"And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man,
made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:
she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
(Genesis 2:22-24)
GOD'S DECISIONS V. HUMAN REVISIONS
Clearly, in God's creation, and for evermore in His sight, there is no such thing as non-binary identity, and also in His strictly binary intent for the human race there is to be no union in wedlock of any couple other than a man and a woman. (Which thing models Christ and His Bride). This is how God designed and decreed it to be, and anyone who wishes to contradict Him by forging and fostering their own fleshly edicts regarding these things is in open rebellion to Him!
It's dreadful enough when secular law-making institutions challenge and throw out the Almighty's clear-cut order of things, as did the British Government in legalizing same-sex "marriage" back in July 2013, effective from March 2014. But when "Christian churches" - I use the term VERY loosely! - do likewise, it should surely drive home to us the grim warnings of 2 Timothy 3, that "in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be (amongst other nefarious things!)... Without natural affection (i.e. with UNnatural affection!)... But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." When it comes to this question of "UNnatural affection" the Book of Romans presents us with a critically important teaching concerning lesbianism and homosexuality:
"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves... For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient... without natural affection... Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
(Romans 1:24, 26-28, 31-32)
Having pleasure in them that do them... Have you, friend, seen the words/pictures - as I have - of ordained "Christian" ministers expressing unashamed delight over their now being allowed to wilfully join same-sex couples in UNholy "matrimony?" Assuredly, such Bible-disbelieving hirelings are called not by God but rather by our mortal Enemy, and have no fear of the One who they would claim to serve! But one Day they will have to give account, and then they will tremble before Him - as will ALL who in their madness gave their assent at last year's Methodist Conference for these things to happen, in open revolt against what the Creator has unambiguously mandated!
WHEN IS 'ONLY' NOT ACTUALLY 'ONLY' BUT 'ALSO?'
Let's look at the Methodist Church's absurdly contradictory new position on marriage, which reads: "The Conference confirms resolution 10/9 of the Conference of 2019, amended to read as follows: The Conference amends Standing Orders as follows: 011A Marriage (1) The Methodist Church understands that marriage is given by God to be a particular channel of God's grace, and that it is in accord with God's purposes when a marriage is a life-long union in body, mind and spirit of two people who freely enter it. Within the Methodist Church this is understood in two ways: that marriage can only be between a man and a woman; that marriage can be between any two people. The Methodist Church affirms both understandings and makes provision in its Standing Orders for them." (Source: https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/22318/conf-2021-daily-record-7-weds-30-june-2021.pdf)
Having two conflicting positional "understandings" shows no positional understanding at all! It's like having a denominational 'Statement of Beliefs' saying, "We believe that Jesus is the only Way, but at the same time we also believe that there are other ways!" This quite incredible double-mindedness - which would be laughable in its absolute inanity, indeed insanity, were this not so terribly serious a matter! - was approved by a massive majority of 254 for and only 46 against. And prior to the Conference itself, of the 30 local synods all but one confirmed that they were in favour of the change. If anything truly screams out the level of apostasy now on display in the Methodist movement, these figures surely say it all!
How any genuinely born-again, Bible-believing and God-fearing Christians can possibly be OK with remaining ensconced in a Methodist pew after this is frankly absolutely beyond my understanding! They need to register their own personal vote right now... with their feet, as they run out of the door and never return! As it is written concerning such pride in great institutional sinfulness, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4). And does this Scripture not bring a rather loud echo to our spiritual ears of the angels' urgent admonition to Lot, to flee from unnatural affection-soaked Sodom before Judgment fell from Heaven?
Unblock your ears, my friends, if they be waxed up with lukewarm Laodicean liberality, and hear that echo while there is yet a window of opportunity to do so! Run as fast as you can, and never under any circumstances look back!
ABOMINATION IN ACTION
Let's look now at just how the rubber meets the road, by examining here one local (to Wales) example; this is NOT a hypothetical, but an actual case, sad to say. A lesbian couple asks their local Methodist assembly if they can get married there, but they - and all credit to them for standing firm on the Word! - decline the request, which they thankfully can. Undaunted, the couple approach another Methodist church nearby, who are only too pleased to agree to their request. With the unanimous backing of the congregants, the equally keen female minister formally applies to the Church hierarchy for their official approval, and in due course the necessary certificate of authorisation is granted. From that moment on, this particular lesbian or any other same-sex couple wishing to do so can be "married" there. Obviously not in the sight of the True God! (See: https://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/news/20615472.first-ever-same-sex-marriage-penarth-church/)
What of the bigger picture, concerning the position held by other (supposedly) Christian groupings here in the UK on this question? I've focused here in this article on the Methodists, but the United Reformed Church, the Society of Friends (Quakers), the Unitarian & Free Christian Churches, and the Scottish Episcopal Church also permit same-sex "marriage." Anglicans could well follow suit in the not too distant future, with the Church in Wales having already allowed the blessing of such unions on their premises, voting to do so just last September. Welsh bishops passed the Bill for this unanimously, with the clergy voting 28 to 12 in favour with 2 abstentions, and the laity by 49 to 10 with one abstention. Such statistics again show that the writing looms large on the wall, this time for the Anglican communion! What is firmly under God's curse, men and women see fit to blissfully bless, and in the process are weighed and found wanting. Very badly wanting! Shall the sporting of a meaningless dog-dollar allow its wearer to escape the Almighty's righteous Judgment? I think not... (See: https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-09-06/church-in-wales-passes-vote-to-allow-same-sex-couples-to-have-marriages-blessed)
IN CONCLUSION: COMPLIANCE OR DEFIANCE?
We are to conform to Christ, not cavort with the world and its evil ways. Whether we humbly and obediently comply with the Word of God, or arrogantly and rebelliously defy Holy Writ, is of fundamental importance in establishing exactly where we stand in relation to Him... and He in relation to us.
Are we with Him or against Him and His unchangeable statutes of righteousness? If it be the latter scenario, the consequences could not be more serious... or more eternally bitter!
"And there shall in no wise enter into it (the New Jerusalem) any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."
(Revelation 21:27)
