Gay Marriage and the Sovereignty of God

The news entering this weekend was that New York has become the sixth and largest state to sanction gay marriage.  At this time, the majority of Americans do not approve of gay marriage, they still believe that marriage,by definition is to be between a man and a woman.  However, as time passes that majority is dwindling, so unless something happens, gay marriage will eventually be the norm of our land.

But what could happen to change this destiny.  Can we change the minds of those who ardently want their lifestyle approved and sanctioned by the state as normal?   Can we change their minds by reason and debate?  Can we make our protests and demonstrations just as loud as theirs so that we can be heard?  Yes, we can do those things, but will it change minds.   I don't think so, and here is why.

In Romans 1, Paul begins to demonstrate the universality of sin.  The core of our sin is that we have rejected God.  We have chosen to worship created things, rather than the creator.  Some would say that in America we don't have idols (except American Idol).  However, just because we have not carved out a God and worship it, does not mean that we are not guilty of idolatry.  What is our priority in life is our God, whether it be an idol, or a job, or a car, or a person.  We even have created our own God from the Bible.  We have stripped him of judgment and have said that He is only love.  Therefore, we have created an idol of our own imagination. 

As a result of our abandoning the worship of the God who has revealed himself clearly to all of humanity.  The Bible says that, "since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done."  Romans 1:28  The word debased here means, not approved.  Therefore, those who continually embrace behavior as normal and moral that which God has said is abnormal and immoral has a debased mind.  Their thinking is actually an expression of God's judgment.  Therefore, our reasoning and protests fall on deaf ears, unless God opens them.

The only answer to gay marriage in America is a spiritual awakening, what we sometimes call revival.  We need a great movement of the Spirit of God in our land.  But if revival is to come to our land it will not begin in the hearts of those who support gay marriage, it will begin in the hearts of the people in the church.  Revival will happen when we spend less time confessing the sins of the world, and more time confessing our own sin. God says revival will come when His people who are called by His name, humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. 2 Chronicles 7:14.  One of our sins is singling out homosexuality as the worse sin and often times demonstrating hate rather than the love of God for homosexuals. 

Maybe when we our more concerned about cleaning up God's house rather than the state house, revival will come to our land.  When God's people are right then the world will hear a clear message coming from lives that reflect the message of the Gospel.  God's spirit which revived His church may then awaken a nation.  May we pray and seek His face until that day comes.  Think about it.