Supreme Court decision or not, same-sex marriage remains an experiment. By redefining marriage, America has now fully embarked on what can only be labeled as a radical social experiment.
Ultimately, it is not about whether or not gays and lesbians are nice people or good citizens. Frankly, some are and some aren’t, just like heterosexuals. It is not about whether gays and lesbians can be good, nurturing, loving parents. It is not even about whether or not gays and lesbians should be treated with respect and dignity. Every person deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
Today, a popular error that has been made and continues to be made by many, is the attempt to blur the lines with regard to Christian ethics making “love” an omnipotent spiritual quality that has the power to validate anything that is done in its name. Under this particular line of thinking, one could justify any type of relationship, including those considered unacceptable and incompatible with Christian teaching and conduct.
Is the perceived or even real presence of love the criterion for all relationships? Indeed, God is love – absolutely. But true love has boundaries that protect, guide, and show concern for its recipients. Ultimately, showing support for, and more importantly, standing upon The Authority of Scripture for marriage between one man and one woman is not intolerant. If so, then nature itself would be intolerant. Marriage was established by God Himself and as a result, cannot be redefined by each new generation.
Within the same-sex marriage experiment, lesbian mothers are saying that a father is irrelevant to parenting; homosexual fathers say that a mother is irrelevant to parenting. But God says both a mother and a father are relevant to parenting.
Is anyone truly serious in suggesting that two men can take the place of a mother’s love, or two women can equal a dad?
Today, especially in America, the words intolerant and discrimination are powerful words and often used to squash any opinion about moral behavior. In fact, not only is the demand today to keep our opinions to ourselves as to what people do, the equal demand is to affirm a long list of various lifestyles no matter how questionable or experimental.
Compassion, communication, and care must be exercised with regard to the same-sex marriage experiment. The enormous problem in American society is the frequent usage of our experience as a basis to interpret reality. Far too many think, I’m having this experience and enjoying it, so God Himself in particular and society as a whole had better jump on board, get used to it, and fit in around with what I’m doing.
Do we as a society really have the right to redefine marriage so it is elastic enough to include any grouping of adults?
In the face of what is arguably one of the most damaging social experiments to ever be attempted in this country, the notion of a family with a father, mother, and children, all living under the same roof, appears to be becoming a relic of a bygone era, at least in some quarters.
Gay marriage advocates will tell you that what children really need is two loving adults in their lives and that the sex of those adults doesn’t matter the assumption being that mothers and fathers are interchangeable and optional. Our ultimate preference should always be a family comprised of one father and one mother. We must not wrest children from the God-given format of family relationship without considering the possibilities of serious consequences.
Admittedly, a society, a compassionate society should always come to the aid of motherless and fatherless families. That said, a compassionate society should never, ever, intentionally create motherless and fatherless families. And that’s exactly what the experiment of same-sex marriage does.
Herein lies my ongoing concern with regard to homosexual practice.
With everything that has transpired and everything that continues to unfold, most Christians still learn more about homosexuality from movies, the internet, and television than they learn in their own congregations. Often, hanging in the balance, are many who struggle with same-sex attraction and remain torn by the ongoing rhetoric and debate while yearning to hear the redemptive truth of the Bible.
The majority of the Church remains uneducated and unprepared for the increase of brokenness that same-sex marriage will produce. By not offering a Biblical response to homosexuality and extending competent ministry to those with unwanted same-sex attraction, a message of there is no problem with that issue in the church, and consequently, there is no help to be had for the brokenness of same-sex attraction.
Admittedly, I do not presume to have all the answers but there is much we know about the causes of same-sex attraction and we also know from Scripture that God has, is, and will continue to set men and women free from the snare of same-sex attraction which is clearly presented to us in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, …and this is what some of you were.
The promises of God are true and unfailingly fruit-bearing if we extend them.
We, The Church, must offer the right blend of information, practical steps, and Biblical guidelines regarding homosexuality so that each and every church can become a launchpad for vital ministry. God, in His mercy, is once again giving His people the opportunity to prepare to offer a Christ-like response to homosexuality.
We, The Church, must become much more relevant to a rapidly changing world.
Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries
His Way Out has been faithfully ministering to men and women seeking a way out of sexually broken lifestyles since 1994. We could not do it without the support of Christians like you. Every dollar that you give to His Way Out Ministries helps to further this vital ministry. Won’t you take a minute to prayerfully consider a monthly donation to His Way Out? Please consider making a one-time donation or set up a secure monthly PayPal contribution on our donation page at https://www.hiswayout.com/donate/. Thank you, Pastor Phillip Lee