Coming from the liberal background that I do, I have come from the place that I value people for their individuality and been pretty much touchy-feely about people's rights. Realizing the sin of the world and how it impacted life, and that people are not essentially good, has been an interesting journey in my Christian life. You don't hear this in school. You hear that there is an intrinsic good. You read it in Anne Frank's diary and you start fawning over the idea that there is good in everyone, somewhere. And then I learned it was all bullcrap, at least biblically. So, people are sinful, and we struggle with that in our lives, even after we become believers. That's why we needed Jesus, because when we make the rules, we screw it up.
Back to the current issue, and my struggle with it. As far as gays, it's been in the last twenty years that we've seen a turnaround in public perception. During that time, I have not seen gays as "the enemy" nor have I seen them as people I couldn't relate to. I have good friends that are gay. I have studied scripture about the issue and I understand God's mandates in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and more. I know homosexuality is a sin.
The common phrase is, "love the person, hate the sin." But practically speaking, how does that work? And how does it work when the law of the land grants the right for gays to be married? And some of the gays might be people you interact with or even love?
I have three thoughts that I keep coming back to.
First, what is it about marriage that attracts non-believers? Why get married? It seems to me that it's about how US Law has defined marriage, and the rights and privileges that come with it. Tax benefits; death benefits; automatic immunity from testifying; and the list goes on and on. I'm listing the civil benefits. But for them, is there a bigger purpose? For their own happiness? I don't know the answers, because I'm not a non-believer any more. But if it is for civil reasons, then the government has already redefined marriage to something that really isn't scriptural. Marriage is not based on biblical law in the eyes of the United States.
Second, in 1973, there was a law that was passed that also was not based on God's mandates. It was called Roe v Wade, and it allowed abortion to be legal. People choose to have abortions, sometimes, and some of those people might claim to be Christians. However, God declared in scripture that he knew us from conception. I believe in His word that He says that the unborn are alive and that abortion is murder. Can I still support those that have abortions while disagreeing with the law? And does that mean that I can love gays while still believing wholeheartedly that marriage is between a man and a woman? Should I not stand for this premise just as I stand for life beginning at conception?
Third, if you go to a church that you believe is a Bible-believing church, and they begin to perform gay marriages, then you need to question their beliefs. Even if the government allows gay marriage under the law, a church that performs the ceremony is misinterpreting scripture. Period.
Third, if you go to a church that you believe is a Bible-believing church, and they begin to perform gay marriages, then you need to question their beliefs. Even if the government allows gay marriage under the law, a church that performs the ceremony is misinterpreting scripture. Period.
Lastly, is the church, which seems to be fighting against gay marriage under the US law, not a bit hypocritical about other sin? Fornication (living together, having sex before marriage), divorce, love of money...I just think that we are standing on this precipice of gay marriage and declaring it a huge touchstone issue when we really have other touchstone issues that we do not think biblically about. I think we have to be prepared to look at the log in our eye related to all of this while also declaring that His word is what guides our lives, and pleasing Him might mean things that are uncomfortable for us. And somehow, we still declare God has sovereignty over this law, and give Him the glory.
The short of it is, this is not an easy place for Christians to be, as much as some might want to believe that the answer is very easy.
