Thoughts on Obergefell v Hodges

“If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
― Martin Luther

This statement by Martin Luther is not at all comforting. It would be so much easier to pick topics on which there is little or no conflict as the areas where I will stand up and fight for God’s truth – but that would certainly be akin to desertion. If you’re not fighting where you’re needed, you’re not fighting at all.

We Americans are significantly divided on almost any topic. Even the idea of “God, home and apple pie” being definitively American would bring plenty of conflict today. So, it should be no surprise to anyone that marriage, and specifically same-sex marriage is the most divisive issue in our country today. Since I am writing this on June 26, 2015, I literally mean today because this is the day that the Supreme Court issued their decision in the case of Obergefell et al, v. Hodges, Director, Ohio Department of Health, et al that same sex marriages must be recognized throughout the United States.

I recognize that there is an element to this issue that makes it one on which there was never really any possibility of compromise. To change sides on the issue means one has abandoned one’s underlying world view and accepted an opposing world view. That underlying element is the issue of whether one’s world view embraces the Word of God as the appropriate basis for all decisions, or one holds to a world view that places little or no value on the Word of God. If the Word of God is of little or no value to you, you wind up in the “If it feels good, do it” camp. If the Word of God is precious to you, you wind up in the camp that says “If God says no, He means no.”

Another facet of my feelings on the issue is that I never condemn non-believers for ignoring the Word of God. If they truly don’t believe, that is between them and God. I can grieve for them, and I can pray for them. I might fault them if their behavior is illegal and harmful to others, but that is about their behavior, not their belief. When a pagan ignores God they are just being who they are. Frankly, I have deeper concerns for those who claim to believe in God and trust Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation – but continue to ignore God’s Word.

To bring this post to a finish, I have to say that if you do not believe in God, I cannot expect you to stand against same-sex marriage. We disagree and we will continue to do so, but I will not waste our time trying to change your mind. If you believe in God and hold His Word as a precious gift, I would expect you to stand up and speak the truth that same-sex marriage (any same-sex sexual relationship, for that matter) is wrong and should not be condoned. From a legal point of view, all of the arguments are moot now, anyway. But the divide between legal and illegal is not the same as the divide between right and wrong.