When the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional to deny homosexuals the right to marry, we knew that it was going to be a society altering decision. Since the decision was not unanimous, we also knew that it was far from being a clear cut decision. There was definitely some question left as to whether or not it was actually unconstitutional. Personally, I thought this would play out in the legal system over the course of perhaps years. Then one Clerk of County Courts in Kentucky decided to stand her ground and not give in to signing her name on marriage certificates to homosexual couples. Supporters and opponents of Kim Davis and drew lines in the sand and the issue has become a clear delineation in the beliefs of our country.
With that clear line now drawn between Christians and non-Christians, the exclusivity of Christianity becomes painfully obvious. Christians who believe in the absolute truth of the Bible are called bigots for not tolerating the practices of those who are not Christian in their beliefs. Christians tell non-believers that without being repentant of their sin, of which homosexuality is, that they will not enjoy the benefits of going to heaven. It's one thing for the argument to be as simple as that - however, the debate rages to a point of Christian beliefs being forced on non-Christians against the right of Christians to be able to practice their believes in full without fear of persecution.
Christians are now forced to decide where they stand on their beliefs. Is it right for the Christian to expect that the law protects their religious beliefs to the point where it can deny non-Christians what they want to do? Is it legal for Christian to have to do something against their beliefs in order to perform their job?
I think the debate boils down to the age old question - is there a god? And if there is a god is it the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob spoken of in the Bible?
The answer to these questions are critical. The God of the Bible is unchanging and the truth that is found in the Scripture is absolute. For non-Christians, truth is relative and it changes with the social climate. The answer to those questions does create a dividing line and when it comes to an issue as important as homosexual marriage, it delineates our country and society.
To tell a non-believer that they are not part of God's elect is an incredibly exclusive and incredibly offensive statement. It's a statement that clearly says “you're not good enough” in a society that gives you an award just for showing up. In a society where everyone is treated equally under the law, the idea that we are in fact unequal is extremely repulsive. Yet this truth is repeated in the Bible over and over. The Jews were God's chosen people- His only chosen people. After Christ's death on the cross, salvation was extended to those beyond the Jewish heritage, but is still exclusive to those who believe in Jesus.
The thought process naturally begins to lead to election and predestination. This then leads us to even deeper theological issues and is the reason why we must have such a firm foundation in our faith. Today, our knowledge and understanding of the Bible in general is very weak. It's misinterpreted and misquoted by people everyday, sometimes from the pulpit. It's not malicious (most of the time); it's misunderstanding that has been passed down in flippant phrases that we never bothered to check against what's actually written in the Bible.
In these times that are sure to become more trying everyday, it is our responsibility as Christians to study and be prepared to defend our faith. Our culture and our faith in God are taking two very different directions and there is no guarantee of what the future holds for us. What we can be sure of is that the comfortable relationship we have enjoyed with our society is coming to and end – and we better be very sure of what we believe if we intend to be unshakable.
