There has been a historic passing of the Gay marriage approval by the U.S. Supreme Court recently. This means that persons who are of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual or Transexual (LGBT community now have rights under the civil code of the U.S. law. No longer are they to be discriminated against by the laws of that country. They are entitled to all the rights and privileges of a Heterosexual couple.
Any Christian would see this as a victory for these minority groups in terms of their rights and privileges. I am one that agree that if a person chooses to live a lifestyle that is not infringing upon the rights of others in the civilization then they should be free to practice their rights in a law abiding manner.
The Scriptures state that the civil government is here to ensure civility and regulate the relations of man to man respecting the rights of all men.
"Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself. For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you, because they are God's servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who do evil. For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience." Romans 13:1-5 GNT
But of course the state is not a religious institution and sometimes they will enact laws that contradict the very tenets of religious faith. It is then that sincere Christians must conscientiously object and remain faithful to God rather than the state in matters of conscience.
Daniel the prophet faced a similar situation when laws were made regarding worship. His three Hebrew friends faced the test as well. Daniel faced death by lions, his friends death by fire. Listen to what his friends concluded when tested for their faith:
"... At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the three men to be brought before him. He said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you refuse to worship my god and to bow down to the gold statue I have set up? Now then, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, oboes, lyres, zithers, harps, and all the other instruments, bow down and worship the statue. If you do not, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.
Do you think there is any god who can save you?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered,
“Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.” Daniel 3:13 - 18 GNT
Both were willing to face death whether or not they were delivered. Both times God honored their faithfulness and delivered them.
In our time now there is a fear that gay marriage recognition means morality recognition or that since the state recognizes gay marriage that it ought to be recognized by the religious community as well. Indeed many proponents of gay marriage suggest that churches should be obligated to marry these persons and failure to do so is "discrimination."
This is the new buzz word to silence religious dissent. But whether civil laws allow or forbid the Christian is true to conscience. LGBT persons are respected as persons made in the image of God and are acknowledged as His children by creation and redemption. They are souls like everyone else that need the unconditional love of God, However, sin is sin and it is self-destructive. It pollutes the soul and cannot be allowed to flourish in the world or the church without reasonable objection that is fair and unbiased.
In that sense then the true Christian will see a call to love the soul of all sinners which includes not only the LGBT but all and pray and work for their salvation. They will also see from the scriptures that freedom in all its forms will be taken to an extreme and this will cause a collapse in morality, society and the economy which will pave the way for a final crisis over the character and government of God.
Any Christian would see this as a victory for these minority groups in terms of their rights and privileges. I am one that agree that if a person chooses to live a lifestyle that is not infringing upon the rights of others in the civilization then they should be free to practice their rights in a law abiding manner.
The Scriptures state that the civil government is here to ensure civility and regulate the relations of man to man respecting the rights of all men.
"Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself. For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you, because they are God's servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who do evil. For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience." Romans 13:1-5 GNT
But of course the state is not a religious institution and sometimes they will enact laws that contradict the very tenets of religious faith. It is then that sincere Christians must conscientiously object and remain faithful to God rather than the state in matters of conscience.
Daniel the prophet faced a similar situation when laws were made regarding worship. His three Hebrew friends faced the test as well. Daniel faced death by lions, his friends death by fire. Listen to what his friends concluded when tested for their faith:
"... At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the three men to be brought before him. He said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you refuse to worship my god and to bow down to the gold statue I have set up? Now then, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, oboes, lyres, zithers, harps, and all the other instruments, bow down and worship the statue. If you do not, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.
Do you think there is any god who can save you?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered,
“Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.” Daniel 3:13 - 18 GNT
Both were willing to face death whether or not they were delivered. Both times God honored their faithfulness and delivered them.
In our time now there is a fear that gay marriage recognition means morality recognition or that since the state recognizes gay marriage that it ought to be recognized by the religious community as well. Indeed many proponents of gay marriage suggest that churches should be obligated to marry these persons and failure to do so is "discrimination."
This is the new buzz word to silence religious dissent. But whether civil laws allow or forbid the Christian is true to conscience. LGBT persons are respected as persons made in the image of God and are acknowledged as His children by creation and redemption. They are souls like everyone else that need the unconditional love of God, However, sin is sin and it is self-destructive. It pollutes the soul and cannot be allowed to flourish in the world or the church without reasonable objection that is fair and unbiased.
In that sense then the true Christian will see a call to love the soul of all sinners which includes not only the LGBT but all and pray and work for their salvation. They will also see from the scriptures that freedom in all its forms will be taken to an extreme and this will cause a collapse in morality, society and the economy which will pave the way for a final crisis over the character and government of God.