Just last week we all know the debacle that took place a t the Ms. America Contest. Carrie Prejean (Ms California) ,who by far the winner of the pageant, was asked by one f the judges, Perez Hilton, whether or not she supported gay marriage. As kindly as she could Carrie responded by stating that our country allows individual states to decide for themselves whether or not legalize gay marriage. Then she concluded by saying that she personally was opposed to gay marriage and that the way she was brought up was to believe that marriage was between 1 man and 1 woman. Perez Hilton, a gay activist blogger, was infuriated by the remarks and publically besmirched her for speaking her mind. The next day he went on a tirade even further, smearing her and calling her four-letter words that I cannot even reference and making the rounds on all the news programs telling the American public what a bigot Ms. California is, and how she deserved to lose and be smeared for her bigoted remarks. Even liberals on television such as Barbara Walters and Larry King censured Perez Hilton for his belligerence, and defended the right to free speech. But liberals in congress seem to think otherwise.
This week, Barney Frank (D) has brought a bill to the floor (HR1913) that would officially make any remarks such as that at the pageant a hate crime. The bill is very ambiguous and can be interpreted in a variety of ways, even persecuting pastors who preach that homosexuality is a sin. Weather the bill will pass into law or not is inconclusive, however given that the majority of the House and Senate are liberals; it should pass without a problem. And no doubt the president will also sign it.
But the real question about gay marriage is not what is politically correct but what is biblically correct. And while Christians are not on a gay bashing mission, we have the right to disagree and censure homosexual marriage. In fact the term gay marriage is an oxymoron. There is no such thing. That is because marriage has a clear definition from the author of marriage- God.
Marriage is between one man and one woman. Till death do they part. This is clearly defined in Genesis 2. Furthermore the bible is crystal clear that homosexuality is an abomination.
Lev. 18:22 “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” And in Rom. 1:26,27 the bible teaches us that homosexuality is a judgment from God – “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
The real question that is being asked here is, “Who is in the ultimate authority?” The answer is simple God is the one who is in ultimate authority. The civil government is a servant of God (Rom. 13:1, 4) and its authority is derived from God himself. Whether or not the civil government recognizes it or not they are accountable to God and one day will stand before him on judgment for how they ruled. So while the state may allow legislation under their jurisdiction that does not nullify what is lawful and right in God’s eyes.
For example: If in the US the law permits divorce and remarriage under any circumstances that does not mean the same applies in God’s jurisdiction. As far as God is concerned if the divorce is not lawful according to his will, then the divorce is illegitimate. The same would apply to gay marriage if it is ever passed as a constitutional amendment. Even if it becomes legal across the country that does not mean it is right in God’s eyes. It is illegitimate and does not have any meaning in the court of heaven. It just adds to the record of sin.
Advocates of gay marriage will argue that there are many heterosexuals who marry recklessly and divorce recklessly. Therefore gays should marry because straights have failed. This is really bad reasoning. To say, “Because heterosexuals treat marriage shamefully, gays should marry.” is twisted logic. This type of logic leads down a bad path. Just think one day down the road where pedophiliac will say, “Heterosexuals and homosexuals treat marriage so shamefully, why shouldn’t we be allowed to marry 8 year olds?” There is no limit to degeneration with this logic, because it bases what is moral on the immorality of others. As for heterosexuals who enter into marriage recklessly and divorce recklessly, they are guilty of profaning the holy institution of marriage as well, and will also be held to God’s righteous standard of judgment and give an account one day.
The question is not what the civil government says is correct, nor what the collective conscience says is correct, but what God says is correct. God is the “author” of marriage and therefore is the ultimate “authority” of marriage, whether we agree or not. As for Christians we answer to higher authority. When the civil government contradicts the word of God we have a mandate to voice our descent and even disobey the law. In Act 5, when Peter and John were arrested for preaching in the name of Jesus. The Sanhedrin strictly prohibited them from preaching anymore, and the apostle responded very clearly, “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” Act 5:26
Congratulations Carrie Prejean for speaking the truth in love. And may all of you be courageous enough o speak the truth even when it means losing something in the process.
