Recent debates over same sex marriage raise an important issue to those who are concerned about limited government. While many figure that the debate is about same sex marriage v. traditional marriage, the issue is one that can be viewed from another perspective. Should government be involved in marriage?
I think this is an honest question. Why is it that government is involved in marriage? As Christians are we any more or less married because we obtain a license from the government? Isn’t marriage a covenant with our spouse and God? These are legitimate questions that need to be answered in light of the controversy over same sex marriages. Do we really want or need government involved in our personal decisions? Think about these questions. Your answer might surprise you. If we seek limited government then why do we want or need government to “support” our marriage. I made my covenant before God and with my wife. Regardless of whether the county clerk gave me a license doesn’t change the fact that I made that promise before God. With this perspective we might see a bit more of a change in our approach to the same sex marriage issue. This doesn’t mean that we must support or promote same sex relationships but regardless of whether government gives the license the same sex relationships will continue just as they have for centuries. Instead, this is more of a limited government issue that really cuts to the core of what we believe our government should or should not be doing. Changing the face of the discussion in this regard will remove the emotion from the debate and still stay in line with Biblical principles.
In sum, the same sex marriage debate should really be about the role of government in our lives.
Until Next Time,
David Standridge
