Oct 23, 2014
I felt I had to write and urge you to contend
for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Jude 3
I desire to reach people of every persuasion…liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican, churched and unchurched…with the message of God’s love extended to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. I avoid speaking out on political issues because God’s love extends to people of every political persuasion. But there are times when a political issue is also a moral and spiritual issue. And I am compelled to take a stand.
Gay marriage is a political issue, but there is no question that it is also a moral and spiritual issue. In 2012 my home state of North Carolina passed a marriage amendment to our constitution that defined marriage exclusively as the union between a man and a woman. I supported this amendment for the following reasons:
Biblically: Marriage is not a “right.” It is the very first institution ordained by God, and applies to all humanity, not just Jews and Christians. It was emphatically reconfirmed by Jesus in the New Testament. It is not up for redefinition from God’s perspective.
Spiritually: Because we live in such perilous, unstable times economically, environmentally, politically, globally, racially and even religiously, we need the security that comes from God’s protection and blessing. This is not the time to defy Him by flaunting an institution He has clearly ordained, thus provoking His displeasure.
Practically: Marriage is the cornerstone of a civil and just society, and the bedrock of any healthy civilization. It creates a framework within which people can grow and prosper, and it provides the only natural means of procreation. It is in the vital best interests of any society to preserve it for the overall health, stability, and prosperity of its people.
Personally: My understanding of marriage was shaped by the tender relationship I witnessed between my Father and Mother, who were happily married for 64 years. One of the most precious things to me is that at the end of Mother’s life, when she was struggling day by day, Daddy’s love for her seemed to grow stronger. Their legacy of love includes five children, 19 grandchildren and over forty great-grandchildren – all who look to their relationship as a flesh and blood example of what marriage was designed by God to be.
The majority of North Carolinians supported this amendment and voted for it to become part of our state’s constitution. Yet on Friday, October 10, 2014, one judge, U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn, overturned the will of the people, and decided the amendment was “unconstitutional.” This ruling opened the door for homosexuals to legally marry in North Carolina. Every day the state newspapers are filled with pictures of homosexual couples kissing, saying their wedding vows, and lining up at adoption agencies.
How do Christians respond? We pray. We share God’s love for all. But we also have the privilege to respond The American Way. Go to the polls now during early voting or on November 4th and vote your Biblical values. I voted on the first day of early voting. And with the help of knowledgeable friends, I voted with confidence and conviction for those I believe have similar values to mine. Make it your priority to know the candidates you are voting for, from the Senate to the House of Representatives to the judicial races to every other contest on the ballot. Nothing less than God’s blessing…or judgment…is at stake in North Carolina and beyond.
P.S. To access a NC Values Voter Guide: Click Here.
1This blog has been adapted from an earlier one published on April 2012—before the Marriage Amendment was passed.
