Viewpoint: Broadening marriage definition acquiescing to ‘whims of a few’

Talk about it

Again, Mr. Ballinger (“We oppose marriage amendment — and listen to other views,” Oby Ballinger viewpoint, April 11) has distorted Scripture and gives not one passage to back up his own ideas. God clearly gave us his views on homosexual acts when he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in response to his abhorrence of sin and man’s refusal to repent of it.

Is God a God of love? Yes. While he loves the sinner he does not love the sin. The Bible gives us a list of what some of those sins are. Included in that list is homosexuality which is condemned in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, Deuteronomy 23:17-18 and Romans 1:26-28. Included also in God’s lists of sins are murder, drunkenness, gossip, lying, and adultery. Does God love the murderer? Yes, but he does not love the sin of murder. He does not love the sins of lying, gossip or being drunk, but he loves the person who is sinning and desires that that person repent and turn away from that sin. I Corinthians 6:9-10 states that we are not to be deceived and that many will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Bible does not say is that homosexuality is OK as long as you feel committed to a long-term loving relationship as Mr. Ballinger says. God’s word also tells of judgment of sin.

For the entire history of mankind except for the past few years, it was completely understood that marriage was between a man and a woman. This union, and no other type, is God-ordained and designed by him. If we all of a sudden, acquiesce to the whims of a few and say OK, let’s include marriage between people of the same gender, and say that it is normal, where will it stop? Next will be the OK to include marriage between an adult and a child, and then a marriage between a human and an animal.

Many people have over the years questioned whether the Bible can be trusted, and some, including Mr. Ballinger, have stated that it cannot be trusted to be taken literally. If part of the Bible can’t be taken literally, we would state that it isn’t worth taking at all. God’s word has been preserved intact through the ages. God’s word may have been physically penned by man, but it was all inspired by God, according to 2 Timothy 3:16. Those of us who believe, know that this is true without question or compromise. Mr. Ballinger states they take the Bible seriously but not literally; we think God would be offended at that.

The Bible also warns those people who would add or subtract to the Bible, and this warning is for people like Mr. Ballinger who adds his own theories of what God says or likes, and the unfortunate flock of people within his church are sadly being very deceived.

The Zwakmans live in Cottage Grove

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