SAME SEX MARRIAGE AND THE BIBLE
The Supreme Court’s decision in June 2015 to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states radically changed the moral and legal landscape in America. And yet, it is a decision that is just a natural outgrowth of the sexual revolution from the 1960’s. In a 5-4 decision, the nation’s highest court simply redefined all traditional concepts of marriage.
Since June 2015, there has been a slow trickle of professing evangelical Christians who claim they’ve now “seen the light”, and are fully on board with the wider LGBTQ revolution. Some of those who are now embracing the LGBTQ agenda, claim that the tipping point for them was proximity to gay friends and seeing their struggles up close. While emotional reasons are certainly valid in changing one’s mind, emotions should take a back seat to the clear teachings of the Bible. For everyone of us, there is a final source of authority. The question is simply this: What is your final source of authority? Is it God’s Word, the culture, your emotions, your friends etc? Your answer to that question will have massive consequences…in fact, absolutely gigantic implications for the course and trajectory of your life and eternity.
Homosexuality is addressed in a number of places in the Bible. First and foremost, in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. It is very clear that God created man and woman to be the fundamental family unit of society. Genesis 19 is very clear that homosexuality is a sin – and a grievous one at that. Leviticus 18:22 clearly forbids same-sex relationships, as does Paul in Romans 1. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul lists homosexual behavior as a sin. His use of the Greek is very clear. Simply put, the evidence in the Bible is overwhelmingly clear that any type of homosexual behavior is a sin. No one in church history has ever disputed this.
SO…what should a Christian’s response to same-sex marriage be? Kindness, love, and honesty. The church needs to welcome homosexuals, and all sinners for that matter! There are certainly plenty of heterosexual sinners! We need to be honest with those who are homosexual in orientation. Downplaying the Bible’s teaching on any sin helps no one. Sin is deadly and destructive for both people and cultures–period. We also need to be kind and loving as we deal with people. Many heterosexuals and homosexuals are struggling with complex issues in their lives and need someone to be kind and share God’s love and truth with them.
There are two books I highly recommend on the subject:
1) Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality, by Wesley Hill (Zondervan – 2012). Hill is a celibate gay man who is open and honest about his struggles with homosexuality, and yet is determined to live in sexual purity according to God’s Word.
2) What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality?, by Kevin De Young (Crossway 2015).
Both these books are excellent resources.
by Jay Childs, Senior Pastor
I got this from the internet recently, but I don’t know where. It fits with your “final source of authority”.
Recently, a pastor gave an illustration about a boy who prayed, “God, I was at a wedding and the bride and groom kissed right there in church. Is that ok?” Though superficially humorous, his prayer is profoundly mature and worthy of emulation because he already established a pattern of dealing with uncertainty by going directly to God, indicative that he understood God is the ultimate authority. When facing difficult questions, do we respond by asking God or searching His Word? Or do we think we know best?
I found the internet site for the quote:
Go to creation.com and enter into search the following:
Submission to Scripture—the key to understanding our worth
by Dawn Blount, Events Manager, CMI–US