The Supreme Court Decision and the True Place of Victory

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed by a bi-partisan vote of Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996. It was approved by lawmakers for the purpose of protecting the traditional definition of marriage as a union between a man and woman. The law was not intended to legislate the kinds of relationships people may choose to enter into, but rather was in response to those who sought to redefine what marriage had been since the beginning of the human race.

With yesterday’s Supreme Court decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, Christians are likely to wonder how to respond. While at this time individual states are allowed to decide the matter, in essence the Supreme Court banned the exclusion of homosexual unions in what will be lawfully recognized as marriages in the U.S.

I’d have to write a book to address all the things going on here. But, here are some quick thoughts for you to consider today:

1. Who ever said that what we believe as Christians would be popular?

Jesus certainly didn’t. In fact, He said that if we stayed true to our most deeply held values for His name’s sake, we would be hated (Matthew 10:22).

So we need to get past the notion that our values will always be well received culturally. There may have been a time when that was so, but the world is increasingly moving away from many of our moral traditions. In fact, in several social arenas our beliefs are maligned as outdated, judgmental, and intolerant.

This fact shouldn’t surprise us, nor should it cause us to feel defeated. Quite possibly one of the new qualities Christians in the U.S. will need to develop in the years to come is the courage to be OK with not being liked… and possibly even being hated.

2. Marriage is still marriage.

Marriages are based upon the sacred vow of love and life-long commitment between a man and a woman. God created this covenant for the purpose of bringing Him glory, providing great fulfillment and joy in the relationship between a husband and wife, and bearing children that would also bring fulfillment in the family and glory to God. Up until yesterday, this union was recognized by the state as a “marriage”.

While the state may recognize the marriage union, it doesn't create it. So even if the state does not define marriage as we do, that doesn't change what marriage is. No matter what anyone says- including the Supreme Court- marriage is, well, marriage. Laws don’t define marriage. The court doesn’t define marriage. God does. God did. Marriage is not up for a vote- it’s been decided.

Just because I call an airplane a boat, doesn’t make it a boat. Its very form makes it what it is. And to change its form makes it something it is not. Likewise- just because I call a committed homosexual relationship a marriage doesn’t make it one, and just because the state recognizes it as one, doesn’t make it one either. So, in this sense, it’s logically impossible to change the definition of marriage because in essence and from God marriage is between a man and a woman and always will be.

3. Watch out for the Thought Police.

It’s amazing to me how intolerant people can be in the name of tolerance. There may come a day (either soon or years from now) where the government may try to force religious institutions to embrace socially acceptable norms that we find immoral. In other words, there could be a situation where a church might be sued for being unwilling to perform a ceremony for a same-sex union. Think it’s crazy? Well, it’s already near…

- Christian photographers Elane Photography in New Mexico were approached by a same sex couple looking to hire a wedding photographer. Elane Photography politely declined citing their Christian faith and were sued by the couple under the state’s anti-discriminatory laws, and won. The case is now on appeal.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/06/elaine-huguenin-photograp_n_1572676.html

- In Lexington, Ky., a T-shirt shop called Hands On Originals was approached by the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization about printing shirts for the group. The T-shirt company politely declined and even sought out quotes and gave the group referrals to other T-shirt printers, along with comparable prices. They were promptly sued by the group under Lexington’s anti-discriminatory laws and forced to comply with a lengthy investigation. The city now has told school districts to freeze their business with the privately owned company.

http://www.kentucky.com/2012/11/26/2421990/city-rules-hands-on-originals.html

- A Methodist church in New Jersey was sued for not offering its facility for use during same-sex weddings. A judge ruled against the church.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/judge-rules-christian-facility-cannot-ban-same-sex-civil-union-ceremony-on/

- A same-sex couple from California sued a Hawaiian bed and breakfast privately owned by a Christian woman for not allowing them to rent a room. The Hawaii First Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of the couple.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/hawaii-bed-and-breakfast-lesbian_n_3092203.html

