GAY MARRIAGE?
There are only two kingdoms. The
kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. There is no gray area and no one
can straddle those two kingdoms. And the only way to enter the kingdom of God
is through a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the born again
experience. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the key which unlocks that door.
Millions upon millions have attempted to enter through other doors and millions
have assumed they were successful; however upon their death they have surely
found that they were deceived and ultimately they had lost their souls.
But as believing followers of Jesus
Christ and citizens of the kingdom of God do we seek the approval of men? And
in that same context, are we interested in what rules the kingdom of darkness
uses to rule their kingdom? There is no common ground at all, and many times
things that seem common to both kingdoms are subtly and cleverly used as
Trojan Horses which bring in all sorts of confusion among God’s people. And
many times God’s people become so distracted about these issues that they literally
leave the gospel. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. No man can
serve two masters.
This week the Supreme Court of the
United States is deciding the issue of gay marriage. And while this is
happening millions of professing believers are not only consumed with that
issue, but many are forecasting national doom if the court decides
unbiblically. So what they are saying is that although millions of people are
engaged in sexual sins of all kinds across the nation, but if they call what
two men are doing a “marriage” that will really tick God off. Do we as
believers seek the approval of men?
Many years ago it became evident
that people were leaving their spouses and claiming they were never married.
And so that demanded a more concrete way to make marriage official. So the culture
suggested that a priest or minister officiate the ceremony and sign an official
document recognized by the government. In general that is how we have arrived
at the traditional marriage construct in the west. And the reason the church
went along with it and still does is primarily financial. Today it revolves
around taxes and the ability to receive a fair divorce settlement.
But eventually the church got
married the same way as does the world. Sadly the church gets divorced the same
way as the world. Let us be clear. The government does not force anyone to “get
married”. You could stand in front of a company of believers and have the
elders officiate your vows and pronounce you married before God without any
governmental validation. But again you might relinquish some tax benefits and
in the event of a divorce you would face some obstacles.
But as we walk before Jesus in the
kingdom of God we have been called to be salt and light in order to let God use
us to draw men to the gospel. We are in this world but not of it. So how are we
as believers supposed to get involved with the rule making within the kingdom
of darkness? We know that God teaches us that marriage is between a man and a
woman, and more specifically between a male follower of Jesus and a female
follower of Jesus. That is the New Covenant way of the family.
But within the kingdom of darkness and
among those who reject Christ, does God offer some ground rules? Does God
accept and ordain a marriage between two Satan worshipers? Between two Muslims?
Between two atheists? I ask you, to what purpose is it that the marriage of two
hell bound sinners is accepted and approved of God? How can two completely
fallen enemies of God have a sanctified marriage? The answer is that in God’s
sight they cannot. Everything an unredeemed sinner does is fallen and has no
righteousness whatsoever. He is incapable of doing anything acceptable in the
sight of God.
So the marriages that take place
outside the kingdom of God are little more than part of a fallen culture. They
cannot be approved of God. And in that light, we as believers must always look
at the kingdom of darkness with a redemptive eye and not with an eye to modifying
their behavior without Christ. And that principle is exactly where the church
has made their mistake and through that mistake we have constructed a
competition to the gospel. Nationalism and a desire to moralize a fallen
culture has displaced the Great Commission. And in order to keep a thin layer
of divinity upon that earthly mission the church has embraced and taught that
America is a kind of New Testament Israel even if we refuse to put it in those
terms.
And I have said all that to say
this. What does it matter to the kingdom of God what the kingdom of darkness
does? Gay men and women are allowed to live together and engage in whatever
they desire, so why does the word “marriage” elicit such energy from believers?
The world can call a “duck” a “cow” but it is still a duck. The entire realm of
sin, and more specifically sexual sin, as it is believed and practiced in the
world is a colossal mess. And the government’s attempt to make it more
acceptable is useless before God and should be irrelevant to us who follow
Jesus.
The sanctity of marriage is in
shambles within and without the church. But what the world describes as
morality and acceptable has no consequences for the church. Fallen is fallen.
Depraved is depraved. We cannot accept the world’s definition of marriage, but
neither is that our battle. Let the Supreme Court make gay marriage legal. Let
the states vote to accept gay marriage. That does not change God’s Word, and it
should not deter us from living and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. We do
not war against the flesh or the government. We battle against spiritual
wickedness in high places whose desire is to damn the souls of men, gay or straight.
