What's the big deal with allowing homosexual marriages?
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an answer to all of them.
The first question I asked and I have heard many others ask is this: "What's the big deal with allowing homosexual marriages?" This is a valid question and its answer goes far deeper than surface answers of "it just is" or "it isn't". To answer this question we must go all the way back to the beginning of our world.
"In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). This is the answer to the question above: Human beings were created by God; therefore, anything against His intended purpose usurps His authority, for all things were created by God for God (Colossians 1:16). God designed every single thing from scratch. He designed the rules governing gravity. He said "let there be light" and there was light. This foundational, fundamental observation is infinitely vital to our understanding of our actions on this earth. God is in charge.
God created the earth and His rules govern it. We, as humans, were given a charge to "be fruitful and multiply on the earth" (Genesis 1:22), but God is still the One in charge. Because of our rebellion against Him, His wrath is coming. That is why allowing and approving of same-sex marriage is such a crucial decision for our country and why it has sealed our doom - unless we repent (turn away from our wrong and ask God for mercy). Sin only breeds more sin and eventually death and destruction. (Already, in the past couple of years, there are those in a different arena who argue that pedophilia is a sexual orientation as well and should be equally accepted.)
Colossians 3:5-6 says, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming." God's wrath is coming, and has been coming for a long time in the form of His final judgement.
It is important to note that the things listed in Colossians 3:5 are things of which every human being is guilty of - from the Pope down to the drunkard. The difference-maker is repentance. "Repent and be saved!" Be saved from what? God's coming judgement.
The second question is similar, but is actually phrased as a statement: "They're not bothering you." I have heard this statement on several occasions after people have asked me what my beliefs are on same-sex marriage. But the truth is that "these people" are bothering me, as any sinner should. The reason it bothers me is the key to answering this second question, however. It bothers me because God is holy. And because God is holy, He cannot stand sin - it "bothers" Him. And since God saved me and I am indwelt with the same Holy Spirit of God, sin bothers me too. The difference between not repenting and living in sin, and repenting and still living in sin is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts and draws the believer to continual repentance. I do not wish that sinners would stop sinning so that they don't bother me anymore; no, I wish that sinners (like me) would repent of their sinful ways and turn to the love of the Father and thus be saved from the coming judgement of God!
John wrote down a remarkable account of a story that happened to Jesus in John chapter 8. Some religious leaders brought before Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery. Such a sin was punishable, according to the Law of Moses, only by being stoned to death. But Jesus said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." One by one the mob turned, dropped their stones, and walked away. Then Jesus looked at the woman and said, "Go, and sin no more." That is the beauty of Christ's forgiveness to all humans. And that is what the Holy Spirit desires every human being to do: repent. Stop sinning. Surrender to His pardon. "For God desires that none should perish, but that all come to repentance" (I Timothy 2:4).
The last question is again more of a statement, although it is a saying worth breaking down: "Love wins." I have seen this statement flung around like a baseball at a little league ball park. It captions pictures of same-sex couples behind rainbow filters. But this phrase needs a qualifier: "God's love wins."
Any love other than the love of God is selfish and conditional. To say "love wins" beckons the question, "what kind of love are you talking about?" In the Greek there are three words for love: phileo, eros, and agape. Phileo is the love between friends, but it ends when one friend offends another. Eros is romantic love, but it too ends when the desires of one partner are not met in the other. Both of these kinds of love lose. They are rooted in selfishness and seek only to gain acceptance and good feelings from an individual. They are both based on certain criteria or conditions. So, in fact, these kinds of love do not win because they are selfish. (If you don't believe me, quiet down your mind and meditate on this idea of conditional love.)
Agape love, however, is the selfless, unconditional love of God. Agape love is what makes marriages last - even when the desires of one spouse are not being met in the other. Agape love is what causes a person to give money to a homeless person, knowing there is nothing that person can do to pay them back. Agape love is what was enacted when God send Jesus to bear our sins on the cross, even after we had all sinned and cursed God in our hearts. That is the kind of love that wins, the kind of love that says, "Watching pornography is wrong, but God says to repent and He will grant you pardon" or "God's Word says the wrath of God is on you for practicing homosexuality, but He will forgive you and not hold that sin against you if you repent and surrender your life to Him." That is the kind of love that wins. It is love that focuses on God, our Creator, the only victorious being in the universe.
In closing, I want to encourage the reader who wants to go deeper to read the passage found in Matthew 10:16-39. This excerpt shines light into what Jesus says will happen in the days ahead. Oh Christian, it is a call to stand firm and have no fear! I have come to this conclusion regarding this issue at hand: We are to love in deed and in truth, not in speech or word (I John 3:18). The most important thing we can do as believers in the Truth is to take a stand for truth in deed, not in speech. Taking a stand doesn't mean to go on the offensive every time we speak, but to wait and stand firm - to unwaveringly stand on the Word of God as truth - when the enemy presses in around us, to endure to the end. Take a stand, oh Christian, and be prepared to give an answer for the hope for which we have in Christ Jesus! (2 Timothy 4:2).
All in all, this is the bottom line: All have sinned (Romans 3:23). Every man will be judged (Romans 2:5-6). Man must repent and surrender to God in order to be saved from the judgement to come (John 3:36).
Oh Lord, I pray that we as Your Church would be wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. Lord, help us learn wisdom out of fear of You and help us be lovers of peace. Oh God, please give us opportunities to share Your unconditional love with others, regardless of the state of the world around us. Bring more to repentance and may we be used in whatever way You see fit. Please grant us the ability to build relationships with non-believers, that You may be made much and we may be made little. Thank You for hearing my prayer. Amen.
"Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).
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