Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network Offers Five Reasons for Biblical Marriage, as 16th State Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

PHILADELPHIA—Today, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign legislation that will make same-sex marriage legal in his state. His signature follows that of Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie last week, making gay marriage legal there as well.

Same-sex weddings are set to begin in Hawaii on Dec. 2 and in Illinois on June 1. The recent legislation marks a cultural shift in the U.S., as 1 in 3 Americans now live in 16 states and the District of Columbia where same-sex marriage is legal. Same-sex marriage is banned in all other states, except New Mexico, which has no state law either way. Some counties in New Mexico have begun allowing same-sex marriage.

The Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network (PPN, www.papastors.net) is urging Christians to continue to work to protect and defend marriage as God established it.

Sam Rohrer, President of PPN and the American Pastors’ Network (APN, www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net), recently completed a five-part “Stand in the Gap” radio series, consisting of one-minute broadcasts about the reasons to protect biblical marriage that air across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

“There are five basic, biblical reasons for marriage between one man and one woman,” Rohrer said. “At PPN, we emphasize the authority of scripture for deciding all issues, including marriage and urge pastors to defend what God has established.”

PPN’s reasons for biblical marriage between one man and one woman are moral, historical, physiological, emotional and economical, and include these excerpts from Rohrer’s one-minute broadcasts:

Reason #1: “Because the biblical concept of marriage and family is God’s, and He is truth, no one  has a right to change it. On matters of moral truth,  opinions don’t  count, only God’s opinion counts. Since He created and defined it, God alone retains the authority and just claim upon it and how marriage can be legitimately defined.”

Reason #2: “Because God established the three institutions of family, church and civil government, the legs upon which rest every prosperous and free society, each institution must relate to each other within the limits of their authority. This means that all three have both an interest and duty to acknowledge and follow God’s ordained model. When each one diligently operates within their sphere, the legs are strong, the community is strong and the nation is strong.”

Reason #3: “Because the concept of family is God’s, and because He defined marriage as the union of only one man and one woman, neither humankind nor civil government can legitimately alter or change it. While government may possess the power to legally alter or redefine marriage or family, it has no moral or jurisdictional right (to do so).”

Reason #4: “Because God has clearly established that any variation of marriage or human sexuality outside the bounds of marriage between one man and one woman is sin, rejection of His model will bring predictable consequences to individuals, communities and nations. This means heterosexual infidelity, sex outside marriage, same-sex marriage or marriage between multiple men and women all violate God’s order. Defending marriage means opposing not just same-sex marriage but all violations of God’s standard.”

Reason #5: “Because God has declared in Ephesians 5 that physical marriage between one man and one woman is the picture of the spiritual relationship of Christ and the church, it’s clear why all variations of marriage outside the framework of one man and one woman are sin. God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ and to the church is the picture of true love and unity between God and man. All efforts to redefine what God’s established are therefore a direct attack on God Himself, his plan of redemption and Jesus Christ.”

PPN Stand in the Gap radio features can also be streamed on the PPN website. For more information on Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network, visit www.papastors.net or call 610.584.1225.

The Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network is a group of biblically faithful clergy and church liaisons whose objective is to build a permanent infrastructure of like-minded clergy who affirm the authority of Scripture, take seriously Jesus’ command to be the “salt and light” to the culture, encourage informed Christian thinking about contemporary social issues; examine public policy issues without politicizing their pulpits and engage their congregations in taking part in our political process on a non-partisan basis.

The Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network is a state chapter affiliate of the American Pastors’ Network.  The American Pastors’ Network is a Ministry Program Affiliate of Capstone Legacy Foundation (a 501 C3 non-profit organization).

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