Gay marriage is coming and is
already here. One of the most diabolical strategies of the evil one is to
convince people that just because they are against gay marriage they are right
with God and have eternal life. But in every situation and as it pertains to
all these issues the answer will always be the same. He that hath the Son hath
life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. Let us not fight useless
battles, but let us go without the camp bearing His reproach and sharing the
redemptive love of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Political endeavors concerning
morality, regardless from which side they emanate, are not only hollow but they
are enemies of the gospel.
Posts
25 comments:
I couldn't agree more. Amen and Amen!
As my husband and I were discussing this, we were drawing these same conclusions. That a christian's battle is not with the Supreme Court's decisions on gay marriage or any government legislation that provides entitlements for unbiblical practices. I can't understand why the Church has jumped on this bandwagon. I don't understand why a christian is obsessed with the sexual activities of another. With all the promiscuity and teens sexting and the whole culture tumbling down the road to perdition in every way, they don't seem upset or riled up about that. Just gay marriage.
The church has been infected with the world's narcissism. They want to feel superior and righteous. It relieves their guilt about their own sexual sins. It's easier to call out other people's sins rather than to reflect on their own sin. Even some pastors give marriage workshops on sex. Yeeeeeesh! I can't imagine the apostles speaking to a room full of men and women on the how-to's. But christians in the west think that's OK.
Some governments permit gambling. Is gambling a sin? Governments today support the entertainment industry, replete with pornography and unbiblical content. Wife swapping, and bestiality, everything we can't even imagine probably goes on every day and if the Lord hasn't sent a bolt of lightning yet, what makes them think this is His last straw?
I wonder why these christians are so worried about legalizing a gay union, yet don't worry about the many couples who are just legally married by a Justice of the Peace. There are many who go to the Chapel of Love in Las Vegas for a drive-through marriage. Isn't that an affront to God? But no christian voices seem to have a problem with that. Many marriages have been bonded legally AND without dedicating their marriages to Jesus. They aren't picked on.
So, this is what I gleen from their disapproval of gay marriage: That only gays are sinners because they want to have a legal binding union - that teenage lust and premarital sex is OK - that bestiality and porn can be overlooked - that couples who marry, divorce, remarry, and divorce again is OK - that civil unions done by a notary or someone with a license in Las Vegas to heterosexual couples is OK - or that heterosexual couples living with one another without dedicating it to the Lord is OK. And they think God still embraces the culture? And they think God is only grieved by gays wanting to commit? At least they make an effort at committing, unlike many christians who make no effort.
The tragedy is that the world looks at the christian community to see their reaction to all this, and they see total hypocrisy. I pray that eyes are opened.
Rick,
I mostly agree with you, but there is one point I must disagree with. This is the idea that a marriage between two unbelievers is not really a marriage. I think your error is essentially the Romantic, Catholic error, that marriage is a sacrament.
While the bible teaches that a believer must not marry an unbeliever, it then talks about a person having a spouse who is not a believer. (1 Corinthians 7:12-13) How did this situation occur? If they are commanded not to marry, then how did they get married? The answer is that they were married while both were in a state of unbelief.
With one believer, and one unbeliever, it is called a marriage even though it is against the command of God.
Exodus 22:16
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
The word "endow" here is not a dowry, that word is in the next verse, but it is a related word, it means "to provide support for". In other words they are already married in God's eyes, and the odds are, in this situation, that both are unbelievers.
What you are saying, essentially, is that if a married Hindu man gets saved, and his wife does not, that he is not really married, and can walk away from his responsibilities. The bible says that he is to stay with her as long as she is willing to have him. This is a marriage, and they don't even need a piece of paper to make it official.
But you are right about "gay" marriage. No two gays,m or lesbians, have ever been married, regardless of the piece of paper they have.
I see your point and it is legitimate. However I suggest that the validity of the marriage only comes to fruition when one spouse becomes a believer, Even then their children are sanctified, or set apart, by the believing spouse. I contend gently that tow dead people cannot be married in the eyes of God. But I still believe you have a point.
Amen, Amen Amen! I can't agree more. Shared on facebook Brother. I am so thankful that other Christians understand this. Anonymous brought up great points as well.
This is a great reminder Pastor Rick, that we need to get our priorities right. It seems like a diversion - magnifying the sin of others to make ourselves look good. The modern church must let go of the need to contol issues which they do not actually have control of.
You would be a fool to believe that in the churches the Apostle Paul founded or was called to establish in the Truth there were no repentant homosexuals, lesbians, adulterers, fornicators, thieves and liars all washed, sanctified, justified and living godly and holy lives before God and man and are now enjoying the fruit of Christ's labors for the rest of their eternity.
