I can't remember the last time I listened to the radio and didn't hear something about homosexual marriage. It's a huge hot button issue in our society. On one hand, Christians claim that homosexuality is sinful, and therefore homosexual marriage should not be legalized. On the other hand, LGBT apologists say that Christians are outdated and bigoted, and that people should be able to marry whomever they fall in love with. That's just the basics, just the tip of the iceberg.
The issue is so prevalent that I think it's worth having a conversation about. Not just between you and me, but with your spouse and your family. With your kids. This is a confusing age to live in as Christians, and it's important for you and your spouse to be united and to teach your kids.
As I've said before, I'm no Biblical expert or theological superman, I'm just sharing my thoughts and what I believe from what I know from Scripture.
Let's start off with what I believe the Scripture tells us.
In Genesis, we see God's design for marriage: one man with one women. Before even going into homosexual marriage, I had to wonder how the Old Testament champion, King David, could have been blessed since he was in a polygamous marriage, which is outside the marriage God designed. After all, if He can bless a polygamous marriage, He can also bless a homosexual one - both are specifically sinful.
David's actions didn't come without consequences. God told David that the sword would never depart his house thanks to his desire for Bathsheba. (2 Samuel 12:10) There are examples in Solomon's and Abraham's lives as well. Paul mentions them as examples later in I Corinthians 10. So since we can see that God considers polygamous marriages as sinful and there are consequences for them, we can assume the same about homosexual marriage since it is also specifically stated as being sinful.
Yes, these are Old Testament examples. Yes, Jesus' sacrifice freed us from the law by offering us salvation, but He did not give us license to sin as we like. We are still to repent and turn away from that sin. In fact, if I know that something I am doing is sinful, yet I do it anyway without any guilt or shame, it's a pretty good diagnostic tool that the Spirit is not at work in my life, and that I am not truly a Christian. It's one thing to sin and have the Spirit convict you that it's wrong. It's another to do so and not see any problem with it.
Having offered a Scriptural foundation for my belief that homosexual marriage is sinful, let me offer a prediction and attempt to set you free from some anxiety and anger.
I think homosexual marriage is coming to America as a federal mandate at some point. Whether all 50 states agree to it or Congress makes the decision for them, I think it's coming. I will still vote against politicians who will vote for it, but I am not naive enough to think that the momentum it has gained will be stopped, save for God intervening. Don't be afraid to pray for that intervention, by the way. This, nor anything else, is not too big for Him to handle.
Secondly, as Christians, remember that non-believers are not held to the same standard that we are. They are not set apart and saved (yet, for some). Because of that, they really don't see a problem "following their hearts" and doing as they please within the guidelines of the law of our society. To hold them to our standards on this isn't much different than holding them to the same standards of any of our beliefs: it's going to be an exercise in frustration.
Where I do see a problem and take offense is when a homosexual couple decides to get married and demands a pastor and a church, somehow expecting that God is required to bless their marriage. There's no question here - homosexual marriage is outside God's design and is not a covenant union with Him by His standards, just like polygamous marriages weren't and aren't.
One more thing, just like us, the person that has chosen a homosexual lifestyle but is truly seeking Christ will be shown their sin. It's not our place to choose the timing of that. If God showed me all of my sin at once, I doubt I could live with myself. Instead, He loves us gently, and reveals what He is working on in us in a way that we have to rely on Him for forgiveness as well as the strength and endurance to overcome it, but that at the same time, we can find joy in the success He brings to us.
God doesn't hate homosexuals, He loves them as deeply as He loves us. He doesn't have to dive any deeper into hell for them than He did for us. If we as Christians truly believe in the healing power of Christ, then remember our battle is against the sin but for the sinner. Don't sugar coat the truth, but remember to love kindly, gently, and patiently the way we are taught in I Corinthians 13.
