The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has spoken, or at least a majority of five of the nine justices have spoken and in effect, have created law. The job of SCOTUS is to interpret law, to identify the constitutionality of law. On June 26, 2015 the high court declared that same-sex marriage was legal in the land. How should this law affect those persons who disagree with this interpretation?
Many people of differing faiths have always held that marriage is between one man and one woman. To a Bible-believing Christian just the idea of same-sex marriage is a creational oxymoron - it defies God's creational purpose. There is no such thing as same-sex marriage. What has happened is simply a sign of the times. Remember the Exodus story when the Israelites preferred their Golden Calf in place of the one God who set them free.
But Christians of the true faith need to continue in their love and respect for all of God's people regardless of how they choose to live, or what a secular court decides. We evangelical Christians need to understand that no matter how good or how bad America may seem to be at any one point in its history, we are Christians first. Christianity and American citizenship should not be conflated as an identity. To my way of thinking, churches which don their campuses with American flags on July the Fourth and other secular holidays misunderstand their vocation.
The first impulses of us who disagree with the SCOTUS decision make us want to lash out. But we Christians are called to be different from the culture while we live in the culture. Our identity is with God the Creator and Jesus His Son. We are called to be witnesses through God's Holy Spirit, to be salt and light.
We live in the "between times." The Death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ marked the beginning of a restored heaven and earth. Full restoration has not come but we live and work in anticipation of that promised renewal. We Christians have work to do in faith through grace. Christian faith is not passive, Christian faith is the active living out of the Gospel message pointing to Jesus the Christ.
Do not be pessimistic even though more difficult times will come to the Church from the state and its disciples. Love all people, but be vigilant in proclaiming the Gospel. God is still in charge working out His own purposes.
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