On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court, by a vote of 5-4, issued a disappointing decision that now imposes homosexual marriage on all 50 states. The Court surprisingly rejected the societal understanding of marriage that goes back to the dawn of civilization. The decision of five unelected judges trampled the democratic process by overturning the will of more than 60 percent of Americans who had voted on the issue. It also creates a new federal “constitutional right” in an area where our founding Constitution is silent. Our concern is that this decision will fan the flames of government hostility, not only against individuals who oppose homosexuality, but also against Christian ministries.
Our biblical beliefs and convictions prevent us from ever officiating at, participating in, or celebrating same-sex unions. In recent months we have watched this hostility operate against wedding vendors, military chaplains, and others, and we anticipate that this decision will open the door to an unwelcome escalation of this problem. Such persecution of Christians might extend to sermons opposing homosexuality being labeled as “hate speech,” and churches losing their tax-exempt status as a result. Most Americans want to live in a tolerant nation, and they are willing, as we are, to let people choose their own sexual preferences. But too many homosexual activists want the government to coerce the rest of us to celebrate their relationship. All Americans should remain free to believe and act according to their beliefs about marriage without fear of government penalty. Protecting religious liberty and the rights of conscience does not encroach upon anyone’s sexual freedoms. The fact that things in our nation could have come to this is symptomatic of the degree to which the majority of Americans have chosen to ignore the Word and the ways of God, our loving Creator, and embrace idolatry in one form or another.
There are many other symptoms of people’s disregard for God’s Truth, but both Scripture and history show that the rise of homosexuality within a culture is pivotal in regard to its degradation (see Enclosed Links). Today’s “progressive,” post-modern society trumpets the devastating lie that there is no such thing as absolute truth. Of course, that in itself is an absolute statement, but that doesn’t seem to matter to those who promote it. Today’s prevailing “wisdom” says that truth is relative, that each person has his own truth, and that everyone’s beliefs have equal validity. This delusion allows people to live in complete denial of reality, which is, in fact, the definition of the biblical Greek word for “truth.” It also blurs any distinction between right and wrong, and eventually leads people into despair. As we will see in the epistle to the Romans, the Word of God speaks about this very attitude with crystal clarity:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…”
In this thesis, we are compelled to weigh in with what we believe is the correct biblical perspective. In examining this critical issue, here is the bottom line question we must answer: Is there an absolute standard for Truth, and if so, does it address the topic of homosexuality?