- A bed and breakfast in Alton privately owned by a Christian couple was sued when they would not host a same-sex civil union ceremony.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/23/gay-couple-sues-illinois_n_827115.html

- Catholic Charities was barred from assisting in adoptions in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and Illinois and excluded from future contracts because it declined to consider same sex couples.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/23/illinois-bishop-says-stat_n_933996.html

It seems that for many in the gay rights community it’s not enough for us to be tolerant of their behavior. We must agree with it. Since this is true, they seek to punish and silence those who refuse to surrender their belief that marriage is between a man and woman. That means changing our traditional institutions to fit within their moral box thereby force-feeding their beliefs upon us. From their standpoint that means that we must change the Boy Scouts, we must change marriage… and quite possibly in the future, we must change the church.

You should know that we at The Brook will always stand upon the guidance of the Word of God, and the conviction that the God who loves all is the God who also instructs us in how to live morally. Homosexuality, along with many other sins in the world, is immoral and it's a choice. We just won’t be able to ever compromise these facts. Are people in homosexual relationships people? Of course! Are many of them loving, kind, gentle and generous? Of course. Are they people worthy of our love and respect for what many of them give to others and for what many of them have achieved in life? Absolutely. But their chosen lifestyle stands against God’s design for sexual relationships and marriage.

Disagreeing about what is acceptable moral behavior is not judgmentalism. Judging moral behavior is not judgmentalism. Judgmentalism is when I condemn another person (not just their behavior) without any regards to the fact that I have sin in my own life as well and that they have no hope for grace in Christ. It is when I compare myself in self-righteous ways to others and then look down upon them from my moral pedestal to condemn them as people, rather than solely assess their behavior.

We need to understand judgment from judgmentalism. For far too many times we condemn the individual that we are called to love, and we lack the maturity to separate our judgment of immoral behavior from being judgmental of the person. Alternatively, far too many times we cower in fear of speaking against matters of ethical and moral choice because we don’t want to be seen as judgmental, or we want to be liked, or we know we’re not perfect either. We must learn the courage and wisdom from God to find the balance between these extremes.

4. The sword cuts both ways.

We are all sinners saved by grace. I have sinned, I sin daily and by God’s grace, I find forgiveness each day. In this sense, I am in the same predicament as the homosexual. Jesus stated, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) That statement levels the playing field doesn’t it? Leveling the playing field was part of Jesus’ intent here. He was seeking to communicate both here and throughout the Sermon on the Mount that not a single person is exempt from sin…  and that not a single person who turns by faith to Jesus is exempt from God’s grace.

Here’s the point: Every time we make a judgment of someone else, we must first look at ourselves. Remember, the log and speck syndrome I spoke about in church just a few weeks ago (Matthew 7:1-5)? Jesus’ words about judgmentalism in this text and the log and speck do not mean that we are not to make moral valuations and judgments. As I pointed out in the sermon that day, later on in that chapter He encourages making moral judgments about pearls before swine (vs. 6), about false teachers (vss. 15-20), and about foolish living (vss. 24-27). We certainly are to make moral distinctions. What Jesus conveyed was that when we make moral judgments, we should do so only with a clear evaluation of our own sins and not through self-righteousness. When we judge in the way Jesus prescribed, we will then have humility in our valuation so as not to judge inaccurately or hastily, and we will possess a grace that should always accompany our evaluation of other people’s moral behaviors.

In conclusion, while the Supreme Court’s decision is unfortunate, God is still on His throne, we still know right from wrong, we still have the joy of the Lord as our strength, and we know that we must have courage to prevail in troubling times.

Remember also that the true place of victory in these moral battles is not in the congress and the courts. The battles are truly won only in the hearts and minds of people. If we will live as the children of God and be the hands and heart of Jesus to the world, many will come to place their trust in the God who receives them just as they are and then who makes things morally right within. He changes the heart; then changes the mind.

The mission field is ripe for harvest and this decision by the court should remind us to quit trusting the government to make the world a better place. Instead, trust our Father in Heaven who is still in the business of transforming human hearts and using people like you and me in that process.

Excited for the Mission Field!

Pastor Mike