Gay Marriage: For or Against?

[Sabby]

My 22 year old godson asked me about this two years ago and asked me what I thought of gay marriage. I said I have three views. One is founded upon the Word of God, one is founded in the constitution and the other is my personal view.
Just to make it short, as a Christian that believes what the apostle Paul said about the subject, I believe that it is as much a sin as adultery, hatred, extortion, murder and the like. That said, sinners (homosexuals) that come to God must come to Him on His terms, which are clearly expressed in his Word. One of His terms is that we repent, stop, cease, abstain from those fleshly lusts which war against the soul! Nowhere in the NT is there an exception to the rule that a certain class of sinful behavior is morally acceptable. Gays and lesbians do not have the right to practice homosexual sex after conversion anymore than an extortioner, murderer or adulterer.
It is what it is. That is my personal and scriptural opinion.
The third opinion I have though has to do with the constitution of the U.S. There is such a thing as state's rights as well. Some states, like Mass, Hawaii, Iowa have legalized gay marriage. It is up to the citizens of those states to change those laws if they so choose (but first need to replace lawyers in black robes). Until the laws are changed, it remains legal for gays to marry. Some states have made it a part of their constitutions, the legal argument being made that consenting homosexual adults of majority (over 18) have a right to have a legal (marriage) contract giving them the same rights (opportunity) to marriage as heterosexuals. No matter how church folk try to spin it, there is a civil right component here. The question is not where does the state stand in this but where is the church?
The legal vs the church. Kind of ironic, isn't it?
JMO, but I get irritated when after having performed a marriage ceremony I still have to submit the marriage license to the county to make it "legit".
The state needs that information for taxation and census purposes. I submit that in the realm of marriage, the state has been corrupted and has removed their own moral authority.
I believe the day will come that Christians will be married in church, period. We are enjoined to obey the powers that be until that "power" demands a violation of our Christian conscience. And Christians ought not be guilted into thinking they do not have the right to be opposed to a morally sinful lifestye!
So (as a previous thread put it) let there BE church/state separation! Keep the state from interfering with the internal (marriage) affairs of Church. And keep the Church from making it a legal requirement for Americans to become Christians.


BTW, if your local church by-laws are not drawn up properly (and soon!) you may find yourselves in legal hot water. There won't be any "grandfathering" of any modifications once you have been slapped with a discrimination lawsuit. Protect yourself against the state.