I received a church bulletin with a sample letter to be sent to Senators and Representatives demanding the defeat of the Respect for Marriage Act since it broadens the definition of marriage beyond one man and one woman.\u00a0 Although I agree with the content of it, I am of the opinion that it is not a work of the church and should not be published in a bulletin.\u00a0 Am I missing something?<\/p>\n\t
Not really. Form letters don’t do much anyway. What I don’t like is the implied assumption that government can define what is or is not marriage. We would like that our government’s laws correspond with God’s teachings, but it is God, not man, who defines marriage.<\/p>\n
Christians should take stands regarding what is the truth. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear<\/em>” (I Peter 3:15). That would include letting our rulers know what is right and wrong. “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” <\/em>” (Acts 24:24-25).<\/p>\n It would be proper to let people know what laws are being discussed that have moral implications in the life of a Christian. Christians should be informed of exactly what is wrong with a particular law and can be encouraged to let those representing them know what they think. But I would not be inclined to put words in anyone’s mouth.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: I received a church bulletin with a sample letter to be sent to Senators and Representatives demanding the defeat of the Respect for Marriage Act since it broadens the definition of marriage beyond one man and one woman.\u00a0 Although I agree with the content of it, I am of the opinion that it is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[310],"class_list":["post-30981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-government"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3788,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-a-marriage-valid-if-it-was-only-done-to-gain-citizenship\/","url_meta":{"origin":30981,"position":0},"title":"Is a marriage valid if it was only done to gain citizenship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If a man was married for 3 years only because he wanted to come to the USA and then divorced can he remarry? The marriage in his eyes was only for US citizenship. Answer: What is missing is a respect for the marriage covenant (Malachi 2:13-16). A covenant is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25471,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-get-married-in-a-different-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":30981,"position":1},"title":"Is it wrong to get married in a different church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 9, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question. I took your advice and want to get married. My mum, my wife-to-be, and I are cool with getting married in a Lutheran church. Our bone of contention comes from our best man and woman who are born again, like ourselves. 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I don't want to cause a \"Black\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15940,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-you-familiar-with-jerry-bassetts-teaching-on-marriage-divorce-and-remarriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":30981,"position":3},"title":"Are you familiar with Jerry Bassett’s teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 30, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was talking to a preacher and he told me several things I had never heard before regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage. I would like to go into detail about this, but I am still studying what he told me. But I would like to ask you a question\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21600,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-know-someone-who-will-marry-us-without-a-state-marriage-license\/","url_meta":{"origin":30981,"position":4},"title":"Do you know someone who will marry us without a state marriage license?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 7, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I would like to get married without the state's license and with a preacher, of course. Could you please help me find a preacher that would marry in my state?\u00a0 I would also like to obtain more information on this subject.\u00a0 Could I get some more information on how\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38646,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-man-i-committed-adultery-with-is-trying-to-force-me-to-marry-him-what-should-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":30981,"position":5},"title":"The man I committed adultery with is trying to force me to marry him. What should I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a child whom I had with a man to whom I am not married. Actually, I'm still married to another man whom I left because of physical, and mental, and emotional abuse. 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