Many years ago R.B. Kuiper, professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, offered the following wise counsel regarding the calling Jesus Christ had given to the church:

‘The church’s task is to teach and preach the Word of God. Whatever else it may properly do is subordinate and subsidiary to that task. This is its supreme task.” He concludes his chapter on this subject by saying: Just because the preaching of the Word is so great a task the church must devote itself to it alone. For the church to undertake other activities, not indissolubly bound up with this one, is a colossal blunder, because it inevitably results in neglect of its proper task. Let not the church degenerate into a social club. Let not the church go into the entertainment business. Let not the church take sides on such aspects of economics, politics, or natural science as are not dealt with in the Word of God. And let the church be content to teach special, not general revelation. Let the church be the church.’

The session of Providence PCA has always striven to follow this advice, and to make our primary mission the preaching of God’s Word and not to get caught up in speaking on issues that do not fall within the calling that Jesus has given to us. We have consciously chosen therefore, not to speak on issues of party politics. We do not seek to tell the members of Providence which candidates to vote for or which parties to support, and it is our hope that we would never do so. We have however tried to faithfully proclaim what the Bible says about the great moral and ethical matters of our day. For that reason we have addressed subjects such as Abortion, Euthanasia, Homosexuality, Divorce, and the Death Penalty and attempted to faithfully exegete what the Lord has to say in His inerrant Word regarding those subjects. We make no apology therefore in saying, for instance, that the bible condemns abortion, and that Christians should be opposed to it, both in private and in the public square. This means that if there was ever a vote on an amendment to impose a ban on abortion in the state of North Carolina, we would whole-heartedly encourage anyone who is able to do so, to vote in favor of it. To use Kuiper’s phraseology this is an issue clearly dealt with in the Word of God and we will not hesitate to take sides on it.

While there is no popular vote pending on abortion in the State of North Carolina, another issue of great moral importance which is clearly dealt with in the Word of God is coming up for a vote next week. On May 8^th voters in North Carolina will have an opportunity to amend the State Constitution to indicate that “Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.” This amendment, known as “Amendment One”, is specifically intended to make it impossible to change North Carolina state law to allow for marriages between more than two people (polygamy) or people of the same sex (“gay” marriage). As you are probably aware, several countries and US states have already made so-called same-sex marriages legal, and the pressure for other states to do so is enormous. There is also pressure to legalize polygamous marriages, and the issue is currently working its way through the courts in Canada. True marriage, however, was instituted by God at Creation, and was always intended to be between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24, Matt. 19:4-6). Only in this way can marriage reflect and point toward the relationship Christ has with His bride, the church as God intended it should (Eph. 5:22-32).

It is because true marriage can only be what God has ordained in His Word that as a denomination the PCA affirms several important things about the legal nature of marriage in its constitutional documents.

We affirm within them that:

“Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at the same time.” (WCF 24.1)

We also point out in both Chapter 24 of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Chapter 59 of Book of Church order that Marriage necessarily involves a civil contract and that the state should and must be involved in its regulation, protection and ordering. A.A. Hodge in commenting on the Westminster Confession of Faith states first that the state should legally define marriage in both its constitution (marriage) and dissolution (divorce) only as God has ordained it in His word:

“Hence it follows that marriage is a religious as well as a civil contract. No State has any right to change the law of marriage, or the conditions upon which it, may be lawfully constituted or dissolved, as these have been ordained by God. Neither has any man or woman a right to contract any relation different in any respect, as to its character or duration, from that which God has ordained as marriage. Hence marriage is a human contract under the limits and sanctions of a divine constitution, and the parties contracting pledge their vows of truth and constancy to God as well as to each other and to society.”

(Hodge, A Commentary on The Westminster Confession of Faith With Scripture Proofs, Chapter 24, sections 1-3)

Hodge goes on to note, that having legally defined the bounds of the marriage contract, the state must protect and uphold this contract:

“But it is also a civil contract, because every State is bound to protect the foundations upon which social order reposes, and every marriage involves many obvious civil obligations and leads to many civil consequences touching property, the custody of children, etc. The State must therefore define the nature and civil effects of marriage, and prescribe conditions upon which and modes in which it shall be publicly acknowledged and ratified or dissolved. It is of the highest importance that the laws of the State do not contravene the laws of God upon this subject, but be made in all respects to conform to them. In all cases of such conflict Christians and Christian ministers must obey God rather than men.”

(Hodge, A Commentary on The Westminster Confession of Faith With Scripture Proofs, Chapter 24, sections 1-3)

Because of this, we would strongly encourage the members of Providence PCA who are able to do so to vote YES on Amendment One at your local polling place on Tuesday May 8^th. This is not a party political vote, but rather a vote for the State of North Carolina to constitutionally define marriage according to the definition God, who instituted it, has forever given us in His Word.

If you have any questions regarding any of the above, please feel free to contact me via phone, email, or Facebook, or in person. I will be happy to discuss it with you.

Your Servant in Christ,