Attitudes to cohabitation and marriage in today’s society
COHABITATION is increasingly taking the place of marriage in Western society. A recent survey has shown that a startling 50 per cent of couples born after 1960 live with each other before marriage. Even more startling is the change in attitudes; this survey reveals that two thirds of people in their sixties found it acceptable for unmarried couples to live together. Yet family matters remained of the utmost importance to those who were questioned: which sounds like a cry for the stability that marriage gives to society, while there is no understanding of the roots of that stability.
Marriage is a divine institution and demonstrates the perfection of the situation in which mankind was placed at creation in the kindness of God. Every other such relationship except this life-long commitment between man and woman – one man and one woman – and regularised according to the laws of the society in which they live, is forbidden by the seventh commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” God knows how necessary it is for the intimacies of the marriage relationship to be restricted to husband and wife, and so He makes plain: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge,” Hebrews 13:4. When the all-wise God has spoken, everyone is to listen – and to obey. So when our generation refuses to listen, the Most High demonstrates anew that unaided human wisdom is no wisdom. As it was said of old: “Lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?” Jeremiah 9:9.
The divorces and the separations of today reflect an unwillingness on the part of at least one of the parties to accept the constraints imposed by the fact that marriage is a life-long relationship. And the ease with which divorce can be obtained creates attitudes which militate against a sense of the permanence of the marriage bond and the continuing authority of marriage vows. Yet there remains a hankering for the family values of another generation. But the benefits will follow only if both partners in a marriage are prepared to commit themselves to each other in love for the whole period of time that God is to spare them together in this world. It should be no surprise that family breakdown is so prevalent in a generation which is throwing off the restraints of God’s law to the extent that few people feel the need to take the Creator into account in any part of their life.
K. D. M.
Concerns about cloning
THE news that a sheep has been bred which is genetically identical to its genetic mother, has resulted in several magazine and newspaper articles about cloning human beings. The scientists involved say that with further work the same technique could be used to produce a human clone. Already homosexual groups in America are saying that it is their right to use this technique if they wish. No doubt the technique has useful applications, but the idea of cloning a human being is abhorrent. Scripture demands that human procreation take place only between a man and his wife. Cloning of humans is therefore immoral. It is good that some leaders in science and politics in various countries have spoken in support of banning research into human cloning.
We all start off from very nearly the same genetic position in any event, (any two unrelated males from anywhere around the globe have 99.9 per cent of their genetic material in common), while physical and social environment play a significant part in what sort of persons we turn out to be. This detracts not at all from the fact that we are sinners, and that the Spirit of God is able to make sinners “new creatures in Christ Jesus”, who therefore ultimately “shall be like Him” when they “shall see Him as He is”, 1 John 3:2.
J. R. T.
The Church and the world (1)
The Church of England has taken its advertising programme to the television screens. What strikes one particularly is the worldly nature of the adverts, which are sponsored by the dioceses of Lichfield and Birmingham. A number of people are shown in various situations and the viewer is informed, “These people are doing what has never been done in a TV commercial. They’re praying.”
Some of the situations are perfectly innocent: a retired man pushing his grand-niece on a swing or two sisters watching their clothes being washed at a laundrette. But to include among them a disc jockey standing with his eyes closed, supposedly in prayer, during dancing at a nightclub is incredible – at least it should be incredible. Worldly religion of this kind can do no good to anyone. True Christianity issues the call to separation from worldliness. “Love not the world,” we are told, “neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” 1 John 2:15.
A spokeswoman for the diocese of Birmingham remarked complacently about the content of the advertisements, “It is not condescending or preachy.” No one could commend what is condescending, but her comment misses the point: preaching is the divinely-appointed means for bringing sinners to Christ. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” 1 Corinthians 1:21. Until the primacy of preaching is restored to the churches, what hope can we have that the churches will make any impact on the world? Nor can we hope for better things until that preaching is firmly based on the holy oracles of God, and worldliness is firmly rejected.
K. D. M.
The Church and the world (2)
Last month’s issue of The Free Church Record carried a news item which began: “On Wednesday, 7 August, over 120 people from the community and further afield met in Helmsdale Community Centre to bid farewell to Rev Duncan and Mrs Morag MacLeod and family. Chaired by Rev Neil MacLean of Dornoch Free Church, the meeting began with the singing of Psalm 40 followed by Prayer. Mr MacLean paid tribute to Duncan’s ministry in Helmsdale for almost 13 years.”
After detailing various gifts from the congregation, the local Fishermans’ Hall Fellowship and Church of Scotland congregation, the report went on, “After a sumptuous tea, the company was entertained by Andrew John Innes on the Bagpipes, and the Rev Alex MacDonald, Edinburgh who sang and accompanied himself on the guitar. The Promise of Joshua Chapter 1 verse 9 was the text on the specially decorated cake. A memorable evening was brought to a close by the singing of Psalm 23, and Prayer and Benediction by Rev David Paterson.” The mixture of religious worship and worldliness described in the last paragraph, and given a degree of official sanction by appearing in the Free Church’s denominational magazine, confirms the fact that the level of spirituality within the Church is far from what it ought to be.
K. D. M.