Homosexuality & Same Sex Marriage
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered 8/3/03
- The Disastrous Decision of The Supreme Court
I was in Washington D.C. in June of this year (2003)
when the United States Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas
that Texas’s sodomy law was unconstitutional on "right of privacy" and
"equal protections" grounds "guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment of the
U.S. Constitution. The section of the 14th Amendment that they
are referring to is -- No State shall make or enforce any law which
shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United
States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its
jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
This was a disastrous decision! Here is why. Their
decision effectively put an end to the remaining sodomy laws on the books
in 13 states and opened the door to the possibility of same sex marriages
and new laws that will make calling homosexuality sin hate speech.
Homosexual sodomy was criminal conduct in all 50 states
until the 1960’s. Since 1961 homosexual conduct has gone from being a
crime in all 50 states to the Supreme Court ruling that it is protected
behavior under the Law.
I grew up when homosexuality was categorized as a
mental illness and Americans considered it a moral perversion.
And, regardless of what the Supreme Court has ruled, our Supreme God
says it is an abominable moral perversion. All we have to do is
look at Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with
mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an
abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall
be upon them." What does the New Testament have to say? Turn to
Romans 1:26-27 "For this cause God gave them up unto vile
affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that
which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one
toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and
receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet."
From the first book of the Bible it is clear that God’s
judgment has been upon those who practice this sin! In Genesis 19
we see that the old and young men of the city of Sodom intended to molest
the two angels (they thought they were men), which were sent there by God.
It is clear that the men of Sodom preferred men over women. They refused
the two women that were offered to them. In fact, the condition was so bad
that 10 righteous men could not be found. If there had been, God would
have spared them (Genesis 18:23-33). Ultimately God destroyed Sodom
and Gomorrah and the cities of the area because of the prevalence of
homosexuality in that area (19:24-28).
The true story of Sodom and Gomorrah used to be laughed
and even considered fictional by many until the Ebla tablets were
discovered in the 1970's. Many of the tablets recorded trade records with
Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain, proving to the
skeptics they existed. The size of transactions led many historians to
believe the population of the cities of the plain to be around 250,000.
Listen friends, the Sodom area was a fertile area
blessed by God (Genesis 13:10-13). But, instead of being thankful to God
for His blessings the people forgot God, were filled with pride, greed,
and lived for pleasure. (Ezekiel 16:49).
- The Degeneration of America
For years people knew that this vial perversion existed
in our culture, but it was hidden and scorned. All that changed in
the so- called 60’s sexual revolution. The year was 1969. Homosexuality
came "out of the closet" in the June 1969 riot at the Stonewall Bar in
Greenwich Village, New York. It started as a routine police raid, but
homosexuals fought back with bricks. There was 3 days of confrontation.
The event is now celebrated yearly as "Gay Pride Week" symbolizing
rebellion against the establishment and bringing their perversion into the
open. From this, the Gay Rights movement was born. Since then, homosexuals
and those who are sympathetic to their cause have chipped away and chipped
away at the Judeo-Christian sexual values that under girded our nation
until we are where we are at today. Public education, television and the
liberal media are conduits pumping homosexual propaganda into the minds of
Americans young and old. An increasing number of voices are shouting the
lies that the "gay" lifestyle is normal and natural. But, would you
call this a "gay" lifestyle? Homosexuals make up about 4% of the
population. Yet, they have 44% of all male syphilis, 50% of all venereal
disease, 53% of all intestinal diseases, 43% of all hepatitis A, 35% of
all hepatitis B, and 88% of all AIDS cases. The average age of
homosexuals dying with AIDS is 39. The average age of homosexuals dying of
all other causes is only 41. Only 1 percent of homosexuals live to be 65
or older. The suicide rate among homosexuals is 60 times higher than the
general population. They are three times as likely to have alcohol or drug
abuse problems. They are 45 times more likely to be involved in auto
accidents than heterosexuals. The rate of murder among homosexual men is
50 times greater than the general population. God’s hand of judgment is
upon homosexuals.
