Many of you may read the title of this blog and think that I am going to write about the Supreme Court decision. Well, you would be right in a sense. I want to write about it, but from a different angle.
I have read a few things about the decision through social media today. Most are in favor of the decision and I'm honestly not surprised. We live in a day and age when decisions like this will happen. Does it affect my beliefs as a Christian and what I will teach as a pastor? No. I will still believe, teach, and preach what I know to be true. Does that make me a bad person? I guess it depends on who you talk to.
One of things that has saddened me throughout this whole debate is the attitudes from both sides towards the other side of the issue. I have written posts and a book (Millennial Gospel http://www.amazon.com/Millennial-Gospel-Ryan-Reveley-ebook/dp/B00UDAAS22/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435337643&sr=8-1&keywords=millennial+gospel) about the attitude of the church over this and other issues like it. What also saddens me is the attitude from supporters of gay marriage towards Christians.
Now, will I support gay marriage or the homosexual lifestyle? No. Will I marry a homosexual couple? No. I can't because the Bible I read and believe in does not support either. Now, before you want to lynch me, here me out. While I don't support those lifestyles, I also don't support any lifestyles opposed to God's word and that includes my own. I have a somewhat addictive personality. There are certain things that I will talk myself into trying and not be able to break away from. This is why I struggled with pornography for a large part of my life. It was a destructive lifestyle that hurt me and others around me. I do not support that now or then, even when I was in the middle of it. As a believer in Christ, I cannot support things that do not honor God. So, I am saddened when people call Christians like me bigots, intolerant, relics to be forgotten, etc. just because we do not believe the same.
One thing I will not do is push my beliefs on anyone. That is not the way Jesus did it and that is not the way his followers should do it. Therefore, why should Christians be forced to believe the same as supporters of gay marriage? There is a call for Christians to abandon their beliefs and come to the other side of the argument. If we don't, then we will be forgotten by history and forced to be corrected. Is that real equality? Equality can be achieved even if we don't agree.
I have a close friend who is a Green Bay Packers fan. I hate the Packers because I am a Chicago Bears fan. Now, I could be really extreme and tell him, "If you don't stop rooting for the Packers, then we can't be friends anymore." But, that is silly, right? I know that is a silly analogy, but the idea behind it can be applied. I can tell someone who supports homosexuality that we can't be friends anymore and they need to believe in what I tell them to believe. But, would that be right? No. Will I tell them the truth that I believe in and tell them that I don't agree with their lifestyle and other life decisions they make? Of course, if I value them as a friend.
My goal as a Christian is to bring people close to Christ; my goal is not to push them away by trying to correct behavior. I couldn't correct my own behavior when I was dealing with pornography. The only One who changed me was Christ. I want to be friends with people and treat them as people. That also means that I will share the truth that I believe in with them. If they get upset, I can't help that. But, I won't beat them over the head with it.
So, I ask as we move forward as a country, don't expect me or other Christians like me to come over to your side of the argument. We will do our best not to impose our beliefs, but we will share them any chance we get. That is what we were saved for and called to do. We will do our best not to label you and so I ask that you not label us either.
I want all people to know the hope and grace that is found in Christ. I want all people to know how he loves us so much that he does not want to leave us the same. Does that make me intolerant? Depends on who you ask. Will I stop believing that and change my mind? Never because I answer to a King who lived a perfect life for me and died in my place. I answer to a King who took the punishment my sins deserved so that if I believe in him, I will have life and life eternal. My King did not abandon me so I will not abandon him no matter what.
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