A great upheaval has taken place in America over the Supreme Courts decision to force the legalization of same sex marriage. There are numerous reasons for this upheaval.
First, legally speaking, the court overstepped it's bounds by usurping authority not given it in the constitution. As a republic, our representatives go to Washington and vote on our behalf. Several states, by representative vote, decided that marriage should remain a covenant between a man and a woman. Traditionally, this has been the definition for thousands of years. The Federal Government was established with a system of checks and balances found in the three branches. The Court has broken free of the system of checks and balances and decreed it's will on America.
Second, the issue of states rights. Marriage within a given state has always been governed by that state. Each state decides it's age of consent, it's use of common law, what blood relations can marry, and who may preform a marriage ceremony. These laws vary greatly from state to state and the Federal Government has never before interfered with a sovereign state's laws governing marriage. The constitution, on which the Court presumably ruled, does not address marriage. For the Court to even have heard this case is a mangling of the law, and for the Court to have decided against the rights of states to govern their own laws of marriage, is a travesty. Activist judges have abused the authority given them by the Federal Government and they have violated the trust of the American public. No matter what one's view is on homosexuality, a renegade Judiciary should cause citizens to shudder.
Third, conviction of faith. America has always boasted, until very recently, of it's Judeo-Christian heritage. The Bible, from which most of our laws are derived, clearly defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Moses defined it this way and Jesus defined it this way. Many liberal theologians, and I use the term theologian loosely, claim that the Bible does not define marriage or claim that Jesus never specifically condemned homosexuality. While Jesus never spoke specifically about homosexuality, He did define marriage as between a man and a woman and to deny this is simply intellectual dishonesty. On the topic of homosexuality, this is definitively condemned in the Law of Moses and Jesus fully endorsed the Law. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." Jesus upheld the Law and by default agrees that homosexual behavior is sin.
I believe that the ruling on marriage goes beyond law and ideology. There is a spiritual underpinning to this story that is all but ignored in the church. America is not the first country to legalize same sex marriage. Canada voted to legalize same sex marriage in 2005. The difference is that Canada has never touted itself as a Christian nation. America was founded on the idea of religious freedom. The first settlers came to America specifically to escape religious oppression. It is undeniable that America was founded on Biblical values. As Israel is a safe haven for the Jewish people, so too was America a safe haven for followers of Christ. This heritage gives America a unique place in the community of nations. As Rabbi Jonathan Cahn has pointed out, America parallels Israel, especially ancient Israel, in many ways. hear Rabbi Cahn's message here We claim, in our pledge, to be a nation under God, our money says "in God we trust" yet we, as a nation are sliding farther and farther away form God and His precepts.
As America is, along with Israel, unique in it's relationship to God, enacting a law by Judicial fiat opposing God's natural order places us in a very precarious position. The relationship God had with Israel, throughout the Old Testament, is described as a marriage relationship. Each time the nation of Israel sinned in idol worship, God condemned this behavior, referring to it as adultery. As Israel is depicted as God's wife, the church is declared the Bride of Christ throughout the New Testament. God uses the model of marriage to demonstrate His relationship with His people. This is a spiritual matter. Satan, who hates both Christian and Jew has found a way to mock the relationship we have with God. By taking a sacred institution established by God and redefining it is a power move by the father of lies.
Redefining marriage in America has deep spiritual significance. Satan is attempting to establish his rule on earth. The Bible tells about a future time when the world system and it's citizenry, is in open hostility toward God. By toppling a foundational institution like marriage, Satan is revealing that the world is ready for a major shift away from God, setting the stage for end time events. In spiritual terms, this court ruling is tantamount to the Marines storming the beach at Normandy. Satan has achieved a major victory on his road to ruling the world. America, despite all it's issues, has always expressed itself as a shining city on a hill, a direct reference to a land under the authority of God. While the constitution prohibits the establishment of a state religion, it also acknowledges God in it's preamble. Satan's frontal assault on the definition of marriage in America reveals an enemy stronghold that has taken root and that will cause many to reveal where their true allegiances lie. Spiritually speaking, Satan is rallying his troops.
My greatest disappointment lies with those who claim faith in Christ and support the cause of same sex marriage. To support something that so blatantly contradicts God's created order while claiming to be a follower of Christ is an amazing contradiction. The court's ruling will cull unbelievers out of the church and further marginalize true believers in society. By standing for truth, believers will be labeled as bigots, haters and worse. This is also a major part of the spiritual warfare we are engaged in. Make no mistake, we are at war. We are not at war with homosexuals, we are not at war with the Supreme Court, we are not at war with the Obama administration, we are at war with powers and principalities and dark forces of the unseen world. As Christians, we are commanded to pray for our leaders, this includes Barak Obama, God loves him. We are commanded to reach out to those who are estranged from God through sin, this includes people involved in sexual sin, God loves them. Our weapons are not physical as our enemy is not physical, but spiritual.
The church must be able to stand firm in it's convictions and love those outside the church. Jesus died for all mankind and the church must demonstrate this truth. The believer in Christ must pursue personal holiness and be dedicated to prayer. Spiritually speaking, we may have lost a major battle in the supreme court, and we may have very well lost the culture war in America, but we know that the battle belongs to the LORD and that in the end, it is His kingdom that will be established while Satan is remanded to the lake of fire for all eternity. In the mean time, the church must demonstrate God's love to those who are perishing. If we want to impact the world, we have to care enough about it to pray for it and then care enough to act upon God's call to action which is sharing our faith and making disciples of all nations.
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