An historic night for love and our families?
obtained from theiowarepublican.com
A widely celebrated moment (by some) in New York State legislative history occurred late Friday night, when Governor Andrew Cuomo legalized same-sex marriage. The homosexual community around the country (and beyond) are celebrating what is being hailed as a victory of equality. MSNBC reported Gov. Cuomo’s words: “This state is at its finest when it is a beacon of social justice.” Reporting another celebrant’s perspective on the legislation: ”‘That’s certainly going to have a ripple effect across the nation,’ said Ross Levi, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda. ‘It’s truly a historic night for love, our families, and democracy won.’” The decision came on the heels of an endorsement from the White House, as “the night before, President Barack Obama encouraged lawmakers to support gay rights during a fundraiser with New York City’s gay community” (oregonlive.com).
Mr. Levi is correct that the legislation will have a ripple effect across the nation, as all highly publicized and institutionalized declensions do. We saw it with the rise and normalization of abortion, and we have seen it with the issue of homosexuality over the past several decades. Many see this issue as simply being a modern-day justice war akin – but not identical – to slavery. As we look back in history, we are rightly ashamed of that testament to our depravity. Likewise, many today believe that once the fight for homosexuality and gay/lesbian marriage is won in the legislature, we will look back at our day now with the same sense of shame.
Anyone who thinks that marriage – both heterosexual and homosexual (if that possible) – is not an inherently and fundamentally moral issue is simply not thinking. It is a moral issue not least of all because it is fraught with “oughts” and “rights” and “wrongs,” such as, “Marriage is good;” “A man ought to love his wife and treat her with gentleness;” “It is wrong to commit adultery;” and “It is right for a man to provide for his wife and children.”
But consider, more basically, that marriage is a moral issue because it is grounded in the nature and character of God Himself. A 2007 Gallup Poll finding reported that 47% of Americans believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, with an additional 31% believing more specifically that it is to be taken literally. If the highly regarded polling institution is anywhere near correct, that is the majority. If this is the case, then we are left to wonder: Is the Bible silent on the issue of marriage and homosexuality? If it is not silent, then is it fuzzy in its teaching, at best, and therefore we are not bound by it in pursuing the legalization of gay marriage? Or, if it is clear, then is there simply a hypocritical mass American exodus from seeking to live in light of its teachings?
The answer is a relative no-brainer: The answer to the first two questions is No, and the question regarding a moral exodus from biblical truth is answered with a resounding Yes. I’m not one to say that America was founded as a Christian nation; this is an unconstitutional and historically inconsistent assertion. However, I am one to point out that if anywhere near half of Americans profess to believe the Bible, then there is no explanation for a mass movement toward institutionalizing gross immorality except that we blatantly and lightly disconnect what we say we believe from the legislation we enact. (And to those who would go this route, it is not sufficient to excuse approval of such legislation by saying, Well I don’t do it – I’m simply saying that others should have the right to choose for themselves. For an explanation of the indefensibility of moral relativism, see my post: “Normalizing the Inconceivable: A Philosophical Problem?“)
Whatever we say, marriage is a moral issue, and it has always been legislated, because it is simultaneously an issue of both Church and State. Therefore, whatever legislation we seek regarding the issues of both heterosexual and homosexual marriage (if we can designate a homosexual relationship “marriage”) is by nature moral legislation. Even the staunchest advocates of gay marriage recognize this. Read what former executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Torie Osborn, said on the issue some time ago: “I think it’s a question of fundamental fairness…. People who are willing to accept the responsibilities of marriage, which is about love, caring, commitment, long-term commitment, should be able to have the right to be married…. [D]enying our fundamental humanity is not good for society” (quoted in Beckwith and Koukl’s Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air, p 119). Did you catch the loaded moral language from Ms. Osborn: good; right; responsibilities; fairness? This is a moral issue.
We must consider what our basis is for making moral decisions. While the argument for the sole authority of the Bible is overwhelming, it is almost a non-issue in light of what the majority of Americans reportedly say they believe about the Bible. Why would we need to make the case for the Bible to people who already say they embrace it? So we’re simply left asking: Where, Ms. Osborn, did we get our notion of good, right, responsibility, and fairness? Where, Mr. Levi, did we get our notion of true love and the nature of the family? And where, Governor Cuomo, did our idea of the goodness and nature of justice come from? To draw on the brilliant mind of renowned law professor agnostic Arthur Allen Leff (who also happens to be an agnostic, which lends further weight to his words), only God – the un-judged Judge, the un-legislated Legislator, and un-ruled Ruler – could possibly give such normative and binding concepts as justice, goodness, right, responsibility, and fairness.
And what has the un-judged Judge, the sole Authority in defining morality and healthy living (which is always true, good, and beautiful), said regarding this highly moral issue?
“… do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6.9-11, ESV)
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness supress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them…. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done…. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1.18-19, 21-28, 32, ESV)
Homosexuality is not the “sin of sins,” as some people would make it out to be. It is not the unpardonable sin that is too great for God to forgive. It is a lifestyle choice – along with lifestyles of idolatry, thievery, greed, drunkenness, etc. – that is a symptom of the universal reality that the perfect and holy Creator God cannot be bound in unity with unholy rebel-sinners. God created all people, and therefore has exclusive right of rulership over all people, regardless of whether they swear allegiance to Him or not (Psalm 24.1-2). He has declared what is right, and no amount of pandering around with arguments of false fairness or equality will change that. We are all under the condemnation of the wrath of God that we deserve, and the only way that a person has ever been reconciled to Him is through the perfect life, substitutionary death, and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. All those who cling to Him in faith (believing that He and He alone paid the penalty that we deserve) and repentance (renouncing a life of rebellion toward God) are granted life! And the nature of such life is this:
“Whoever says he abides in [Jesus] ought to walk in the same way in which He walked…. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 2.6, 3.9-10, ESV)
It is an impossibility for a person to live in a willful state of rebellion to the things of God (which homosexuality unqualifiedly is) and be in Christ. However, for those who would cling to Him in faith, there is hope of a truly abundant life!
It is God Who promises His Holy Spirit’s help to overcome the natural depravity from which we each suffer, should we humbly and joyfully take Jesus Christ as our Master and Treasure, in true faith and repentance. Every sinner who turns to Him, no matter the nature of the sins from which they need deliverance unto true, obedient worship of their Savior, will find His promised forgiveness and help. Let this be the victory of the day in the homosexual and political community of New York State and abroad. Let this be the deliverance that is granted to a President that actively seeks to destroy that which has been sacred from the foundations of the world. And let this be the repentance that is experienced by those who profess to believe the Bible and yet find no problem legalizing that for which their professed Savior was crucified.
Sorry, Mr. Levi, Friday, June 24th, 2011 was not an historic night for love and our families, except for the advancement of its destruction. Lord, have mercy.
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