Supreme Court Cases

Dear Church Family,

I do not usually use my position as the Pastor here at AGCC to engage in cultural or political issues. I have worked at keeping our focus on Jesus and the Bible. Jesus and the apostle Paul never ranted on about the evils of the Roman Empire, but instead guided believers toward walking in holiness no matter which culture they lived in. I have tried to follow this same pattern in my teaching. I seldom discuss my personal views or political preferences. I don’t believe the pulpit is the place for expressing my personal cultural beliefs or viewpoints.

But this week our Supreme Court is addressing two major cases. First is the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, which voters passed, defining marriage as between one man and one woman. The second case determines if gay couples can receive federal benefits just as married couples do.

Both cases will further define for America the place of homosexuality within our culture. These two cases will determine whether we openly endorse this lifestyle as normal or whether we consider it a lifestyle preference our culture should sequester.

Many people have opinions about what the outcome should be. The decisions of the Supreme Court will not end the debate, but will better define it.

As Christian’s we need to formulate our opinions based upon what the Bible says and not ask the Bible to conform itself to what our culture wants. Throughout history cultures have adopted morals, truths, or principles that were wrong. The German culture endorsed Hitler’s view of humanity. They were wrong. Our country, at one time, endorsed slavery. We were wrong in adopting that moral viewpoint. So cultures can error in what they deem to be honorable and right.

Therefore, it is imperative that we acquire our standards for right and wrong from the Bible, which in turn then guides culture. The Bible gives us these morals, truths, and principles.

For example, the Bible says, “Thou shall not lie”. Lying is a sin. You and I would agree that children lying to parents, or employees lying to their boss, is wrong. If our culture embraced lying as a proper form of expressing ourselves we would say that our culture has wrongly endorsed that moral choice.

The Bible declares that homosexuality is a sin. It is a sexual sin. Just as adultery, lust, sleeping around, sodomy, child pornography, etc. are sexual sins. God’s word makes it clear that sexual intimacy is to happen within the confines of marriage, and that marriage is limited to the confines of one man and one woman.

People are constantly tempted to fall into sexual sins. They are tempted to lust after someone else, have an affair with a co-worker, or be attracted to a minor. Everyone faces one kind of sexual temptation or another. When faced with these temptations we use the power of God and the help of others to wade through the temptation, not give into it, and come out victorious. The Bible would not want us to endorse these sexual sins, or make them ‘OK’ to participate in, just so we can fulfill our inner urges to do so. Just because one is tempted to engage in a sexual activity does not mean it is best to do so. God can give us the power and freedom to not fall into temptation and sin.

Open homosexuality in America is here to stay. It has broken the surface of our culture and has been thrust into the limelight. Homosexuals are not all evil people, just as those who are against homosexuality are not all homophobic. Labeling people is the easy way to criticize without a real dialogue.

God loves everyone. He even loves us when we fall into temptation. He loves the lazy worker; He loves the financially irresponsible; He loves the haters of good and justice.

But God has also assigned morals, truths, and principles that are meant to guide cultures and societies. He gave us the Ten Commandments; He gave us the Beatitudes, He gave us the Lord’s Prayer. Since God knows all and understands all He has the authority to assign morals, truths, and principles for living. Culture, to work as God intended, needs to conform itself to His expectations, not ask Him to conform His wishes to our wants.

He has determined that the act of homosexuality is wrong, it’s a sin. And as such our culture should not embrace it, or endorse it judiciously or politically. He has clearly defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

I ask you to pray for our Supreme Court as they examine these two cases before them. As someone once said, “May they have the wisdom to determine what is right and the courage to do it”.

Pray for our justices.