The issue for us today is no different and God's anger isn't any more intense today because of this issue spreading across the national political landscape!
Good word Rick; and in some ways humorous yet sad. I don't think what the Supreme Court does or doesn't do with any of the matters before them will ever stop Christ from building His Church?. They only rule the constitutionality of the laws or political decisions of the States or broad or narrow rulings of lower courts.
Long before the country that formed its more perfect union formed it God had already given a revelation about Jesus to Jesus to give to John to make a record of it, what must shortly take place for all subsequent servants of the Lord in their generation. Here is some of what was revealed that is apropos:
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, "I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see." For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her." (Revelation 18:4-8 ESV)
My husband & I were married by a female minister from a Four square church. I was a nominal Christian at the time & my husband was nonChristian. Now I am a dedicated Christian and my husband says he believes but I've yet to see him crack open a Bible.
I guess according to your view we aren't married. I'm not offended in the least if this is how you think. But you brought up an interesting post. -Noel
Noel - I believe the Scriptures clearly indicate that if one spouse is a believer that spouse sanctifies the marriage.
Hope you are feeling better great post.
Thanks Rick. - Noel
Rick you said "Political endeavors concerning morality, regardless from which side they emanate, are not only hollow but they are enemies of the gospel."
Hollow is such an accurate description. I remember feeling that hollowness when the church, that I attended this last time, would gather on Wednesdays for prayer. We would be praying for the marriage equality bill that since has passed here in Washington. I remember always thinking that there was no power in our prayers. There was a flatness, an emptiness. The power of the gospel was missing and not present, even though they would say they we were upholding the gospel. It was diluted and therefore had no effect. After prayer there always seemed to be a sense of "We are doing good, God is pleased with us" kind of attitude. No, that was just our flesh feeling justified by the stand we were all taking against "evil".
Since the Lord called me and my kids out of the religious system, the Lord has given me new sight to see clearly. There is power in the gospel when we are separated unto him. I want to walk fully in the power of the gospel of my Lord Jesus and truly be salt and light. I do not want to be diluted and therefore be ineffective. You also said.
"Let us not fight useless battles, but let us go without the camp bearing His reproach and sharing the redemptive love of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Its only been three months since the Lord Jesus called us outside the camp to come follow him. He is binding up my wounds, which has been very uncomfortable at times but very good. I'm so grateful for His grace and mercy in my life that He gave me eyes to see and ears to hear. Praise the Lord Jesus!
The church knew that homosexuality existed decades and centuries ago. Yet at this time, now, in the U.S. it is a huge issue. Is it because the church feels threatened when the gay/lesbian community wants validation? Or is it because the church doesn't want it's taxed income going to the cause? They aren't too concerned about the increase in child molestation, incest, or sexual abuse. They don't seem to strung out by prostitution. The Church wasn't concerned about the nation being divinely punished until now?
I truly believe that there is another motive at play here. And I don't know what it is, but whatever it is, it is not for pure reasons, or to protect the sanctified or to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. And even if these christians couldn't care less about spreading the gospel, and all they were concerned about was God's wrath on the nation, or God's restraint in blessing the nation, then at the very least why won't they leave their high-profile ministries, anchors desks, radio programs, and sell all they have, and go into the streets, in the back alleys where the junkies and lost and oppressed are and preach the gospel to them. They might go into the gay/lesbian neighborhoods and introduce Jesus to them. They might open a street ministry and invite them into a service, or be there for them when they've been shunned from their families. All they could do is preach the word, and have faith, and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest of the work. They could open their doors to AIDS sufferers, or just talk to their gay/lesbian neighbor couple and be a friend.
I think we are entering a time when the christian will have to decide how wicked society will get before they "come out of her". They falsely believe that they can manipulate people into keeping the "sin" scale down to a 5 or a 6, then they'll escape punishment, but if their government allows the sin scale to get to a 10, then it's their job to throw sinners out. But that's not what the Word teaches. The Word says for them to "come out of her".
Only as far as the children are concerned.
1 Corinthians 7:14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Lot lived amongst the people of Sodom and was vexed. God was not too happy with him for not speaking out. If it wasn't for Abraham, lot would have died with the rest of the inhabitants of the city. We should pray for our brothers and sisters who are in error like Daniel prayed for Israel.
