us. Christians and Moslems have also continued the belief of the sanctity of marriage, as well as many of our nations throughout the world.
Secondly, to add to a marriage institution that has been with us since the world began, or even if you do not believe in creation, the dawn of civilisation, is to change the moral and ethical construct of what marriage is all about. It was a covenant for life for a man and woman to enter into. Never was it to be a joining of male to male nor woman to woman.
Thirdly, love was always the basis of marriage, however many cultures have, with this institution seen it as something to arrange for their children whether love was involved or not. This I do not advocate however many marriages connected in this way have worked out well and formed loving relationships and bonds.
Fourthly, we are not advocating reducing the bonds of love between man and man or woman and woman. We are all called to love each other by the scriptures. The point comes in what is love and how do we define love. If we start with a statement from the scriptures "God is love" we can see that God, being the essence of life, truth, holiness and love can tell humanity what love is and what love is not.
Fifthly, if God can then reveal what love is and what love is not, then we need to look into what this love is and what it is not, so that we can be clear on a definition of love.
Love in the Scriptures cares, loves, cherishes, serves and looks out for the others spiritual well-being. The Bible says in 1 Corinthian s 13.4-6 NIV "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails." Now we also know that God shows what love is not, very clearly in the scriptures. One example which directly relates to this problem is God's judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah for being sexually promiscuous in their sexuality practices including practicing homosexuality and beastiality. His judgement stands as a judgement for the world for all of history to look upon, learn from and consider as a foretaste of the final destruction foretold in the book from the Bible called Revelation. The relationships within Sodom and Gomorrah were relationships that had been skewed by their non-love for each other and their desires and lust for unhealthy relationships. God was all about love, Sodom and Gomorrah were all about lust and abuse of relationships and the breaking of the ideals of love that were handed down by God. God judged Sodom in total and holy righteousness and in love for the world. If Sodom was left then wickedness would have increased further, not that homosexuality did not increase, as homosexuality spread later among the Israelite tribe of the Benjamites and the tribe was nearly decimated as a tribe in judgement. God is still love even if He chooses to judge. Its just our perspective on things on whether we choose to see that God has the right to create the world with His rules and to judge us according to His set of judgements or not. God still loved Sodom, however He didn't love their sin and rebellion against God and their disregard for His commands. He loves the person not the sin. The sin of Sodom was that they didn't love and that it wasn't anything about love or the reflection of God's love in their lives.
Sixthly, we can have mutual affection and brotherly love between same sex persons and this can be healthy, meaningful, wholesome and with the basis of love. John the apostle was called "the disciple that Jesus loved". In essence Jesus loved men in a pure sense and shows humanity what true love between humans is and should be. When that love goes beyond the boundaries of the ethical standards of God to homosexuality where they have sex with each other this is what the apostle Paul calls unnatural, it is far from love and encapsulated in the realm of lust and disobedience to God and His Word (Romans 1.26-27).
Whether we like it or not God has standards. We can learn from Him if we dare. If we dare to see things from His perspective we may be challenged to the core about the standards that God has for us and the world. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" Proverbs 13.34
Is it all about love, a free and open society that has no ramifications to our society? Do we sit back and allow the undermining and the infestation of these false beliefs?
Erwin W. Letzer puts it this way, "Biblically, love is not defined as license to legitimize sinful behaviour of any kind, but love helps us see that there is a better way".
