Thursday, April 16, 2009

Gay Rights Momentum

NY Gov. to Propose Bill Legalizing Gay Marriage

Just when you thought the whole same-sex marriage issue was done away with and settled with our state's Yes amendment and California's Prop. 8 election victories last November, affirming marriage as between one man and one woman (Mega-churchman Rick Warren's confused "purpose" notwithstanding), the last week or so have presented us (biblicists) with the latest wounds from shots and skirmishes in the gay rights battle front of the culture war.

Vermont's legislature became one of the few legislative bodies in the country to approve same-sex marriage and the Iowa Supreme Court just side-stepped the will of the people (as per recent trends) in ruling same-sex bans as unconstiutional, opening the door for gay marriage there (yes- America's heartland). Today, New York Gov. David Paterson is expected to introduce a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in a move that comes nearly a year after Paterson ordered all state agencies to recognize gay marriages performed in other jurisdictions. Despite the lack of votes by Democratic senators needed to pass the measure, Paterson still wants the bill to be debated and to come to a vote. If the legislation is approved by lawmakers, New York would become the fifth state to legalize same-sex marriage.

Paterson said on Tuesday. "I think it is, as other states are showing, the only ethical way to treat people who want to live together in peace under the civil law. So my general feeling about all these issues is the right ethical decision will inevitably be the right political decision." I would ask the good governor, "is it also ethical to let polygamists and pedophiles marry as well, so they can 'live together in peace under the civil law?" Can anyone draw the line today when it comes to morals, values and truth and NOT be branded a bigot? A greater challenge to world-view Christians is how do we find an effective, uncompromising and yet compassionate ministry to gays and lesbians, while taking proper, biblical positions on policies and politics pertaining to homosexual issues?

Why does this matter? Because votes aside, we can't argue homosexuals into biblical perspectives any more than we can argue them into the kingdom. Most attempts to do so will only result in pain, alienation and unecessary impediments to the cause of Christ. Unless confronted directly with direct questions regarding ethics and "gay rights," I suggest that we lovers of the Word and truth, who are commanded to "love God and love people," take the following positions when preaching and relating on the front-line of this battle in the culture war:

- Love and care for the hurting homosexual whom you know (and may work with or have in your family) and remind them that they too, are made in the "image of God," and are worthy of His love, redemption and reconciliation. Tell them they can have a new identity in Christ. they don;t have to go around telling people, "I'm a homosexual, " anymore than we tell people we're hetrosexual. They can say when in Christ, they're born-again, new creations (Jo. 3:3; 2 Cor. 5;17; Ro. 8:1).

- Preach a confession and repentance gospel of all sins, not just homosexuality as the 'road' to God through Christ. Tell them homosexuality is just another in the list of sins the Bible names "fornication (sexual sin)," which according to it's root word, has to do with idolatry (which is why unfaithful Israel was corporately known as an "idolatrous" nation). Sexual sinners love immediate gratification in their bodies and pleasure more than Jehovah God (Pro. 28:13; Ja. 4:8-10) and that's idolatry.

- Preach and teach God's model and best for sexuality. Make no mistake about it, God condemns homosexuality amongst other fornications as sin worthy of judgment (Gen. 18; Lev. 18:22; Ro. 1:27; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:8-11). Moreover, Christ and the church and hetrosexual unions among people, are His models and design for marriage (Gen. 1:26-27, 2:18-25). Biology, sociology and common sense affirm this. Otherwise, as Pastor James McDonald says, "If we choose to sin, we chooser to suffer, or when God says, don't- He really means don't hurt yourself."

- Finally, teach them that same-sex marriage and gay rights disrupt the created order and functionality of families, children and societies, which is precisely why governments of all sorts and for all times have opposed gay rights in civilized societies, up until only the later half of the 20th century. If divorce is dysfunctional and harmful to children (from instability to mixed mesages of gender roles) and the future of a given society, what further damage would occur if same-sex marrriage were legalized and normative?

At the end of the day however, remember it is your visible love, prayers and the grace and sovereign will and power of God that will change the heart of a homosexual and the culture of America - one saved sinner at a time, not Focus On the Family and not any particular politician.

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