First, let me state that I am OPPOSED to gay marriage. I take that stand due to my belief in the teachings of the Bible. I do not choose to take that stand simply on opinion. I take that stand knowing the Word of God, both written and living: the Living Word, Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin: and I recognize that it is just one of many sins that Scripture discusses. My purpose here is not to debate homosexuality but, instead, my rationale for opposing gay marriage due to my belief that homosexuality is indeed sin according to God's Word. I hope this provides understanding for those on both sides of the issue within the Christian community. It is that division...between professing Christians...that I pray can be reunited with a Biblical perspective.
1. Love and "judging": they seem to be the buzzwords that separate the two views. Yet, I see no difference in the love expressed for the lost by either side. Those in support of gay marriage say we are not to "judge" anyone...we are just to love them. In that statement are 2 assumptions: that taking a stand against gay marriage is "judging", and that those who support gay marriage love the homosexual and those who oppose gay marriage do not love the homosexual. Let me state that both of those assumptions are untrue in every facet.
There is a SERIOUS flaw in the argument made by those Christians in support of gay marriage regarding "judging". In labeling those of us in opposition to gay marriage as "judgmental", the supporters of gay marriage are actually saying they themselves are "judgmental". Why do I say this? It is simple: the thought of being "judgmental" is due to the fact that I believe and state that homosexuality is a sin according to God's Word...yet, those Christians in support of gay marriage say they believe that exact same thing! Both sides state that homosexuality is a sin! Therefore, to label one side as "judgmental" in and of itself means that, in their view, BOTH sides are "judgmental." I dispute that thought altogether. (Note: those "Christians" who do NOT believe that homosexuality is a sin will simply reject ANY argument against gay marriage. Thus...I am not going to expect any words to be persuasive enough to warrant dealing with that aspect of the argument.)
A belief that homosexuality is sin is not based in any way on "judgment": it is based on the truth of Scripture and another important word: discernment. The Christian community knows the difference in the two words, with discernment being "spiritual perception, wisdom and insight". Discernment comes through knowledge of the Word of God and is accompanied by spiritual insight due to that knowledge. Discernment is listed as a spiritual gift. Thus, I will denote that some Christians may not possess the gift...yet I believe there is some small measure of discernment present in every believer. Suffice it to say, being discerning...recognizing truth...is in no way equal to "judging". Regarding the love issue, there is no barometer that measures anyone's love for the lost. To state that supporters of gay marriage love the lost more than those in opposition to gay marriage is actually a statement of SUPERIORITY: a belief that the supporting side is more loving, more caring, and even more in line with Scripture. To that, I offer this observation:
Did your mom and dad ever discipline you when you were young, yet they remained silent and never spoke to you as to WHY you were being disciplined? My parents never acted in that way towards me. As a young boy, I was "rambunctious". And, at times, I needed a "nudge" toward righteousness. At those times, my Dad would always state and make clear WHY he had to correct me, then punish me. And, thus it is with God. Sin is in the world....and for those that continue in sin God says a day of punishment is coming: eternity apart from God...eternity in hell. Yet, God is first TRYING to correct us...by His Word and through the voices of His prophets and His people. Many say "The homosexual already knows that they are a sinner...they do not need you to tell them!" For some that is true...for MANY that is NOT true. Most homosexuals will say being gay is not a sin! Many claim they are Christians. I, and others, speak because we LOVE...not because we hate. And I know this: only TRUTH can set people free.
2. Legal versus Moral: Many say they are supporters of gay marriage although they believe that homosexuality is a sin...as I have already noted above. Their basis for their stance is that they believe Scripture and morality cannot and should not be legislated and "forced on" anyone. A small aspect of that stance I do agree with. Making a law cannot guarantee compliance to a law. Thus, you cannot forcibly change people's actions...in cases regarding SIN...without changing their heart first. I have often said if everyone would allow God to changes their heart then all manner of evil in the world would end. No doubt! But, even with that truth readily admitted...God Himself instituted laws for man that govern morality! Of course, those laws are embodied in the TEN COMMANDMENTS. I would ask this: why would God go through the process of writing and proclaiming His statutes knowing that He would not (We need to clarify that He COULD if He wanted to...because HE IS GOD!) force anyone to obey them? God wants His desires known to man and God wants there to be boundaries that guide His creation. Scripture is full of other examples of God wanting a civilization built on laws that are based in His moral Word. He expresses that desire repeatedly, and warns Israel of the trouble that will come if Israel fails to follow His precepts.