But we are commissioned to spread the Gospel and not accept sinful behavior. If we say nothing, we deny Christ. John MacAuthur says that hate speech is telling a sinful person that you accept their behavior and not telling them the good news of the Gospel. I agree with that.
We need to pray for them, but I fear that the lie God said He would send has already arrived. Is this decision the catalyst for all kinds of things? I do not know, but when we see false teachers gaining greater popularity even speaking damnable heresies, judgment isn't far away. Some say that this is already judgment, and I would tend to believe that too. Having a reprobate mind leaves one unable to repent, and that is judgment.
Dare I ask if a pre-tribulation rapture is correct? To the body of Christ get ready for persecution, because it is coming, and not from government, from the false church. It has already begun.
Love to all!
your sister in Christ Jesus,
Cherie c.
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Isa 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
For our admonition. We will be out voted in any republic democracy in this world. Let us focus on Jerusalem above.
Our vote happens in a closet. And God will hear. But, it is his will and judgement that will be done.
Praise the LORD.
Amen Ashley!
Cherie c.
Rick, although I agree with most of what you are saying, the legalization of gay marriage brings a broader array of issues in play. Business owners are being sued because they feel they cannot offer services to LGBT individuals due to their beliefs and it will soon become impossible for ministers of the faith to preach what they have on their hearts about the subject. In addition, we are having more and more gays and lesbians having or adopting children in whatever way they can. This must have a negative effect on these innocent children who later become confused about what is right and who they are as a gender. Legalization will pave the way for more and more lawsuits against law abiding and God loving people across this country. It's not about feeling superior and righteous since we all sin daily as flawed humans under the curse. One sin is not worse than others but some sins can bring about devastation for more than just the sinner. It's about defending God's Word in this world. For example,if we just let pro-abortionists do as they will, we would have thousands more innocent babies killed each year. So I think it is much broader than you insinuate.
You are correct in saying that we need to be about the Father's business in the Great Commission and bringing the lost to Christ. In this manner, many will realize that they need to change their lives and worldly ways of thinking. More will read and understand God's Word as well as adopt those precepts into their lives.
Thank you for the commentary. We all need to be involved in discussion about this and many more issues that plague our fallen world.
Hi there brother,
I don't really believe that Christians should be fighting for political power but in this issue I do feel a huge barrier is being crossed when GM is accepted. I believe it is such a deep attack on gender. God created us male and female and in created an alternative narrative of human sexuality I believe we are opening the door to really horrible fruit down the road. I believe this issue will open the door to Christian persecution- hatred and dismissal of the Bible, and increased demonization of many people. It is interesting to note that Nero also had a same sex marriage....it went along with other perversion and vicious anti-Christian persecution.
I believe this is about the arrogance of humans redefining an institution that God created...not unlike the free love movement in the 1960's....and we know what evil that has brought. Divorce, broken people, record levels of drug use, depression, confusion. It's interesting to note the important sex was in pagan religions and Satanism....there is something spiritual happening- as Paul writes in 1 Cor 6. Spiritual bonds are created in this act- which is why God has commanded it be restricted to one man, one woman.
I feel great sorrow and concern in my spirit for the future.
Another thought- during the time of slavery- very few Christians spoke out against the evil of the institution. But later thousands suffered the judgment of the Civil War. When abortion was legalized...many people suffered from the casual attitudes towards child raising. I believe we are to be salt and light in a dark world.
Almost every law in America has some moral basis behind it. There are tax breaks given to reward beneficial behaviors- such as having a green car.
We give loans to countries that agree with our foreign policies...
We set up dictators and take others ones out- we are not shy about imposing our views on our own citizens and those of the world.
Therefore, I believe it is appropriate for Christians to say, teach, explain, and exhort what marriage is meant to be and why that is important.
I was born in 1973 and my parents were a mixed race marriage. They were truly discriminated against. However, racial prejudice, and a Christian conviction against normalizing homosexuality are not the same thing. This is one of many ideas being taught and swallowed by large part of the population.
We need to speak truth in a day of lies and deception.
The very nature of marriage is in danger....and it is a big deal.When your marriage is in trouble there is no greater hurt or stress. And when you are broken sexually- it does twist your view of yourself, love, God, life, worship.
It is no accident that this is the door through which the enemy seeks to bring in a whole host of demonic oppression into the United States.