These people need Christ so that they can be
transformed. God can release a homosexual or lesbian from the bands of
that lifestyle (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
- What are the implications of the recent Supreme Court
ruling?
The Fact Sheet that we get from Family
Research Institute of Wisconsin says,
"In one sweeping action, the Court’s decision
invalidated the sodomy laws of twelve additional states with such laws
on the books. Wisconsin and 36 other states had already repealed their
sodomy laws by either legislative or judicial action prior to the
Lawrence decision….Homosexual activists and pro-family groups
alike recognize that this decision has opened the proverbial
Pandora’s box and has implications far beyond overturning states’
sodomy laws."
What are the implications of the Supreme Court decision
in Lawrence v. Texas? One key thing that will be attacked is the
Biblical definition of marriage. Senator Scott L. Fiztgerald,
(Republican from Juno) said, "the institution of marriage has served our
society well, based on Judeo-Christian values and I think it should be
protected." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Officials to debate same-sex
unions; B1 & 2).
Friends, the Bible is clear. Marriage is between a man
and a woman! God made Eve and brought her to Adam (Genesis 2:22).
Moses, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul affirm this.
Moses - Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall
a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:
and they shall be one flesh.
Christ - Mark 10:7 For this cause
shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
Paul - Ephesians 5:31 For this cause
shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his
wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
The Biblical family is the backbone of society!
When then family is destroyed the culture is doomed. In fact, this was a
key contributing factor in the demise of Rome.
The battle lines are being drawn as I speak. The
liberals are intent on following Ontario Canada lead in pressing for
same-sex marriage. Most conservatives rightly want to retain the status
quo. For example, President Bush was asked the following question during a
Wednesday (July 30, 2003) news conference in the White House Rose Garden –
- QUESTION:
Thank you, sir. Mr. President, many of
your supporters believe that homosexuality is immoral. They believe
that it's been given too much acceptance in policy terms and culturally.
As someone who's spoken out in strongly moral terms, what's your view
on homosexuality?
BUSH: Yes, I am mindful that we're all sinners.
And I caution those who may try to take the speck out of the neighbor's
eye when they've got a log in their own. I think it's very important for
our society to respect each individual, to welcome those with good hearts,
to be a welcoming country. On the other hand, that does not mean that
somebody like me needs to compromise on an issue such as marriage. And
that's really where the issue is headed here in Washington, and that is
the definition of marriage. I believe in the sanctity of marriage.
I believe a marriage is between a man and a woman. And I think
we ought to codify that one way or the other. And we've got
lawyers looking at the best way to do that.
As a result of our President’s comments,
"Representative Jan Schakowsky, Democrat from Illinois, sent a letter to
the president complaining that he ‘seemed to equate homosexuality with
sin. While you may not approve of homosexuality, as the leader of all
Americans, you have no right to make such a judgment.’" (USA Today;
Thursday, July 31, 2003; President wants to ‘codify’ marriage –
Legislation in works to deny rights to gays).
Homosexuality IS sin according to God’s Word, the Bible
and the President not only has a right but a responsibility as a "minister
of God to thee for good" and a Christian to call it sin (see Romans 13:4).
That is the decree of God. That needs to be our verdict also. We must
clearly stand against homosexuality and same-sex marriage and stand for
Biblical marriage.
We are living in an age similar to the time of Isaiah
when he delivered God's warning, "Woe to those who call evil good, and
good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness" (Isaiah
5:20). Throughout our society there are many who are trying to force
others to accept perversions of God's creation, which God plainly calls
sin. It was God's design to create us male and female (Genesis 1:27). And,
as we pointed out earlier, from the very beginning, man was to "leave his
father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one
flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Ever since this beginning, homosexuality and
lesbianism have been a perversion of God's purpose for His Creation. It is
a sin that often brings judgment in this life and, if unrepented of, will
always cause condemnation in the next.
Seek to win people to Christ, then their lives will
change
Preach God’s truth from the pulpit
Teach God’s truth in our homes
Model God’s truth in our lives
Speak God’s truth in public
Pray for our public officials
Urge them to vote right
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