Marriage Rally in Springfield

Today, Feb. 20th, there will be a rally in Springfield, IL, the capital of Illinois. What is the rally about? It is in support of traditional marriage. Last week the Illinois Senate voted to approve same-sex marriage, making it legal for couples of the same sex to be legally married. In our society today, that sounds like a logical step. But for a Christian, it is an abomination.

At creation, the Lord made a man and a woman (Adam and Eve). This is a basic statement that many people deny. In order to accept same sex relationships, you have to deny the creation of one man and one women, the start of all humanity. God made man and woman to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it." (Genesis 1:28) Can we deny this fact of creation? Jesus didn't. He fully accepted creation as He said, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female..." (Matthew 19:4) God made man and woman for each other - to be joined together as one flesh: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) Marriage is meant for one man and one woman, not for those of the same sex.

The nation is working to redefine marriage to accept the sinful relationship of same sex relationship. Yes, same sex relationships are sinful. God did not make man for man nor woman for woman. That type of relationship comes from the sinful nature that desires that which is not God-pleasing but is pleasing to the sinful nature. There are many who find great pleasure in the sexual relationship with those of the same sex. Does that make it right? No it doesn't. It is still sinful. In the same way that a man can find great pleasure in the sexual relationship with a woman, but if they are not married, it is sinful. There is no such thing as a God-pleasing sexual relationship outside of the marriage relationship (that is something that the world, and some Christian churches, are trying to convince us of as well). The sexual relationship is meant for one man and one woman inside the bonds of the relationship as husband and wife.

Is homosexuality a sin? Yes. First, the Lord condemns it. "And you shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." (Lev. 18:22) Many will say, "that is old law. We live in the new law of love." The old law also says we shouldn't steal. Should we be allowed to take what is not ours just because we live in the new law of love? Of course not. It also says we should not murder. Should we allow life to be taken just because we live in the new law of love? Of course not.

But lest you think that it is only an Old Testament prohibition: "Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, not idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves...will inherit the kingdom of heaven." (1 Cor. 6:9-1) Then no one can be saved! You are right. By our actions, we cannot be saved. It is only by the grace of God that we are saved. And when we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we are also saying that we will turn from our sinful behavior to follow him. So the adulterer will stop committing adultery. The thief wills top stealing. And the homosexual will stop having sexual relationships with those of the same sex. It is pretty plain and straightforward.

So I come back to the rally in Springfield. I will not be there because of responsibilities here. But I fully support the rally. I am in full support of traditional marriage. As a Christian, I can do nothing less.

Now I know there will be Christians who will stand opposed to this rally and stand opposed to the position that homosexuality is a sin. I will be accused of being a homophobe. If by that you mean that I find it an abomination, then you would be correct. If you mean that I am afraid of homosexuality, have an innate draw to it, or whatever, then you are wrong. It is so easy to throw that out there and say, "He is a homophobe" just to discredit the person who speaks against the sin of homosexuality. That is wrong but it is the way things are done today. Label someone and that means that their view is wrong too. Sorry folks, that doesn't work in God's eyes. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Why is it that homosexuality is such a big thing now? I think it might have something to do with what God says in Romans 1: "Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason god gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, committing shameless acts with men..." (Romans 1:24-27)

I hope and pray that the leaders in Springfield will listen to the voice of the Christian church as it proclaims the sanctity of traditional marriage.