In the end we must recognize the authority of God and his word, if not everything is subject to human opinion. Rom. 3:4 “May God be found true and every man a liar” Even those who disregard God’s authority will have to face the Lord one day and “every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus Christ as Lord” – Praise God.
It is evident some have misinterpreted my argument. But that is to be understood. Let me just clarify a few things.
1- I have never written about this particular subject, and quite frankly it is not one of the most important things in my mind. However, just because I wrote about the issue of homosexual marriage does NOT mean I do not see other sexual sins equally as bad. YES Leviticus 18 lists several sexual vices that are abhorrent to God. And the same is said in the NT as well. All sin is equally abhorrent to God and all sin is equally worthy of God’s judgment.
2- I am not writing about this because I have nothing better to do. As Christian we did not pick these issues or pick these fights, it is those with opposing views to the bible. This article wouldn’t even exist if the homosexual community wasn’t pushing this issue and turning it into a civil rights issue. All we are doing as Christians is what we are expected to do. Give a biblical response to some of the major issues that our society is facing today. Everyone else is talking abut gay marriage from the media to Hollywood. So if we as Christians give our opinion which is rooted in our religious convictions why should we be ashamed or criticized? In a country that promotes freedom of speech everyone has a right to express their views whether they are popular or not. While my view and other Christian views may not be popular they are our views and have a right to be expressed. No one has been injured or hurt as a result of me or anyone else expressing what we believe the Word of God teaches regarding marriage.
3. As for the argument concerning the adulteress (which was not Mary) in John 8, please be careful to give context. John 8 is a story about the Pharisees trying to trap Jesus by seeing how he would respond to the Pharisees accusations on the woman caught in adultery. Jesus offered forgiveness to the woman, while the pharisees left their stones on the ground realizing they were all guilty of sin. What we must see is what Jesus said to the woman. After the Pharisees left Jesus said to her, ““Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:11. Notice Jesus didn’t say, “I do not condemns you – continue what you were doing.” No He said, “GO AND SIN NO MORE” He recognized that she did indeed sin, and offered her forgiveness provided she had repented of her sin.
The point- Jesus did not condemn the woman, but did condemn the sin, which is why he said, “sin no more”. Also the bible condemns sin throughout the pages of scripture. everything from lying, to cheating, to homosexuality.
The reality is, unless you repent and receive Christ as your savior, all will perish for their sins. When Christ redeems us from sin, he sets us free ot no longer live in sin anymore. A perfect example of this was in the church in Corinth. Here there were people who were still living in sin, thinking, that God would accept them in their sin. Paul the apostle responds very clearly, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 6-10,11. Yes homosexuality is categorically just as sinful as other sins listed, but the continued practice of such after the enlightenment of God’s revelation guarantees one will not inherit the kingdom of God.
4. Ultiamtely my opinion is worthless. It is not I who calls sin evil. It is God. God hates sin. He has clearly defines the lines of good and evil, and right and wrong. The accusation that I am calling homosexuality evil is wrong. God calls it sin. Sin is disregard for his authority to determine what is right an wrong. Whether that be homosexual marriage, adultery, cheating etc. etc.
Jesus preached repentance (turning away from sin) and so did the apostles and the NT. We are called as human to repent of all sin. In the end we will all answer to God.
John 12: 47-50 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
By: Robert Gianserra on April 27, 2009
at 2:12 am
Well Bob, this is a topic that once would not even have been discussed; it was understood that marriage was an institution between man and woman, even if you didn’t believe in God. All other “joinings” were kept quiet, felt to be “outside the norm”. Now we are eager to lend our voice to the discussion: for, against, tolerant. And so many voices still leave God out of the picture.
