FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS

volume 11, number 22, May 31, 2012

For the waters of Dimon are full of blood. Surely I will bring added woes upon Dimon, a lion upon the fugitives of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land, Isaiah 15:9.

Who Can Endure the Day of His Coming?

CNN reporter Don Lemon, on his CNN Newsroom segment “No Talking Points” recently ran an old clip of Alabama Governor George Wallace saying, “Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever,” and the crowd cheered. Lemon then said, “Honestly, can you imagine having uttered these words in front of television cameras and being one of the people in the crowd cheering . . . That was not so long ago . . . Now think about how far we have come and think about what this might sound like a few decades from now.” Lemon then played the film clip of Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaking at the Liberty University commencement saying, “Marriage is between one man and one woman.” The crowd cheered.

Lemon’s obvious point is that Mitt Romney’s statement concerning traditional marriage is the same kind of hateful discrimination as that of George Wallace’s segregationist stance and those who cheered him in it. For the record—after the assassination attempt on George Wallace in the 1972 Presidential race, Wallace became a Christian, repented of his racist views, and apologized to the black people of Alabama, asking for their forgiveness. Lemon is using the same flawed argument which proponents of “Gay marriage” have used for some time—that it is a civil right that ought to provide the same tax benefits, health insurance coverage, etc. of heterosexual, married couples. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s own granddaughter recently and correctly pointed out that gay marriage is not a civil right. Our President, whom Newsweek is calling our first Gay President, as you know, has recently gone on record supporting Gay marriage.

Knowingly or unknowingly, Mr. Lemon, in his “No Talking Points” segment is insinuating that anyone opposed to Gay marriage is a racist or homophobic. He fails to acknowledge that Christians have Biblical reasons for rejecting homosexuality in general and Gay marriage in particular. Some will argue that homosexuality is by “nature, not by nurture.” That is, homosexuals are born that way and thus cannot be held responsible for their behavior. First of all, there is no proof of a “gay gene” that causes people to desire people of the same sex. But even if scientists do find one this still does not alter the Bible’s strong prohibition of homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27). It does not necessarily follow that because someone is inclined toward a particular behavior he is free to act upon that impulse. A young boy sexually abused by a man does not have the liberty later to act on his just anger and murder the perpetrator, no matter how heinous the man’s actions were, “ . . . with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance for one another in love,” (Ephesians 4:2). A man who finds himself drawn sexually to women still does not have the right to act on that impulse outside the bounds of his own heterosexual marriage (Hebrews 13:4).

So our President is now on record. He supports homosexual marriage. So do some forty-two percent of Americans. Don Lemon may be right about one thing—there may come a time when the vast majority in the U.S. look back at Romney’s Liberty University speech with contempt. This, however, will not alter God’s view of the matter.

The prophet Isaiah, probably prophesying during the reign of Hezekiah as the Assyrians were bearing down on Israel; pronounces judgment on Israel’s wicked neighbor to the east, Moab, a nation of polytheists whose major god was Chemosh, a deity which seduced Israel into spiritual and literal harlotry (Numbers 25:1ff, Judges 10:6). Adherents to Chemosh were given over to cult homosexual prostitution (1 Kings 14:24) and they offered human sacrifices to appease him (2 Kings 3:27). Knowing what God says about idolatry, sexual sin (prostitution, fornication, adultery, and homosexuality), and murder we should not be surprised to find Isaiah prophesying their coming doom (Isaiah 15-16). He says that the waters of their major city, Dimon, were filled with blood, probably meaning that dead bodies had been thrown into the river. And there was to be no rest from the avenger for lions would attack them as they fled for their lives.

May I suggest that our nation’s increasing support of homosexual marriage, our unmitigated culture of death (abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, and homosexuality—HIV, high death rate due to suicide, violence)—place us under the same wrath God promised and carried out upon Moab.

Where are the preachers, the prophets, who will proclaim boldly and confidently, “Do not return to folly,” (Psalm 85:8)? How much longer will God put up with us? He is pouring out His wrath on the world (Romans 1:18). We are storing up wrath from God by our continued sinful disobedience (Romans 2:4ff). Will the populace listen? Will such forebodings make any difference? We do not know. We can hope they will, but regardless of how the message is received, the prophet must continue to warn people to flee from the wrath which is to come and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Preacher, will you preach the whole counsel of God? Don’t shrink from it.

At the same time, however, do not allow the strong position against homosexual marriage and the homosexual lifestyle harden your hearts against homosexuals. You are to love them, to offer them Jesus, to point them to the cross where there is true freedom from the slavery of sin (Romans 6:20-23). You can befriend gay couples without compromising your Christian position. How? Do unto them as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12). Love them as neighbors (Matthew 22:39). Pray for them. Let them know you are a Christian and believe the Bible and wish to see them converted but you will remain their friend, no matter what happens.