To
my Christian friends: This will incite lots of vitriol, but I have my
flak vest on. I'm troubled by the glorification of the Kentucky
clerk's violation of the gay marriage law. Yes, we are to obey God
rather than man. But when? The only report of New Testament
believers rebelling against bureaucrats was when they were forbidden
to preach the Kingdom of God. Was she really preaching (embodying)
the Gospel?
If
this clerk risked jail to avoid any appearance of endorsing gay
marriage, why didn't she also take a lesser risk, and refuse to give
licenses to couples who were fornicators, chronically angry, drug
addicts, liars, Muslims or atheists? Why are homosexuals so excoriated
by Christians? All humans are in the same boat before we come to
Christ, and Christians
are not superior. We are just receivers of Jesus' pardon, with access
to God's transforming love.
Our
role as Christians is to manifest and proclaim Jesus, not to condemn
unbelievers. The Bible says: “It
is not my business to judge those who are not part of the church.
God will judge them. But you must judge the people who are part of
the church.”
“God...alone
has the power to save or to destroy. So what
right do you have to judge your neighbor?”
History
sadly confirms that forcing your morality on someone is anti-Christ. You cannot manifest
Jesus without love and mercy. Jesus treated unbelievers with
compassion and tenderness, but he was harsh toward religious bigots,
not because he hated them, but because religious arrogance is the
greatest deception.
The government has no
right to legislate religious preferences. Therefore, they had to
eliminate God from their definition of marriage, defaulting to a mere
civil union. However, if you believe that marriage is a covenant
with God and not the state, then the government's approval of all
marriages is morally inert. What does a marriage license have to do
with God? Nothing! Then, why are you so freaked out over this? Why
despise and fear someone whose definition of marriage is different
than yours?
The
reason America has morally disintegrated, is not the government's
fault, it's the church's lack of love. Neither legislation nor
insurrection will resolve America's moral cataclysm.
Only an awakening to Jesus Christ can transform this nation, person
by person. If
someone's life style offends you, look inside and repent of
cold-hearted pride. We aren't allowed to hate anyone.
Choose your battles
carefully! Are you motivated by prejudice (pre-condemnation)
or the Holy Spirit who is Love? We aren't fighting against flesh and
blood, but against spiritual powers. Persecution is inevitable for
all who walk the love walk, but there is also persecution for
religious pretense that will reap profound regret. Civil disobedience
is valid when the Holy Spirit directs it, but be prepared to pay the
price.
The
only Biblical definition of the church is a “house
of prayer for all nations.”
That's it. It's that simple! Our bodies are now the temple of God
and prayer is the main event. The
church's primal mission is not to legislate morality or impose a
fascist agenda, but to pray! If prayer is marginalized, and
we keep poking the government in the eye, the persecution will become
so horrific that desperate intercession will flow like a wild river.
It doesn't have to get that bad if we passionately pray now, motivated by love for
others.
Our nation aches to see
Christ's redemptive love, not condemnation and hatred.
Copyright
2015 by Hayden Humphrey
