It's been a pretty bad week for Christians. Just as I was being inspired by the strength, love, and forgiveness on display in Charleston, S.C. last week after that horrible tragedy....the Supreme Court made a decision just in time for Gay Pride Day across the globe.
My beloved FRIENDS that are NOT connected with a church/synagogue/mosque/temple of any kind are completely stunned by the response of Christians to the Supreme Courts ruling that declared homosexual marriage legal in all states. What's the problem? Why not join in the celebration with parades and rainbow flags?
They are puzzled as we struggle to explain and find ourselves absolutely speechless to remarks, such as: "What does it matter? This ruling is not going to affect you in any way! Get over it and get your nose out of everybody's business, live and let people live however they want"
And then there is the reminder to "Judge Not!" (Which is the MOST misused, misunderstood, and misquoted verse in the entire Bible.) That's a topic for another day.
Today I want to attempt to explain the reaction of Christians across the land. (I've been asked by several to write down my thoughts.)
I could list numerous scriptures to prove and explain a point but most folks simply dismiss those "ancient words" with a flip of the wrist. (At this point I must encourage you to forego the idea, "that book was written by men, not God, it is irrelevant." Instead, do some research and discover that the whole book was written by eyewitnesses over hundreds of years that had NOTHING to gain and their very life to lose by writing the words.) And the Christians I know that have studied for years, believe EVERY WORD OF IT, front to back, including the maps!
So....I'll draw your attention to just one section Christians believe down deep in the very marrow of their bones. It is Romans, Chapter 1, starting with verse 18. If you have a Bible, please turn there now, I'll wait.
When you make your way through those words you will quickly become aware that homosexuality is taken very seriously, but forge ahead anyway. Some very disturbing behaviors are listed as a result of depraved minds: every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, depravity, envy, murder, deceit and malice. People are described as gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful and they even invent ways of doing evil. They disobey parents, they are senseless, faithless, heartless and ruthless.
They know better but they continue AND ALSO APPROVE OF THOSE WHO PRACTICE THEM.
Now if you review that list you'll probably be able to name a few folks that are described there. I can and in fact, I AM ONE! I am very aware that I am capable of any and every evil known to man given the right set of circumstances. In Christian lingo we call it sin. And we know that ALL have that tendency, no one is off the hook and no sin is worse than any other! Equal opportunity. We are ALL guilty.
So let's just list them all....make a list. There are several other items we could included as well, found elsewhere in the scriptures. We could add adultery, pride, haughty eyes, worry, etc... And then beside that list with a red marker write:
APPROVED! LEGAL! IN EVERY STATE!
And therein lies the source of DEEP, IMMEASUREABLE GRIEF for the Christian. You see, we KNOW that when elements of that list are accepted and embraced as a lifestyle, there is extreme pain for the individual. CHRISTIANS ARE grieving over the approval of inevitable pain, multiplied by millions that will accept the Courts ruling as OK! LEGAL! THE NEW NORMAL! OPEN-MINDED, & MODERN.
Unfair you cry! Where is the love and compassion for the individual that has decided he/she is homosexual?
It's where it's always been! In the heart of God AND in the people that love Him and desire to love others as He does. Have homosexuals been hurt, persecuted, and denied respect and dignity? You bet they have! BUT not by God! HE is the source of comfort, wholeness and unmeasurable love! For everyone!
Do Christians hate homosexuals? NO! NO! A thousand times NO! Not the true believers anyway!
If you believe that you've swallowed a pack of lies! (Maybe pretend Christians who are filled with hatred do!)
Do homosexuals deserve every right of every citizen? ABSOLUTELY! (Businesses, insurance companies have for years jumped through hoops to make sure domestic partners and civil unions are recognized and awarded all benefits available.)
Do Christians deny people the right to love whomever they choose? NO! Love is wonderful and good and holy. But, we understand the Biblical definition of sexuality to be far better than the raunchy display on TV, movies, pornographic films, and novels. Anything less is counterfeit.
Do Christians have a different definition of marriage? YES! The book that we believe tells us that it is the picture of the mysterious relationship between Christ and the Church. And NO, we will not back down, get over it, or change our views on this issue. We believe it is a holy covenant reserved for one man, one women for life.
Have some Christian marriages failed? YES! ( See list above!)
Do ALL Christians believe as I do? NO! Reliable polls tell us that most pew warmers don't bother reading the book for themselves and have no idea what it says. How can they possibly form an Biblically intelligent opinion? (No malicious judgment here, just fact.)
Are Christians judging people? NO! Not my friends, anyway. But we do take the responsibility of teaching the scriptures seriously. How else can the next generation know what it says? Is that judging?
We are weeping. We weep for any and everyone that is hurting because of their own choices or the choices of others. We weep as God weeps.
I've been doing a lot of weeping this week. I am weeping over the courts stamp of approval to what I believe will bring untold suffering to many lovely people.
I am weeping because this declaration will no doubt lull many to believe that there really is no NEED of a Savior.
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