I strongly disagree that this is narcissistic to respectful warn. It is LOVE. Sexual sin harms everyone. When your father is addicted to porn, your parents were married out of wedlock, certain demon spirit will be attached to your family and you and only the authority in Christ can get those things off you. Soul ties are created during the act of sex. The enemy is given a lot of ground and he starts building...in your life, when you are exposed to sexual sin, even when it's not your fault, such as sexual abuse. Trust me, I've had a lot of demons cast out of me and the different is dramatic. Only Jesus could do this and He does do it. I feel such sadness at the generation coming up that will have all of these enemies and filth poured into their lives, through misguided tolerance.
Very interesting commentary here. There are two issues which have become the idols of religion; abortion and homosexuality. Before my conversion, I was indifferent to both as my worldview was "whatever a person wants to do to make them happy is okay with me"...a philosophy of liberty and freedom as defined by our nation's constitution, so to speak. After my conversion in 1994, I began reading my Bible for the first time in my life beginning with the Gospels to the Book of Revelation, allowing God, the Holy Spirit, to minister to me. What I discovered was that religion as we practice it here in the United State is so different from the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles, and as of two years ago, I have left the religious system of man to follow Christ alone. I have sat in the church system for years and listened to preachers condemn homosexuality, to which they received loud amens from all of us. And we, in our self righteousness, left the buildings made with human hands, feeling pretty good about ourselves because that "sin" did not affect us or our families.....for now, as one never knows about the future condition of our families. I often wonder why I have never heard the minister preach a sermon against divorce and remarriage, and in some cases remarriage, and remarriage, and remarriage, with the passion and intensity (and in many cases hatred) as those sermons against homosexuals. And for that matter, where are the sermons against fornication, pornography, lust of the eyes and flesh concerning sexual sin, and the way in which some women dress for church would cause our youth to stumble. I believe these sermons, delivered with the same spirit as homosexuality, would cause the audience to become sickened and angry, and mostly likely, would never return to such a church because it convicts all of us of our sexual sins.
A wife, mother, and farmer would be appropriate adjectives to describe my life, and having recently celebrated our 25 years of marriage together, I have gone back to the roots of my faith in studying the Gospels once again. In Luke 7:37-50, I am reminded of the mercy and grace that Jesus, our Risen LORD, poured out on a woman sinner whom the religious system of man, called Pharisees, condemned with their spiritual elistism. It humbles me to tears to know of the love shown by Jesus, God in the flesh, that He desires that all should come to repentence and belief in Him alone, so that none should perish, but have eternal life through Him.
No longer do I point the accusatory finger at gays and lesbians, nor do I partake in the self righteous religious banter and jocularity against those sinners, but instead have been led by the Spirit to pray for them, having mercy and compassion for their souls. God's Word has changed my heart making it far easier to share the Gospel than ever before. For you see, I was that woman described in Luke 7, and Jesus had mercy on me, a sinner.
Praise the Blessed name of our LORD Jesus Christ, who is returning again. How then shall we give an answer?
Every time I read Habakkuk chapter 2 I can't help but think of America.
Annette said...
"No longer do I point the accusatory finger at gays and lesbians, nor do I partake in the self righteous religious banter and jocularity against those sinners, but instead have been led by the Spirit to pray for them, having mercy and compassion for their souls. God's Word has changed my heart making it far easier to share the Gospel than ever before. For you see, I was that woman described in Luke 7, and Jesus had mercy on me, a sinner."
Amen sister! God Bless you. Those who have been forgiven much,love much. I too identify with the woman caught in adultery. Only the Lord knows the depth of sin that He has cleansed me from. No sin, no matter how great, is beyond the the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Praise His name forever!
Since being called out of the system I too have been amazed how sharing the gospel just flows out of my lips. No struggle, it just flows naturally with no effort, its beautiful. Before leaving the system it always seemed to be a burden, a have too. Not anymore, Praise the Lord!
Yesterday I took a stand against gay marriage and I was immediately "defriended" on Facebook.
PRAISE GOD WHEN YOU SUFFER FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE.
Luke 6:27-29
King James Version (KJV)
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
I hope it is encouraging.
He is coming soon! Hold on!
your sister in Christ Jesus,
Cherie c.
Saint Paul was stoned, we get, "defriended" -truthfully it does hurt a bit but I wanted to make a small point how the world is changing, that we now are places...like digital town squares, which are a bit gentler on the body when comes to persecution. Thank you Cherie for the encouragement, thanks Rick for posting it.
Chris,
Sorry you are hurting about being defriended. But the Body of Christ is your family who love you with a love only found in Christ.
We are here when you need us. God Blesss!
your sister in Christ Jesus,
Cherie c.
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