Hillary Clinton recently made news when she came out in support of gay marriage. This surprised very few, for Hillary is a liberal Democrat, and the Democratic Party is generally supportive of gay marriage (including Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden). However, the support of gay marriage certainly isn’t limited to the Democratic Party. We also learned last week that along with Hillary Clinton, Ohio senator Rob Portman (Republican) has also come out in support of gay marriage. He joins the ranks of other Republicans like Dick Cheney, Laura Bush and Cindy McCain. In fact, a growing number of people are urging all Republicans to stop its opposition to gay marriage.
Though I do not agree with their view, I can understand why politicians might support gay marriage – they simply wish to capture as many votes as possible. They wish to be seen as representatives of all people, including those who link their identity to their sexual preferences. Too many politicians are willing to abandon their moral principles in order to obtain votes. This begs the question: How long will it be before a major American political party adopts the support of pedophilia and bestiality as a part of its political platform? I suspect that it won’t be long before someone argues that such people “need representation too!”
While I do understand why politicians might support gay marriage, I do not understand how “churches” and so-called “faith leaders” can do so. Does the Bible mean nothing to them? Do they believe that some parts of the Bible are inspired while other parts are not? Do they arrogantly presume the right to pick and choose which parts of the Bible apply? Two recent news items are of note:
- The Green Street United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, NC recently stated that they will stop performing marriages until United Methodist pastors are permitted to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples.
- Rob Bell, a popular “faith leader,” recently said, “Yes, I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love… whether it’s a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man.”
Apparently, neither the United Methodist Church nor Rob Bell believe the Bible on the subject of homosexuality and lesbianism. Both Testaments of the Bible explicitly condemn homosexuality. Since we are no longer governed by the Law of Moses, I will here cite legislation from God’s present law – the Gospel – the New Testament. The apostle Paul wrote to the saints at Rome:
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:26, 27).
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10).
“We also know that the law is not made for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and the sinful, the unholy and the irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers – and for whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:9, 10).
“In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7).
The above passages are from the New Testament. Homosexuality was actually classified as a capital offense under the Law of Moses (Leviticus 20:13). As alluded to above, in Jude 7, whole towns were incinerated because of the practice of homosexuality (Genesis 19). Of course, we aren’t under the Old Law today, and no such physical punishment is assessed under the New Testament. However, the eternal consequence is just as bad – eternal hell-fire.
By defending homosexuality and gay marriage, churches and so-called “faith-leaders” defy God and deny His revealed truth. Their “faith” is not Bible-based – it is man-based (humanism). The Bible tells us to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11). I cited Romans 1:26, 27 {above}, but we should also consider verse 32 of that chapter: Paul there condemns two classes of people – those who practice sin and those who “take pleasure in those” who practice sin. Many “straight” people pride themselves in their acceptance of homosexuality and gay marriage. However, there is no honor in accepting sinful behavior. The Bible tells us that we are culpable when we fellowship those who support such godless practices (2 John 9-11). This means that churches that endorse homosexuality should be rejected and shunned. They certainly should not be financially or morally supported.
Tim Haile