Rom. 1:16-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, and Jude
3-25
A Biblical Perspective on the SCOTUS decision
"Fight the Good Fight of Faith!"
“These
are dark times, there’s no denying it!” In our own backyard my family
often hears beautiful hymns of the faith played on traditional church bells from only a block away. We often hear great gospel songs like “the
Old Rugged Cross” and “Amazing Grace.” Yet
when anyone drives by this church they quickly observe a flashing
"Gay Pride" rainbow flag that is proudly displayed on St.John's digital billboard. St. John Church of Christ wants everyone in Freeport to know that they are leading the
way in the "Open and Affirming" church movement that is
sweeping through our nation like wildfire. Dr. Dutcher
strongly believes that Lord himself desires every church, not just his own
congregation, to join him in this progressive crusade; And they are certainly not alone in this! Just like week
Pastor Tony Campolo issued a statement saying he now "fully
supports same sex marriage." Add to that, a recent article on Reuters
which reports that close to thirty five percent of “professing Evangelicals”now support gay marriage. That number represents a a sixteen percent increase
over a time span of just three years (though around fifty percent of the nation still believes homosexuality is a sin).
I do not know what it is like where you live but in our "conservative" town the local newspaper has provided free advertisement to Dr. Dutcher more times than I can count. How is it, that one liberal
pastor is given so much free press to repeatedly promote his own religious
& personal convictions? St John's "Unity Fest" for example was spotlighted three times in the month of June alone. In sharp contrast, the congregation that I pastor is celebrating its 170th anniversary of ministry in Freeport on July 1st. We will be fortunate if we get one picture write up in the paper. For all the talk about
“dialogue” & “free speech” very few media outlets have given equal
platforms for both sides to express their viewpoints concerning this
controversial subject. That’s strange seeing only 3.8% of Americans identify as
LGBT (per Gallup).
Needless to say, the moral trajectory of our nation
is quite troubling. I make this
assertion on the authority of Scripture. The goal of this article is to evaluate last week’s landmark Supreme Court decision from
a biblical perspective. As you have no doubt observed everyone these
days has an opinion but only Being’s point
of view truly matters.
But before we
look at what God thinks let me highlight a few of the perspectives that were
given over the past few days. As you know
Friday’s landmark SCOTUS case was a split decision (5-4) in favor of legalizing
gay marriage in all 50 states. President Obama, who in 2008 told
the American public that he believed “marriage is between one man and one woman”
celebrated the S.C.’s decision, saying, “Today
is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have
the right to marry, just like anyone else. #lovewins."
Writing for the Majority,
Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “The
ancient origins of marriage confirm its centrality, but it has not stood in
isolation from developments in law and society. The history of marriage is one
of both continuity and change. That institution even as confined to
opposite-sex relations — has evolved over time.”
As I have demonstrated in an earlier article it came as
no surprising to see the majority of celebrities in Hollywood rejoice over
Friday’s decision. Pop icon Madonna
twitted, “Finally
And at Last! The Revolution Of Love has Begun! #livingforlove #rebelheartsunite” While former Disney Channel actress turned music star, Demi Levota wrote, “I couldn't be more proud to be
an American today... What an incredible day for equality!!!!”
ESPN sports continue its pro LGBT ways collecting a collection of pro-gay marriage twits from professional
American athletes in effort to promote this "new orthodoxy" far and wide. The Chicago Cubs Dextor Fowler
twitted, In 1967, interracial marriages were legalized. If that had not happened, my
wife and I would not be able to in union. Love should ALWAYS win. Olympic figure skater Johny Weir wrote, Marriage equality in
all 50 states! Congratulations America! Brimming with pride. While
football player Scott Fujita twitted, Resist the urge
to engage in debate with those in opposition to equality. There is NO MORE
debate. Just rejoice and celebrate this moment.
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| U.S. Department of Education's profile picture Photo Credit |
Not everyone
rejoiced over Friday’s historic ruling however. In fact four
of the sitting justices on the Supreme Court wrote dissenting opinions warning
the nation of what this ruling represents: Chief Justice
John Roberts wrote, “People of faith can take no comfort in the treatment they receive
from the majority today.”While Justice Samuel Alito said, “This decision will be used to vilify Americans who are unwilling
to assent to the new orthodoxy.” The most
scathing dissent came from the pen of Justice Scalia who wrote, “I write separately
to call attention to this Court’s threat to American democracy.” He went
on to talk about our new rulers. “Today’s decree says that my ruler, and the ruler of 320 million
Americans coast-to-coast, is a majority of the nine lawyers on the Supreme
Court.” Later adding
that "a system of government that
makes the people subordinate to a committee of nine unelected lawyers does not
deserve to be called a democracy.”
In addition to this, many of Evangelicalism's most respected theologians were united in lamenting the SC’s
decision. Dr. John Piper quoted Psalm
119:136, “My eyes shed tears, because
people do not keep your law.”Adding, “We weep over our
sins. We don’t celebrate them. We don’t institutionalize them! Dr. Al Mohler called the
SCOTUS decision, “Damaging, devastating,and far reaching.” While Dr. John MacArthur noted
that “the
Word of God pronounces judgment on any nation that reclassifies evil as good,
darkness as light, and bitter as sweet (Is
5:20). “As a nation, America continues to put herself in the cross-hairs of
Divine judgment!”
