This letter is being sent out to our church regarding the decision this morning of the Supreme Court to affirm the rights of gay couples to marry and mandates that all states begin issuing licenses for marriage.
Let me begin by stating that I am not supportive of same-sex marriage. My personal views on the imago dei and human sexuality are derived from a Biblical Theology and my belief is deeply connected to my view of the inerrancy of scripture. I will not perform same-sex ceremonies.
That said, I am not surprised by the ruling, primarily because things have been drifting this way for many years. I was a member of the Christian Coalition and worked with Jim Garlow in 2008 to support marriage as being between a man and a woman. It is hard to imagine, but this issue has been fought in the public sector since before 2004, over a decade.
I am certain that this is only one of many things that grieve the heart of our father.
It will be of no surprise to you that I believe that judgment starts with the house of God, and friends, we have issues. Just this week, another nationally recognized pastor, Tullian Tchividjian resigned as senior pastor of Coral Ridge, a historic church in Fort Lauderdale Fl, the former church of Christian great D. James Kenned. Tchividjian, Billy Graham’s grandson, admitted to sexual misconduct and resigned. So friends, we, need to get our hearts right; it starts with us.
I would like to encourage you toward a gospel and Christian response to this issue.
THIS IS IMPORTANT:
On social media, a friend messaged me the following : “well, love didn’t win, Satan did.” To which I replied, “NO, he didn’t.” God will win! He will be victorious. The devil won’t win, can’ win. This is not about winning, it is about the power of the gospel and the love of God. This world has no hold on us, we are not of it, and our heavenly father, he reigns. Don’t let this news destroy you, nor depress you, PERSEVERE! In Joy! God has this, God has us.
Carl Henry, an Elko Pastor, quoted Dr. Moore today, who said “the early church didn’t say, “Look what the world is coming to!” They said, “Look what has come into the world!” This is good to remember, Jesus is here. Jesus is King and although our hearts break here, we must remember that Jesus is with us and will teach us how to live for him in this fallen world.
Russell Moore, the head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said, “We need to be the people who know how to articulate a Christian vision of sexuality that will be increasingly counter-cultural from this point on.”
It is so extremely important that we learn to live as Christians in a hostile world.
The Bible clearly states that the solution for the present issue is three-fold:
1. We need to be humble.
2. We need to pray.
3. We need to seek God’s face.
2 Chrn 7:14 "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
So then, the weight is on us; we need to pray. If we can muster humility, prayer and become diligent, we can be assured that God will hear our prayers and heal our land; please God, heal our land.
Let me ask you to pray and ask God how you should respond. Secondly, pray for our nation because she needs Jesus. Pray for our politicians because Bible believing Christians believe that civic leaders have been given by God (1 Tim 2). Thirdly, pray for the church, she needs it now more than ever.
Be loving, be faithful, be hopeful and be diligent. We are lights in dark places, we are hope amidst hopelessness!
FOR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION:
I read the judgement this afternoon. I then inquired from a friend who is a constitutional lawyer and he pointed me to the following answers:
IS THE FINAL WORD ON THE ISSUE?
Yes, for all intents and purposes. The states that oppose gay marriage could ask the justices to reconsider, but that's unlikely. That means June 26, 2015, will be marked in future history books as the moment gay marriage was declared legal across the United States.
DOES THIS MEAN CHURCHES MUST CONDUCT GAY MARRIAGES?
No. Religious organizations are exempt from this ruling. They can still make their own decisions about whether clergy will conduct gay marriages in their places of worship.
In the mean time, I LOVE YOU, be lights in a dark world!
Pastor John
Comments
Post a Comment