God’s Original Design

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female'?"
Matthew 19:4 (NIV)

I heard a story about a daughter who texted her dad: "Hi Dad, I'm coming home to get married! I met a boy on eHarmony, became friends on Facebook, and had long chats on WhatsApp. He proposed on Zoom and we continued our relationship through Viber!" 

Her dad texts back: "Hey Crystal, Like, that's awesome! So I suggest you two get married on X, have fun on Tango, buy your kids on Amazon, and pay for it all through PayPal. And when you get fed up with this new husband, just sell him on eBay. Love, Dad."

The way spouses find one another today certainly looks different. In Matthew 19:4, Jesus takes us back to the very beginning in Genesis, where God "made them male and female.” (See Genesis 1:27) 

In this one statement, the inventor of marriage tells you what He intends for the product of marriage. One male and one female are involved and joined together. This isn’t a suggestion, but the foundation of marriage itself. 

And those founding members are intentional. In these few words, Jesus gives a fundamental principle and common-sense observation that human gender is binary. Human beings are either male or female; those are the only two options. Jesus is neither confused nor conflicted about this point. 

From the very first couple, Adam and Eve, God established three unchangeable truths about marriage: duality (two people), heterosexuality (male and female), and monogamy (one man, one wife, one life). 

You don’t have to wonder if Jesus spoke to our hot-button issues. His words are unmistakable. So you don’t have to apologize for believing what He taught. When someone asks why you hold this view, you can say with quiet confidence, "Jesus took us back to the beginning, where God made marriage between one man and one woman. That's not my opinion. It’s His design." 

Truth spoken clearly and kindly doesn't need to be softened or defended. Allow the Holy Spirit to give you the courage to stand on the truth with grace. You aren’t called to win arguments, but to know the truth and speak it clearly in love.

Prayer: Father, thank You for creating marriage with purpose and design. Give me the courage to honor Your plan even when I find it challenging. When I feel the pressure to agree on a way that is not yours, help me remember that Your kindness leads us to repentance. And give me the power to be a light, speaking the truth in love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.