Saturday, June 27, 2015

A SCOTUS DEFEAT FOR THE GAY COMMUNITY

AN UNFORTUNATE DEFEAT FOR THE GAY COMMUNITY

In a decision last Friday, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has now made it legal in the United States for same-sex couples to be married. All weekend, I expect that there will be great celebrations all over America. A lot of joy, many words of congratulations, and much talk of the “great victory” for gay rights.

But some of us are solemn. Some of us are subdued. Some of us feel that men and women with same sex physical attraction have lost yet another friend and ally in their lives – that of the federal government.

In God’s message to us, he mentions that governments are meant to have positive influences on society. The Apostle Paul puts it this way: “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God…For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil” (Romans 13:1, 3).

That is the ideal. That is when government is doing its job. Historically, our government has been quite good at this, recognizing those things which are in harmony with the way we are meant to live under the higher law of God, and discouraging actions that are contrary to God’s plan for society. But in this case, our government has now failed.

God has also made it plain in his word that he has a design for society, and the recognition of homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle is not part of that plan. If this be the case, we then ask, “Why has he made some people who have same-sex attraction? Why has he made some people who believe they are of one gender in their physical body, but the other gender in their soul?”

These are legitimate questions and one that I, at least, am not able to answer. However, I do know that we all have aspects about us in our nature that are not acceptable to God. All of us have tendencies that, if we would let them loose, would turn us against God.

I think at least part of the answer to the two questions above, is that some of our purpose here on this earth is to realize that our relationship to God is of preeminent importance – above all else in our lives. So important is it, that we will fight against any natural tendency that we have that is contrary to God’s society.

We should not think that God is “singling out” homosexuals. There are many other things about our natural tendencies that are contrary to God’s society.

Here is something else that the Apostle Paul wrote: “Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, no adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB)

That is quite a list, and I can tell you, there are at least a couple of those tendencies in that list that I have struggled with. Quite frankly, there are one or two that I still do struggle with. However, there is a difference between struggling against unrighteous tendencies and giving in to them; even having pride in them.

When a person is struggling against some of these, they need all the help that they can get. A government that promotes these things is not a help. In fact, the government then becomes their adversary. In the list above as written by Paul, we see that for all but a couple of them, our government is doing what it can by making them illegal, or at least discouraging them. And it is at least partially effective. There is only one of these that have become proud of their tendency, and in fact associate the word “pride” with it.

I am sorry that the Supreme Court has now taken away an ally of those who struggle against homosexual tendencies in their lives. In spite of the fact that the gay community sees this as a great victory, I believe a friend of theirs has been taken away.

I am thankful that the evil that is within me is still recognized by society as a whole as something that is indeed harmful. I take no pride in those things and I continue to seek to live my life in a manner that is accordance to God’s society. After all, I shall one day live my life fully in the kingdom of God, so I may as well do some cross-cultural preparations.
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You may also wish to read some recent posts regarding this subject at:
And
http://www.donaldrhody.com/2015/06/we-can-learn-lot-from-lot-part-2.html
 

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