The recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding “gay marriage” brings great cause for celebration, if you are not a Christian. And if you are a Christian and celebrating a union that God’s Holy Word describes as an abomination, it is unlikely you see God’s Word as His love letter to us for all time.
A slippery slope beckons Christians who view God’s Word as an antiquated piece of literature, irrelevant to today. Those without a wholesome belief in God’s Word begin to let their feelings dictate their beliefs and actually place their human knowledge on par with God’s.
In seeking to cast contempt upon the divine statutes, Satan has perverted the doctrines of the Bible, and errors have thus become incorporated into the faith of thousands who profess to believe the Scriptures. The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now entering--a battle between the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition” (White, Great Controversy, 582).
Sadly, though the Bible is available to all, “there are few who really accept it as the guide of life. Infidelity prevails to an alarming extent, not in the world merely, but in the church. Many have come to deny doctrines which are the very pillars of the Christian faith” (White, 582). While people reject the truth, they also reject its Author, and “in trampling upon the law of God, they deny the authority of the Law-giver” (White, 583).
At the age of eight or nine years, I fantasized about marrying a guy. As a child, because I was daily teased and harassed for my feminine characteristics, I identified with Cinderella’s lowly position and the treatment she received from her haughty stepsisters. And as I grew up, my desires only intensified.
WHAT WAS MISSING? WHAT WAS WRONG WITH SUCH FANTASIES?
Thankfully, my parents taught me to honor and respect God’s Holy word and years later, though I had explored many dead-end roads, God was able to reach me because of this early training. Though I had been well grounded in God’s word, there was no Biblical discussion at home, school or church, about what to do when our “feelings” didn’t match up with God’s Word.
THERE IS HOPE WHEN WE RECOGNIZE OUR NEED
In fact, when I read God’s word, I recognized that the references to homosexuality were describing me and I asked myself, “Why and how can this be?” After all, I didn’t ask to be this way. Later, after studying God’s word, I came to understand that in His word we recognize that we come to Him, stained with sin, and that Satan competes with Jesus, to gain control of our mind. Therefore, unless we are keenly aware that our natural inclinations are sinful, we are sitting ducks for the wiles of the enemy.
Sadly, many will do anything that will help justify the sin they so desperately love and are therefore superficially satisfied with a “God connection” while rejecting a “thus says the Lord.”
Such thinking has distorted two holy institutions: marriage and the Sabbath. Such thinking now ushers in the close of earth’s history. In fact, it will be precious little time before “Sunday laws” rule.
However, Jesus has not given up on you or me. Our God, our King, our Creator, our lover of human lives, seeks intimacy with us. Sadly, all too many are in love with self and are blind to the abundant, life-giving love that Jesus holds out to us. They don’t allow Jesus to court them and therefore, the heavenly Groom is being separated from His bride, who insists on embracing a counterfeit lover.
God’s messenger wrote how God “ordained that men and women should be united in holy wedlock to rear families whose members, crowned with honor, should be recognized as members of the family above” (White, Adventist Home, 99). Take note that God never ordains two men or two women for such a union. This would be a counterfeit plan, not God’s plan. Every day we see Satan’s counterfeit plan unfolding.
SO WHAT’S NEXT? WHERE DOES ALL THIS LEAD?
The gay community has long denied that the ushering in of gay marriage would lay the ground-work for yet another tragedy. Yet, as gays have become “loud and proud,” another entity has in fact, long been at work.
Using the same tactics of gay rights activists, pedophiles have begun to seek similar status, arguing that their desire for children is a sexual orientation, no different than that of heterosexuals or homosexuals.
Critics of the homosexual lifestyle have long claimed that once it became acceptable to define homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle or sexual orientation, nothing would be off limits. However, gay advocates have taken offense at such a position, insisting this would never happen. But, psychiatrists are now beginning to advocate redefining pedophilia in the same way homosexuality was redefined in 1973 when the American Psychiatric Association (APA) declassified homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. Recently, a group of psychiatrists with B4U-Act held a symposium proposing a new definition of pedophilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders of the APA.
I recognize it is likely that I will come under fire for writing words that don’t convey a feel good message and it is also very possible that my words will be twisted into a hate message. No one likes having his or her toes stepped on. I know I don’t. But friends, God is tenderly and compassionately trying to shake and wake us. If only we would come humbly before Him and take Him at His Word, and believe that only He can know what is best for us and recognize that what is best for us will always agree with His Word.
Recently, an earthly supreme court has sought to over-rule God’s heavenly court. Shocked and stunned by such a ruling, many have woken up to the reality that this world is not our home. Today it may appear that Satan is winning. But only for a time.
While sympathy for the precious lives of gays has paved the way for gay rights, many do not recognize that God has given all of us the right to choose whether we will act on our temptations or surrender them to Him. In fact, He taught us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
I believe we are going to see an escalation of hate toward Christians. After experiencing ridicule and bullying in and outside the church, the gay community has developed a thin armor coat, as well as a united front that reeks with arrogance.
PERSECUTION FOR THOSE WHO SPEAK OUT
Gays have long desired power, equality and retribution for those who held them down for so many years. Because I have spoken out, I frequently experience their wrath, both in and outside the church. Gays have falsely accused me of delivering a “change” message that insists on “heterosexuality,” when what I actually share is God’s message of love, hope and redemption that focuses on surrender and intimacy with Jesus while seeking to do His will, rather than living by personal feelings.
In light of the advancement of equal rights, lawsuits are likely to be rampant at the first sight of what a gay person deems discrimination. Through all this, I believe God’s heart is breaking because His creation, like children defying their parents and insisting on their independence, has turned against Him.
THE GREATEST DANGER
The danger is when Christians acclimatize, rather than develop a shield of faith and trust in God as the world spins out of control. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,... (KJV, 1 Timothy 3:2).
I remember a childhood song from Sabbath School. “Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong.” This sweet song teaches us to come back to Jesus when we fall or cave into temptation. Lean on Jesus. Trust in His strength and in His power. Be faithful to the end.
HELPING ONE ANOTHER ALONG THE WAY
From experience, I know Satan’s temptations and attractions! Though I live with them today, even as a converted Christian, they don’t constitute my identity. I desperately know that I want assurance that I will live with my Creator and lover of life forever and ever. The only way I can honestly have this assurance is by living in agreement with my Savior, denying self and choosing Him.
Humility does not come easily, but it is possible. Humbly come before God with your requests… with your pain and your aching heart, no matter what troubles you. He is our compassionate, loving Father who knows the fall of a sparrow. He desires the very best for you. Christians who place our complete faith in Him are going to experience rough times. But He is the rewarder of such faith. He is not forceful, only invitational. He asks us to come apart from the world.
Do you see the revision of marriage as a victory? For who? Does it honor and glorify our God? Which “high court” will you honor?
Genesis 2:18 tells us that it is “not good for man to be alone.” I can certainly attest to that. Because of sin, God’s perfect plan has not been accomplished as He originally designed. But He does not ordain something that dishonors Him. Many are suffering from loneliness. Widows, widowers, gays and single heterosexuals all need to come together in our church communities to share our hurts with one another. We need to lift each other up in prayer for the healing that is promised. We need to be the family of believers that God intended us to be, helping each other to remain focused on Jesus until He returns to take us home.
“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:10-11).
Wayne Blakely is Co-Director/Co-Founder of ‘Coming Out’ Ministries and Director of Know His Love Ministries.