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Don't Wail For Our Culture- Stand For Marriage
In case we forget, we do not live in a theocracy. We live in a constitutionally governed representative republic. On that front, I think our representation was trumped this week by a politically active court. I also think our constitution is going to face a series of controversies on this homosexual issue in the not too distant future that will strike to the heart of its very first amendment. It will then be painful for a Christian to live in America, a nation founded upon political and religious freedoms.
Though I might live in America, my King is Jesus. I can love all men, as He did, and still hate sin. Homosexuality is a sin. Loving another human being is not. Men may redefine marriage, but God has not. Men may join with men (and women with women) in sex and marriage, but God will not join them. He will recognize it as an utter rejection of His teaching and Himself as God (Rom. 1:18-32). Men have and will invariably thumb their noses and shake their fists at God, but God's word will stand and be final.
I oppose homosexuality because God opposes it. I oppose homosexuality because Jesus died that those who practice it may be forgiven of their sinful practice of it and other sins (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11). There will come a time, I am certain, when men will pass laws or a court will legislate that is illegal for me to speak against something God has told me to speak against, but I will not and cannot do anything but speak against it (Acts 5:29). My convictions will come at a price. That's okay. Perhaps homosexuals will rejoice when that time comes and I am arrested, fined or punished for exercising my civil right to oppose what they approve. That's okay too. But God's word will stand. In the end, I will stand by it.
I read an article today that challenged me to view this as an opportunity to truly stand for something that we have, frankly, taken for granted in our culture -- marriage. The point is well taken. Adultery is equally as condemnable as homosexuality, and just as damaging to marriage, yet we tolerate those Jesus says are committing adultery (Matt. 5:32; 19:9). Divorce is something God hates, and is the destruction of a marriage, yet we can justify and openly tolerate and even advocate divorce by and large for any number of reasons (cf. Mal. 2:16). Sex is reserved for the marriage bed (Heb. 13:4) and the sin of fornication undermines marriage. Yet fornication is so rampant that is it is now a culturally accepted norm. In our culture, we hand out condemns to our sons and parents pay for their daughters to be on birth control. We tacitly approve something God condemns. Character qualities such as self-control and self-denial mean nothing today to far too many (cf. Gal. 5:23; 2 Pet. 1:6), and God's ancient, original and holy institution of marriage is the victim in each and every case.
So, instead of decry a court's ruling on homosexuality and marriage as the end of our culture as we know it, I choose to actually stand for marriage. Though this culture rapidly proves to be a modern day Sodom or Gomorrah, I recognize there is only one Kingdom that will endure! I will continue to call homosexuality a sin, just as I do adultery, fornication and divorce (barring that singular exception where God tolerates divorce). I will continue to demonstrate to the best of my ability in my marriage what God's view of marriage looks like. I will encourage and demand that young people choose God's idea of marriage over the world's idea. I will teach them the self-control and self-denial that taking up one's cross involves (cf. Matt. 16:24; Acts 24:25) and they will be better adults and Christians for it. The darker our culture gets, the brighter the light of the gospel shines. Persecution may arise for my convictions, but that's okay. The Holy Spirit teaches that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). I can live with that. Can you?
