The Evolution of the Family

We’re witnessing dramatic changes in our American culture—and they aren’t for the better. Recently, a Florida court ruled that a child could have three parents named on his or her birth certificate. (Read the full article here.) Secularists are continuing to advance their agenda of redefining the family.

Now, the case involves a same-sex couple (two lesbian women), one of whom had a child by artificial insemination. The father, who had initially agreed to donate and then depart, decided after the fact that he wanted to be a part of the child’s life—and a two-year legal battle began. You see, this entire situation is a mess, not only because the judge ruled that all three of these people be listed as “parents” on the child’s birth certificate, but also because the precedent the court is setting only serves to reaffirm homosexual behavior and to redefine the family.

But you know, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen secularists advocating for three or more parents to be named for a child. Just last year, the California legislature sent a bill to the governor’s desk that would have allowed courts to appoint any number of adults as legal “parents” of minor children. Governor Brown vetoed the bill, but his reasons didn’t really demonstrate opposition to the bill. He simply said, “I am returning Senate Bill 1476 without my signature . . . I would like to take more time to consider all of the implications of this change.”

In a Washington Times article, Senator Mark Leno, who introduced the California multiple-parent bill, is quoted as saying, “The definition of family is evolving. . . . All this bill does is give authority to a court [to use] when it’s required to protect the best interest of the child.” But the definition of family is not “evolving.” We’re told in Genesis 2:24 what a marriage is: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” The first marriage was made up of two people, a married man and woman, and no other. And Adam and Eve were the only parents of their children—so did their children have an inferior family life because they only had two parents rather than three or more? Of course not.

You see, God’s design for marriage and the family is incredibly clear in Scripture, from the very first chapters of Genesis. But this is twice now that I know of that the issue of redefining the term parent has come to the forefront in our legal system. And really, this is how change happens in a culture. One state will redefine the meaning of family or parent, another state will follow, then all across the nation, and soon it becomes the norm. We’re witnessing that same process now with same-sex marriage. One state after another is legalizing it. Where will these changes stop?

For more information on the California controversy, read my blog post about the California bill and Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell’s more in-depth examination of the bill.

These secularists will be held to account by the God of the universe for their actions. Please pray that our culture will turn back to the authority of God’s Word in every area.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

Note: I thank Steve Golden for his assistance in composing this blog.