What was your reaction to
Friday’s Supreme Court decision? Were you joyful? Sorrowful? Fearful? Concerned? No matter what any of us think
or feel the most important question is what does God think of all this? In the holy Scriptures we receive a clear and timeless word from the Lord. Everything we need for "life and godliness" is found in Christ and in His Word.
Listen carefully to what I am about to say to you. Just because something is super controversial does not necessary
mean that it is super complicated. What God thinks of
homosexuality is not complicated. It's not. You do not need to know Greek or Hebrew or have a Ph. D in Biblical Studies. The Word of God calls homosexuality sinful, abominable, unnatural, and evil.
I would encourage you to read through Romans 1:16-32 this week. The trajectory of wickedness
in any nation is easy to trace. First, people give themselves
over to sexual immorality, followed by idolatry and homosexual immorality; and it sort of all culminates in a debased, reprobate, depraved mind! This passage describes America in 2015. Into this dark context Paul
testimony in Romans 1:16-17 shines brightly like a pure diamond!
In this hour will the evangelical church hide the gospel light under a bushel (contra Matt. 5:14-16)? Will we keep the gospel to ourselves and only discuss it with fellow believers on Sunday ? (contra Acts 1:8) Will
we isolate ourselves from the big bad world or cower in a corner and hope it
will all just go away somehow? (contra John 17:15-17) Or will imitate the example of
Christ and the apostles and say, "WE ARE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL FOR IT IS THE
POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES?!?!"
Their is second passage that I want to draw your attention. It will also behoove all of us to spend some time this week in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. The Corinthian church should have known that no unrepentant sinner would ever enter into the kingdom of God. Yet their are many deceivers out there today who are telling people that "homosexuality is not a sin." "You do not need to repent of being LGBT anymore than a black individual needs to repent of his skin color." "Gay is the new black." "God loves you just the way your are and so do we." #truelovewins. That is why we are "open and affirming."
There is a third key text that
I want to briefly remind you of and that’s the neglected epistle of Jude. If you have not read the book
of Jude lately now would be a really good time to do so. Notice the apostolic charge
that every believer, not just pastors, receives in verse 3 to "contend earnestly for the faith." This 911 emergency epistle
took on the form it did because certain (false)
teachers had crept into the Christian church unnoticed (note Jude 4). These "ungodly persons" got into
the church, in part, because they claimed
to believe in God's "amazing grace."
Stop right there. Does it
not trouble your soul when you hear apostate churches playing Amazing Grace on their bells? Was it not also morally
repulsive when the President sang this timeless gospel hymn at the memorial
service in Charleston, South Carolina this week only to return
to Washington D.C. to celebrate the SCOTUS decision from his rainbow lit White House?
If you
know anything about John Newton's testimony you understand
the profound irony of this! Like Augustine before him, as
an unconverted man John Newton enjoyed sinful pleasures with the best of them He was an 18th
century hedonist and a wicked slave trader! This is one of the reasons why
Newton penned this verse, Amazing grace how sweet the
sound that saved a WRETCH like me. I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind, but now I see. According to God’s mercy,
Newton came to see that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone,
in Christ
alone. I have read that for
the rest of his life brother Newton observed the anniversary of May 10, 1748 as the day of
his conversion. Newton’s
timeless hymn celebrates the glorious truth that God's amazing grace saves
and sanctifies sinners – unworthy sinner like you and I! This is our gospel confession beloved. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all (1 Tim. 1:12-17). This is our testimony of faith (Col. 1:21-23; Eph. 2:1-10).
Let's return to Jude one final time. Many of the false
teachers in the early church were abusing the grace of God as a license for sin
(Jude 4) Talk about RELEVANT. God's Word reads like today's newspaper. These "godless persons" (that's God's description not mine) were
literally "turning the grace of God into licentiousness" and
in so doing were "denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
Into this very context
Scripture charges the beloved of God to fight for this nonnegotiable body of
objective truth (the faith). For if we do not we risk losing our common salvation! Oh that could never happen Caleb? Why did the Reformer's refer to 400-1400 as the (spiritual) dark ages? Post Tenabras, lux anyone?
The apostle goes onto reminds
believers that sin and
judgment goes hand in hand. Notice carefully what examples Jude uses to illustrate this truth in Jude 4-16, (heterosexual and homosexual sins).
In verses 17-19 Jude exhorts the people of God to remember. While in verses
20-21, we are commanded to “Keep ourselves in the sphere of God’s love” by building yourself up on the sure foundation, while
remaining wholly dependent on God, as we live our life in light of eternity.
Despite the many dangers,
toils, and snares we will surely encounter along the way the apostle calls on us to be ministers of mercy as we attempt to rescue doubters, drifters, and
defiled ones (note Jude 22-23). By the grace of God, believers need to Remember- Remain- & Rescue!
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| Photo Credit: Time Magazine |
In view of this high and holy
calling Jude concludes his letter by reminding us of the comforting doctrine of
Divine preservation. YOUR SAFE AND SECURE IN
CHRIST- NOW GO TO WAR! "Onward Christian soldiers!" "Fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12)."
O Church Arise and put your armor on; Hear the call of Christ our Captain; For now the weak can say that they are strong. In the strength that God has given. With shield of faith and belt of truth; We'll stand against the devil's lies; An army bold whose battle cry is "Love!" Reaching out to those in darkness.
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, are glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
