This last week has been busy with news about the "gay marriage" debate, especially since the United States Supreme Court has been reviewing two cases that directly affect the legality of the issue. The longer the debate continues the more worried I become, because there seems to be a growing trend to judge issues based on their popularity rather than how they fit within the framework of objective morality. There was a time in Israel when every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25), and we seem to be very near that place in America. So politicians and justices, to retain positions of authority, appear to be making decisions and offering legal commentary in such a way as to prevent the appearance of intolerance and being out of touch with culture. 

     What scares me more is the impact these decisions will have on the Lord's people. Certainly we must do what we can to urge lawmakers and the judiciary to acknowledge the transcending standard of morality, the path of true success for any nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4). However, we know that sometimes nations depart from God. This leaves the church with a choice. Do we keep standing against immorality, or do we change to avoid verbal and legal persecution? Just this week I read a book that pleaded with the church to change its position on homosexuality if we hope to be relevant in the future. To paraphrase the author, churches that are unwilling to accept homosexuality are doomed to failure. His argument was based largely on the changing views of younger people, that younger people do not see homosexuality the same way older generations do and so the church must cater to this changed perception or die. Add to this the coming legal persecution of congregations that oppose homosexuality and you can see the dilemma. Congregations will find it much easier to "go along" than oppose the practice. 

     Our course will be determined by how we understand marriage, and whether we respect God enough to accept His definition of it. From the beginning, God joins an eligible man and an eligible woman in matrimony (Gen. 2:18-25). This pattern, of one man and one women joined by God, has never changed. On one occasion, Jesus answered a question about marriage by going back to its establishment (Matt. 19:1-9). He makes clear that the definition of a marriage never changes, regardless how much culture changes. Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman, joined in this union by God. Only in this arrangement is the sexual relationship pure (Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 7:1-12) and procreation authorized (Gen. 1:28; Gen. 4:1). For however long this world continues to stand, this must be our stance. We believe what God says and we must refuse to deviate from this, no matter the cost.       

     Only when we try to please the world instead of God do we find ourselves at variance with the Scriptures. This is the crossroads of the debate. Will we go with God or with the world? This does not mean we hate people or that we should act rudely. We love God to the point that we will even act the right way toward others. We want the light of God working through us to influence the world for truth (Matt. 5:13-16). If you haven't thought much of this issue before now, please do. This issue is changing the landscape of America (and the world) and the church needs to stand lovingly for the truth so that the voice of God can be heard. ~ David B. Smith