Opus 2013-220: Headlines: Homosexuality Wins, Part 3 of 3, How Do We Respond?

How are we who believe the Bible to respond to the current decisions by the Supreme Court?  Their decisions go directly opposite of our understanding and morality.   What are we to do?  We live in a society that still pays lip service to the democratic dream.  No one I know is talking about a theocracy.  We still believe in the rule of law.  We do, but I am not sure that the courts do.  Until we are locked up we can continue to write, phone and post.  From all the polls, though, it would seem that there are not enough of us to matter anymore.  I don’t usually believe polls but what I see in the young people I know tells me they have been reprogrammed.

How are we to respond?  First, we continue to live as the Bible tells us to live.  This is not the first time in history that Christians have been required to live in a culture that rejects them.  We are still expected to love our neighbors, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile and love the Lord our God with all our mind, heart, soul and strength.  Read the parts of the Bible that deal with Israel in exile and the church under persecution.  Keep the faith.

How are we to respond?  Stand up and be counted.  We cannot shut up or shut down.  We still have a gospel to proclaim.  If you follow the news you have read about the military telling soldiers they can be court marshaled for sharing their faith.  Remember what Peter said when he was told to sit down and shut up.

(Acts 4:18 KJV)  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

If it means being forced out of the military, so be it.  That will be applied to all of us soon.

How are we to respond?  Speak the truth in love.  I am a teacher in the public school system.  I have already been called into the office because I have answered students questions about what I think about homosexual marriage.  Interestingly enough, I was not called in for telling where I stood but for saying I stood there because the Bible was my source of right and wrong.  It was the Bible that caused the real problem.  I have told my wife not to be surprised if I ended up losing my job over the issue of homosexuality.  Time will tell.  Truth must be told.  It is called living by faith.

How are we to respond?  I am wondering if we need to follow the lead of the Amish.  They made a decision to dress a certain way and publicly reject certain innovations.  I am aware of the dangers of legalism and how shallow a dress code can be, but maybe it is time.  The standards should be modesty and integrity.  It can’t be as simple as wearing a cross, even pagans will do that.  It might be getting a copyright on an ornament and only allowing people to wear it who agree to a statement of faith.  I know that it means being different.

How are we to respond?  Accept that we are different.  We will not fit in.  We will suffer.  The suffering does not need to mean concentration camps or prison.  It can be as simple as social rejection, lack of promotion or being banned from certain jobs.  It will come.  It is here now.  Talk to outspoken believers in the academic world.  They have been denied tenure and had their thesis rejected because of what they believe, not because of their qualifications. 

Today we live in a different world than we did a few weeks ago. 

What always cheers me up is the knowledge that I have read the Book and I know who wins.

homo unius libri