Thank you for your blog notes, and even what they will provoke in response. The Word goes forth yet, like a double edged sword! Alleluia
By: Joanne on April 26, 2009
at 10:05 pm
Perez Hilton was out of line for letting that remark affect him like that. his intolerance for anti-gay statements is almost as strong as urs towards gay people. i believe and follow the teachings of Christ. I believe that Christ came and fulfilled the Old Testament and offered us a New Testament through His life. So let’s see how Jesus would handle the situation: the Old Testament refers to not only laying in bed with another man as a sin, but sexual immorality all together. This includes prostitution, cheating, lust, even having sex w/ a woman while she’s on her period. so that being the case, all of those acts are sinful. there is no hierarchy to sin, so there is no such thing as something being “more sinful” than something else. so, just like u, when they encountered mary, the prostitute, the people of the town were going to carry out the old testament law by stoning her. Jesus intervenes by saying “he who is without sin cast the first stone” and then asks Mary who is left to comdemn her. when she says “no one” and so Jesus says “neither do i”. Jesus didn’t condemn a sexually immoral act (equal to homosexuality), so why are we still so bent on throwing stones at others? evil is in all of us, so none of us have a right to call someone else’s actions evil. follow in the steps of Jesus for this issue, as i figured (being a supposed Christian) that u would already be doing.
By: Breaking Stagnancy on April 26, 2009
at 5:42 am
I’m confused by your comment when you said – ‘Jesus didn’t condemn a sexually immoral act’. What did Christ die for? Our sins. What is sexual immorality/homosexuality? Sin. What did Christ SAVE us from? Condemnation! So if people are dying in their sin or sexual immorality, Christ is condemning them to hell. Not only that – Bob’s blog wasn’t hateful in the least. It was loving! It was compassionate! The truth offends those who are in darkness my friend! Do you have children? Do they disobey? Of course right! Do you not show them the wrong that they’re doing and punish them? If you’re a good parent you’re commanded to by scripture. It’s the same to those in sin. If we have love for our neighbor and our enemy, we have to show them their sin and tell them to repent and put their faith in Christ or they’re going to hell. You don’t silent what Christ taught us you preach it!
If you saw a blind man walking off the cliff wouldn’t you yell and plead with him – warn him that he’s about to walk off the cliff and die? Or would you sit there and watch because you didn’t want to offend him because he was blind??? We need to do the same with all sinners including homosexuals.
Also, how did the prophets in the OT, and the disciples in the NT, and Jesus Christ preach? They showed people THEIR SIN! They showed people how evil we are and how much we need a Savior!!
By: Kim Lopez on May 7, 2009
at 7:52 pm
I am so grateful that Jesus is our Shepherd. We are the sheep of His pasture. We know His voice. He feeds us. Therefore, we are not concerned with things temporal. But seek after things spiritual. Government which originated by God to restrain sin by way of judges has long ago yielded to the rule of man rather than God. I love the vision of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel…of the image of a man..head of gold..and so forth..all the way down to the toes of part iron and part clay. The Head of Gold was Nebuchadnezzar who ordered all the kingdom to worship the God of Daniel. The miry clay toes are the kingdom of the Antichrist. In this image..which shows all the governments of the world from Babylon to the return of Christ…one thning is clear. They are degenerate..worldly…and by God’s permission will continue to degenerate until the ’stone’ cut out without hands smotes the image on the foot and breakes it into tiny pieces. The ’stone’ which is Christ’s kingdom rules for eternity. There is nothing new under the sun. As Christians, our focus should be on getting the beam out of our own eye, ‘doing’ rather than ‘talking’ the Word, loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We are in the last days and we are wasting much effort on things God has ordained to pass in these last days. “Let not your heart be troubled.” Most words we speak have no power. But the will of God is above all things. Our battle isn’t with flesh and blood gays but the battle is with the spiritually wicked Lucifer who, after they are drawn by their own lust and enticed, temps masses of people to believe a lie concerning homosexuality. But is homosexuality a greater sin than adultery. God said ‘would you join the temple of God with a harlot?” They are both sins again the Temple of God. They are both deadly serious sins. But adultery is socially acceptable. Sin is sin..whether it is murder or being angry at a brother without a cause.
Good post. Sometimes I hear so much about abortion and homosexuality…it seems that maybe the reason is to distract attention from our own sins. God has so convicted me of the need for getting the beam out of my own eye…doing so leaves absolutely no time for delving into the sins of others. I lift mine and theirs to God and say only, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
By: internet elias on April 26, 2009
at 12:54 am