My biggest difference with those supporting gay marriage in this area is this: the basis for a supportive stance for gay marriage (as has been stated to me) is regarding the idea of leaving it up to the GOVERNMENT to legislate morality. At this point, I do not understand that argument, quite honestly. The recent decision in North Carolina has been the impetus for much of this discussion, but that vote in no way equates to "the government legislating morality." Actually, it was the PEOPLE...CITIZENS OF NORTH CAROLINA...that, by voting, stated THEIR desire and belief on the issue. The people of North Carolina simply voted to UPHOLD the definition of marriage that already existed: marriage is between one man and one woman.
Now, I recognize (just as with Israel in the Old Testament) that the guidelines set forth MAY NOT end up being obeyed in the real world. I recognize that, in time, Biblical morality may not be a person's basis of policy and law and way of living, and, due to that, the majority of people may one day vote for all types and forms of immorality. But even so, that would follow the very pattern of Israel! God instituted laws based on morality and truth...for us, the Bible. Yet, a time would come when Israel ceased to follow those laws and they made their own! God warned that that time would come...yet, He still wanted clear-cut, concise, stated law that at least TRIED to bring a nation together under one banner of truth and belief. And yes...as a Christian, my desire is for just that: a CHRISTIAN nation, united under the moral laws and precepts set in order by God...the God Who has the Son named Jesus! Too many say we do not...and they do not want to...live under the law of God: I beg to differ! Jesus came NOT to do away with the law...but He came to fulfill the law...HIS WORDS. The only law Jesus "did away with" were man-made law and ceremonial/sacrificial law...the latter because those laws were fulfilled and embodied by HIM. But Jesus did NOT do away with the Ten Commandments. There was not, and is not, a basis to believe we are not to follow those laws and ANY OTHER laws OF GOD. I actually find it hard to fathom that ANYONE would find obeying GOD'S LAW (I did not say man-made, "opinion" law!) as any lack of freedom...as I have heard it denoted. Following ANY Word and instruction of God SHOULD BE a blessing and a joy to a Christian! We are not SAVED by the law and by following that law....we are saved by grace through faith...but out of that salvation should flow OBEDIENCE to the LAW MAKER - GOD! And following God is a privilege and a joy!
Now, I recognize (just as with Israel in the Old Testament) that the guidelines set forth MAY NOT end up being obeyed in the real world. I recognize that, in time, Biblical morality may not be a person's basis of policy and law and way of living, and, due to that, the majority of people may one day vote for all types and forms of immorality. But even so, that would follow the very pattern of Israel! God instituted laws based on morality and truth...for us, the Bible. Yet, a time would come when Israel ceased to follow those laws and they made their own! God warned that that time would come...yet, He still wanted clear-cut, concise, stated law that at least TRIED to bring a nation together under one banner of truth and belief. And yes...as a Christian, my desire is for just that: a CHRISTIAN nation, united under the moral laws and precepts set in order by God...the God Who has the Son named Jesus! Too many say we do not...and they do not want to...live under the law of God: I beg to differ! Jesus came NOT to do away with the law...but He came to fulfill the law...HIS WORDS. The only law Jesus "did away with" were man-made law and ceremonial/sacrificial law...the latter because those laws were fulfilled and embodied by HIM. But Jesus did NOT do away with the Ten Commandments. There was not, and is not, a basis to believe we are not to follow those laws and ANY OTHER laws OF GOD. I actually find it hard to fathom that ANYONE would find obeying GOD'S LAW (I did not say man-made, "opinion" law!) as any lack of freedom...as I have heard it denoted. Following ANY Word and instruction of God SHOULD BE a blessing and a joy to a Christian! We are not SAVED by the law and by following that law....we are saved by grace through faith...but out of that salvation should flow OBEDIENCE to the LAW MAKER - GOD! And following God is a privilege and a joy!
I have to believe that God not only wants to reside within me, but I believe that God (according to His Word) also desires to be a part of the laws and government of our nation. I have no choice but to believe that. God wanted it for Israel...and I believe He wants it for America. Man may have strayed from having a "Godly government" through the centuries, but that was never God's desire. God has, FROM THE BEGINNING, wanted EVERYTHING based on HIMSELF. It is up to Christians to vote and support various proposals and legislation that would do just that: keep Christ in our nation...from the top down.
