2016 Church of God Resolution on the Sanctity of Biblical Marriage

WHEREAS, a United States Supreme Court ruling in 2015 legitimized same-sex marriage in all 50 states and overturned state laws to the contrary, contravening thousands of years of custom and practice by civil societies and by the majority of Christian movements; and

WHEREAS, the unequivocal testimony of the Holy Bible is that homosexual activity deviates from the standard God has established for human life, and so-called homosexual marriages cannot be understood morally and biblically as the equivalent of marriage; and 

WHEREAS,  based on scriptural passages such as Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:3-9, it is the firmly held belief of the Church of God that marriage is a spiritual union in which one man and one woman are joined together to live as one; and

WHEREAS, it is the plain testimony of Scripture in Romans 1:25-32 and other scriptural citations that homosexual acts are against God’s plan and design for men and women and are judged by Him to be sinful;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ministers credentialed by the Church of God not solemnize or participate in any manner in marriage ceremonies except those between one man and one woman; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that facilities owned or used by the Church of God not be used for the conduct of weddings, wedding receptions, or any other ceremonies associated with marriages or blessings, except those between one man and one woman; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the church and its ministers rely on the protections of the free exercise of religion granted by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and other applicable federal and state laws; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Church of God exercise due diligence in teaching and preaching the truth about marriage in the biblical model—between one man and woman for a lifelong union—as God’s divine plan for His people.