So What's the Right Way to View the Gay Marriage Debate as a Christian?

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So What's the Right Way to View the Gay Marriage Debate as a Christian?

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I got a certain number of responses to my last blog post about Christians who support gay marriage. One response I got essentially asked, “How should I feel about gay marriage as a Christian on a secular level?” In trying to answer, I came to realize that even after writing that piece taking everybody to task for lacking resolve, I still have a bit of cognitive dissonance in my own mind. On the one hand, I enjoy the freedom in the U.S. to practice my religion as I see fit, and those same freedoms make it possible for somebody else to live the way they see fit as well. I greatly enjoy that liberty. So when it comes to gay marriage, there’s an aspect of me that feels: “What do I care? They can have the same liberties I have that afford me the privilege of living my lifestyle.” But then on the other hand, there’s the clear and direct teaching of the Scriptures. So I go back and forth on the issue—I enjoy the secular governmental system we have in place that gives me freedom of religion. But I also know the difference between right and wrong, which is defined by our Creator.

The foundational principles of Scripture have more or less served as the foundation of society in the United States since its inception. Or as John Adams, second president of the United States, put it: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” The more people ignore the morals and religious foundation of the Constitution and the more they begin to judge what’s right and wrong based solely on secular man-made laws, the more inevitable it becomes that we will write into law whatever makes us feel good. And that’s the gay marriage debate now—men and women arguing that what makes them feel good (their homosexuality) should be recognized and institutionalized by the secular government. It ignores completely the moral underpinnings of the Constitution, arguing solely from that document itself (“equal protection under the law”).

Look, we live in what Paul called “this present evil age.” There is a god of this world, who is the prince of the power of the air. He is at work trying to undermine Jesus Christ and His message.

At this point, it seems gay marriage is inevitable in America—more than half the country supports it according to polls.

So as a Christian, here’s what I know is true. Practicing homosexuality is a sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:24-27, Romans 8:5). God hates sin and will judge the earth according to its sins. As a nation, if we enact laws that institutionalize sin, we will reap what we sow. Whether abortion, gay marriage, injustice, greed, mistreating the poor or whatever else. God will judge the nations. He did it way back when with Sodom and Gamorrah, and He’ll do it in the future (Genesis 18:20, Genesis 19:13; Revelation 14:6-8).

My citizenship is in heaven. My King is Jesus Christ. The only goal that matters in my life is making my calling and election sure. My sole purpose is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I do not condone the practice of homosexuality—but neither is it my place to condemn people. In this present evil age, my responsibility is to live a life worthy of repentance, to let my light shine, to love my neighbor as myself, and to practice godly love. Sigh and cry over the abominations of the world, and pray every single day, “Your kingdom come!”