A Defense of Traditional Christian Marriage

A Defense of Traditional Christian Marriage
Against the Onslaught of Gay Marriage
(A Sermon Outline by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.)



(This sermon was motivated in part by the 2004 USA election-year discussions for and against gay marriages. This sermon is an unapologetic defense of traditional Christian marriage.)

Genesis 2:18, 21-24 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” ... [22] Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.... [24] For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

•• Traditional marriage — one man and one woman — was God's first human institution.

• Even before civil government and the church

•• Traditional marriage — a high priority to God

• Marriage vows should reflect God's pattern — “a MAN ... [and] his WIFE” (Gen. 2:24), not two men or two women!

Genesis 1:27-28a, KJV So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; MALE and FEMALE created he them. [28] And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be FRUITFUL, and MULTIPLY, and replenish the earth, and subdue it...

•• [NIV] “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth.”

• Requires a man and a woman.

• “Male and female created He them.”

• But not just any “male and female.” No, but rather “a man ... [and] his WIFE” (Gen. 2:24).

• Traditional Christian marriage vows properly (and biblically) use expressions such as "man and woman," "husband and wife."

Proverbs 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep your father’s commands & do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

•• God intends Dads and Moms to raise and train children in the ways of God.

• It can be done without both a father a mother — for example, Timothy’s Mom and grandmother (Acts 16:1; 2 Timothy 1:5). But it is done best by a believing Dad and Mom.

Isaiah 62:5 As a young man MARRIES a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

•• Traditional marriage, a man marrying a woman, is a parallel to God and His people.

• Christ = Husband ... Church = His called Bride.

Proverbs 18:22, KJV Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

•• A man finding and marrying a wife is a way of receiving the FAVOR of the LORD!

• Genesis 24 contains the beautiful story of Rebekah being found for Isaac, by the Lord’s guidance of the servant.

1 Corinthians 7:1-2 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. [2] But since there is so much IMMORALITY, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

•• Marriage of a man and a woman is an antidote to immorality

• Increasingly relevant in this immoral age.

• And note again that each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband [vs. 2] — a clear biblical stand for traditional Christian marriage and against gay marriage.

1 Timothy 3:1-2, 12 ...[2] Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife.... [12] A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.

•• Married elders, deacons = part of stable leadership in the church.

• Proven ability to maintain a relationship.

• Proven ability to show himself faithful.

• Proven ability to influence others for good, as evidenced in his own godly children.

1 Timothy 5:14, KJV I will therefore that the younger women MARRY, bear children, guide the house

•• a positive encouragement [in context, to younger widows] to marry, bear children...

• Lacking a gift and call to celibacy, the prevailing pattern is traditional Christian marriage — marry, bear children...

• Traditional marriage has served all nations and all cultures well since the Garden of Eden!

Matthew 19:4-6 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ [5] and said, ‘For this reason a MAN will leave his father and mother and be united to his WIFE, and the two will become one flesh’? [6] So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what GOD has JOINED together, let man not separate.”

•• Jesus strongly endorsed traditional marriage — “a man...his wife.”

• Jesus said that God the CREATOR had established marriage.

• Jesus said that God established marriage for “a MAN ... [and] his WIFE.”

• And Jesus said that it is GOD Himself who JOINS the man and his wife in marriage.

• Gay marriage is a direct contradiction to Jesus' definition of marriage.

•• Therefore we Christians, we who believe the Bible, should be vigorously defending the sanctity of traditional Christian marriage between one man and one woman.

•• I recommend to any pastor officiating at a Christian marriage that some form of traditional marriage vows be used to re-emphasize these biblical truths to all present at the wedding.

Preached at South Valley Church, Sunday, July 11, 2004

We also recommend to the reader our sermon Biblical Arguments Against Gay Marriage.

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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of the Zondervan Corporation. All rights reserved.

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© 2004, 2005 James H. Feeney, All rights reserved.
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