3. "Faith cometh by hearing...": Romans 10:17 states "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." I have said this to many people...and it seems to scare them. But...here goes: love is NOT what brings salvation! Yes, Jesus died for us because He loved us. That is a wonderful truth of Scripture! Yet, we are saved by grace (Jesus loves us and died for us and He alone could die for sins...and He gives salvation as a free gift) through faith. And, we see by the passage in Romans, that faith only comes by hearing the Word of God. That Scripture is essential in our understanding of this entire subject. We can love the lost...we can love the homosexual...but OUR love for them WILL NOT be what brings the lost to Christ. We can love them with all of our hearts...yet, they can still die without salvation. They can even KNOW we love them...and that will not mean they accept the salvation of Jesus. Instead...the homosexual, or any lost (unsaved) person, must HEAR the truth and the Word of God on the subject...and, upon hearing that truth, they then must make a decision ON that truth.
This actually leads us back to the "love" and "judging" issue: they are all interwoven throughout this issue. But here, we must recognize that MOST homosexuals state "Homosexuality is not a sin." Their belief is in opposition to Scripture...and we must CONTINUE to point out the truth of Scripture to them! Yes...we must try to CONVINCE them of God's truth. Will they want to hear it? Maybe not. But guess what....one day they MIGHT accept it!
I remember my Dad in his years before he got saved: Dad was a good man, a business man. Dad was considered a moral and ethical man in our community. He was not always liked...but he was respected by most. Through the years, my mom...and his children...would talk to him about church and Jesus and getting saved. Dad's father was a preacher...yet he continued to put off God and salvation. That is....until 1984. Suddenly, with no prompting, my dad made a decision that shocked us all, quite honestly! Dad and mom had come to visit me in Charlotte, NC. It was a church night, so I didn't want to leave them alone. Thus, I had silently decided not to go to church. An hour or so before church time, Dad simply said "Are we not going to church?" Needless to say, I dressed in a flash and off we went...headed to church! The singers sang, the preacher preached, and then came the altar call. When the invitation was given (the preacher simply asked if anyone there wanted to be saved), my Dad calmly stood. I began to weep. And, just like that, my Dad walked to an altar and gave his heart to the Lord! He was SAVED! Dad had known the truth most of his life...yet mom was there to always be a constant reminder of that truth. And, after being saved, Dad said much of it had to do with the persistence of those who loved him...their unwillingness to give up on him even though he rejected us (sometimes in anger) so many times. Keep in mind: "..FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD." The lost MUST continue to hear the truth of God's Word...even to the point of them becoming angry! And yes...they must hear it in love. It is the love of God that has to motivate our persistence.
With that, we also see Scripture telling us "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) It is here that we truly see that all the love in the world is not what brings freedom to the unbeliever...it is, instead, TRUTH.
I have to state this belief in undeniable and in very plain terms: ANY attempt and/or belief that silences TRUTH is a work of Satan! Why am I so sure and emphatic in that belief? Because it is PLAINLY stated that it is the knowledge of truth and then the subsequent acceptance of that truth that brings FREEDOM to the lost! All of us...at the point of salvation...experienced this truth!
The first Biblical necessity in accepting Jesus is the realization of truth...the recognition that WE ARE A SINNER. In every theological point of Scripture, this remains the FIRST tenet of belief: we must recognize the truth of our existence and/or situation. As stated previously, most homosexuals deny TRUTH, instead believing it is NOT a sin to be homosexual. They, therefore, believe a lie. There MUST be a confrontation (not in the "angry" sense) between the homosexual and the truth. And, just like my dad, that truth may have to be repeatedly encountered over a long period of time. There is NO Biblical example where a person's response...whether calm or angry...denotes that we are to "back off" on talking with them and telling them (yes, repeatedly) the truth.
When Jesus spoke to the rich man, the rich man did not like what Jesus had to say. Yet, when the man turned and walked away, Jesus did not then go into "modern theology" mode and say to the rich man "Hey, wait! I would rather you stay around so I can love you than to see you walk away and never serve me." Jesus knew that if the man stayed, He would continue to state the truth that He had just verbalized: with no compromise. He would not try another method of "silent love", as I call it. Jesus knew only the truth would set this man free and, even though the man did not accept it, He would have to take that stand regardless. Even in John chapter 6, we find Jesus exposing FOLLOWERS and distinguishing them from BELIEVERS AND SERVANTS. And, that passage tells us that MANY would turn away from the truth, believing it was too hard, and they would cease to follow Jesus from that point forward. And at that moment, Jesus NEVER shouted to the crowd "Wait! Come back and I will just love you and never mention the hard things again!" No, Jesus let them walk away...He let them make their own decision based on TRUTH. Again, Jesus...God...knows ONLY truth can open the door to the path of freedom!
