Same-Sex Marriage is now Legal...What is the Christian to do?

Full disclosure, I didn't even know such an important decision was going down today until I jumped on Facebook for the first time.  It's been a busy week and we have been having a blast working with the kids at Vacation Bible School. 

But when I had my normal few minutes of scrolling through social media this morning I couldn't help but know everything about the landmark court case that has now declared it unconstitutional for States to ban Same-sex Marriage. 

We live in a world where people's opinions have never been voiced louder.  And man there are some opinions out there on this.  My timelines have been filled with #LoveWins and random Rainbows and Equal Signs.  Whether it is a distant relative, a Facebook acquaintance, or even corporate businesses and professional sports teams, those in favor of today's ruling have spared no expense in celebrating today. 

Noticeably silent throughout the day however, is anyone with any sort of a contrarian view point.  That is, Christian brothers and sisters with a Godly response to what we are seeing in our country.  That’s what has lead me to type this up.  I feel like there are many (like me) out there who are Bible-believing, God-fearing, Sinners-saved-by-faith Christians who don’t know how to respond to today’s ruling. 

Let’s be honest, when one sides’ view point is “Shouldn’t everyone deserve Love?” it makes it really hard to say something negative right?  What are you supposed to say…“No my good fellow, you don’t actually deserve love and happiness, only people like me deserve love and happiness, ha ha ha!” (Go back and read that last sentence trying to use a British Accent…it drives the point home just that much harder!) You can’t do that right? And if you do, it’s gonna be really hard to also in the same breath, talk about the love of Jesus Christ! 

However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a contrarian view point to be had!  The problem is that the view point is to be made using details and nuance.  Something that is very difficult to portray in 140 characters.    Because of that, (my opinion) it’s probably not in the Christian’s best interest to engage in a back and forth via social media websites.  So what should we do?

LOVE

“God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:8b-11)

As Christians we have a special and unique understanding of Love.  That is, we have each been given the revelation that it was out of LOVE that God gave us a way for forgiveness of sins.  Knowing how big my own sins are just increases my definition of that Love.  There are a lot of definitions of love out there right now.  In this divisive time it will be up to us as Christians to continue to, and place special emphasis on, living out God’s definition of love:

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a)

Protect your Families

This might cause some people to recoil.  Especially for those who are in support of today’s ruling.  Any time you use the word “Protect” it evokes crazy imagery for us.  People would say, “it’s just a court ruling it’s not a bear that’s been let on the loose…what do you have to protect?”  I understand that, and no, as a Christian parent I don’t fear for my children’s physical well-being as a result of today’s decision. 

I do however, worry about their mental and spiritual well-being.  I have taught my children that marriage is between a man and a women.  They are comfortable in their understanding of what marriage is.  I have also taught my children who God is.  And also the concept of Sin and that Sin separates us from God.  They understand that we all Sin, but that we all can be forgiven because of what Jesus has done for us.  They understand that when we are forgiven, we must do our best to turn away from that sin. 

That being said, now that my children have the belief system that they do it is going to be very difficult for them to understand what they are seeing.  If it’s not happening already, as a result of this ruling schools or teachers or friends are going to start to speak to your children very matter-of-factly about homosexuality.  They may have a very hard time understanding why (if God says this is a Sin and we should stay away from it) is it just ok legally in our country?  These are very complex issues for children to understand.  However, I implore all Christian parents to make sure THEY are having these conversations with their children, instead of just letting the world shape their understanding of the issue.

Run Your Race

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2a)

For the Christian, today’s ruling changes nothing with your ultimate calling.  As Christians we are called to be Salt and Light.  We are called to go out into the world and tell people the Gospel of Christ to make other Christians.  We are told to run our race.  Nothing has changed…There are still people who need to know the love of Jesus Christ.  They need to feel him in their lives in a real way.  There are so many that are hurting and in need of his love that you cannot get bogged down by political arguments and judicial rulings.  Let God worry about all that.  You run your race!

God Bless,

Andrew Kabbani