Possible Ramifications of the Supreme Court Decision on Homosexual Marriage

I've been thinking about the new homosexual marriage law handed down by the supreme court for a long time (knowing how our supreme court would rule). This is an especially close matter of concern, due to being a minister of the gospel and having the "privilege" to conduct the ceremony that unites a man and woman in the covenant of matrimony. 

I try to think down the natural progression of decisions, especially since I have made so many bad ones, and a lot of consequences came to mind. Some will begin now, others will be years down the road, but will point to this decision as the turning point.

1. Homosexual/ lesbian sexuality will now become mandatory discussions in sexual education in school. Sodomy and oral sex will be discussed in greater detail as "healthy and normal". 
2. Homosexual activities and interactions will be greatly increased in tv shows and movies with a younger rating attached.
3. Homosexual couples will gradually be more open in public.
4. Lawsuits against churches and religious organizations will sky rocket for "equal treatment".
5. The Church will further split between denominations and a greater divide will open, leading to less fellowship and cooperation between "progressive" and "conservative" interpretations.
6. Churches will spend lots of money protecting themselves and therefore have less to do ministry and less to help for others.
6b. Churches will loose their tax exempt status because they are willfully disobeying the law, therefore have less money to do ministry and help.
6c. People will be told they cannot be helped due to the tax and extra legal insurance, thus society will become less favorable toward the churches "responsibility to help the poor".
7. The Church will experience a "weeding" of people which may result in less attendance and activity.
7b. The Church will grow stronger in unity and devotion to God's word, a revival will occur. 
8. Fewer ministers will perform legal marriage ceremonies where they sign a state legal document/certificate of marriage.
9. Those who hold to the Word of God as authoritative will (are) called hate-filled, hypocritical, unloving, and will be heavily ostracized by the vocal of society.
10. The Church will continue and the Word of God will stand forever.

Through all of this, our number one concern as the church is to point people vertically to Jesus Christ. To hold out the Gospel as the Words of Life. To call people to repentance. Make sure we have our crap together so we are not a hinderance to the Gospel of Jesus. 

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life..." Philippians 2:14-15

Until His return, may you be bold and courageous in the love and grace of Jesus Christ. 

Cowardly lions

The past couple of months a reoccurring theme has popped up over and over. I didn’t really notice it at first, but this theme has been consistent in lots of areas and came from lots of places. This theme that keeps coming up is courage. I have read about it in my devotionals. I have been slowly working my way back through a book I read several years ago, and courage has come up in it in the last couple of chapters.  I also have always thought I relate best to the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz. If I only had some courage.

GK Chesterson defines courage as a contradiction. He says courage is “A STRONG DESIRE TO LIVE TAKING THE FORM OF A READINESS TO DIE.” In other words I want to live so much that I am ready to die for it. He uses examples like someone lost at sea, continuing to swim. Or military personnel caught in a fire fight. If they loose that desire to live, then they just give up and they will surely die. If they loose the readiness to die  then they become cowards. 

Courage is a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.This isn’t just for people on the brink of death. This isn’t just for the men and women of the military. Jesus said this is for every believer. Jesus said this to his disciples “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) 

What is there to be afraid of here in America today. The church is not persecuted. We are not slaves. We do not fear soldiers, or secret police in our midst ready to bust through the doors with guns to arrest us. I know all of this, yet there is still a part of me that is afraid. There is still that person inside of me, or maybe spirit outside of me that says, “you shouldn’t share the gospel with them, it might offend them.” Or “Show people the love of God by just your actions.” And my favorite is, “what if they find out what you are really like? That you are not the perfect Christian,” I have the strong desire to live, with people, to be liked. I lack the readiness to die, to put myself out there, to vulnerable to people and share my faith. 

Jesus also said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” I used to think great, he is all around me. I’m protected on all sides and nothing can get to me. That wasn’t necessarily true. Things did get to me. I’ve learned that doesn’t mean Jesus is just with me, but fights for me. It’s not up to me if someone accepts Christ. It is up to me to share the Gospel with them. It is not up to me to fix problems, It is up to Christ, I have to be available to be used by Christ. The Bible says the battle is already won. That means the problem is in the past with God. The victory is already there. 

When Christ died for us, it took an incredible amount of courage. He wanted to live with his Father and us so much he was ready to die for it. His resurrected life allows His Spirit to be with us. The same spirit that gave Samson incredible strength is in us, the same spirit that caused David to dance before God, is in us. The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead, is in us. So that no matter what we face, we have already won, and that should make us courageous lions.