Look at it this way: I am in my car driving down the highway. Suddenly, I see blue lights behind me. "I am not speeding!", I think to myself...frustrated that I am being pulled over. The officer approaches my window and immediately states, "Sir, I stopped you because your taillights are out. Were you aware of that?" On that realization, my frustration (and a bit of anger) subsides. I respond, "No, I had no idea." The officer then informs me that he is going to let me go...under the agreement that I will take care of the situation as soon as possible. Here is a great picture of how John 8:32 applies in our lives. It was only when the officer revealed TRUTH to me that I had ANY knowledge of the problem that existed. Then...and only then...did I know that I was driving with my taillights out...which is a VERY dangerous situation if in the dark! I had to have REVELATION of the truth to allow me to TAKE CARE OF the truth. It is in knowing that my taillights are out that I am now able to take care of the problem.
Thus it is with sin and, per this issue, homosexuality. The homosexual (at least the majority hold this view) does not believe anything is wrong. To the homosexual, the gay lifestyle is "OK" with God, but, in truth, it is NOT. Until there is some recognition of the truth, there can be no "repairs" made. And, just as driving with no taillights can be VERY dangerous in the dark, so it is with sin...here, the sin of homosexuality. The gay community, for the most part, believes a lie...they are driving in the dark. And that is the deception of Satan and the intent of his lie: to keep people in a dangerous situation and in the dark, absent of the truth.
Regarding this issue, those supporting gay marriage are actually espousing the idea of abstaining from speaking the truth...believing the (evidently) successful lie of Satan that says "speaking out against gay marriage" is not being loving to the gay community. But, instead, notice the REAL motivation of Satan in this, based on John 8:32...Satan wants Christians to go silent with the truth because SATAN HIMSELF knows that freedom only comes when truth is first recognized and acknowledged. It is actually a TACTIC OF SATAN...not some theological definition and application of "love"...that is behind the support of gay marriage. I am not saying those in support of gay marriage are aware of this. I am, instead, saying they are DECEIVED by Satan and he has successfully sold them a lie under the guise of some Biblical truth. Love absent of any correction and absent of confrontation of sin is not GOD'S LOVE at all. It is, instead, a new and perverted "love", perpetrated on society to believe that the TRUE love of God is mean and destructive and hurtful and unloving.
I, for one, will stand and refute the works of Satan and his attempts to divide the Christian community through his deceptions. I will continue to take a stand against gay marriage, homosexuality and other issues (pornography, abortion, gluttony, envy, strife, bitterness, adultery, fornication, lying, false doctrine...sin). So, I must state...without any doubt of what I stand for or against...without any reluctance to KNOW that my stance is the stance God (Jesus) wants all Christians to take...that I oppose gay marriage and I believe that Christians must take this stand in the same manner. I believe we are to do this with prayer and fasting, proclaiming truth and even voting based on these tenets of truth (when the issue is dealing with moral issues or non moral issues). Keep in mind...if ready to pounce on me for my claim and belief that God is on MY side regarding this issue...that those in SUPPORT of gay marriage are claiming the support of God in their own stance. Yes...we are definitely on OPPOSING sides here.
This is, by no means, a thorough and detailed examination of this issue. Much more could be said...although I have spoken many words here already. My prayer is that this will give a better understanding of my view and the view of those who oppose gay marriage. I...we...love the lost with the love of Christ. It is BECAUSE we love them that we speak out. Our belief that homosexuality is a sin also causes us to take a stance that says God also considers gay marriage to be a sin. I HAVE to believe that God would NOT support an institution of marriage for gays that would, in and of itself, promote the sin of homosexuality. In closing, I pose these questions and thoughts for consideration to Christians that are in support of gay marriage:
With your support of gay marriage, how do you deal with the issue of salvation regarding the gays involved? As Christians, our desire is to see the lost saved. In supporting a marriage between two homosexuals, what is to happen if your evangelism of them is successful...and the two married homosexuals get saved? Getting saved would not negate a legal marriage that, by its existence, is a bond of homosexuality. If getting saved would, in and of itself, then make the marriage a sin...then the marriage is a sin from the start. Thus...gay marriage MUST be a sin in totality...morally and legally...from the Christian perspective. Again, I believe any other stance is a deception of Satan.
God bless!
No comments:
Post a Comment