Who Tells You "No?"

President Obama has announced that he is now in favor of gay marriage. His views have changed through the years as have the American public's views on the subject. More folks, according to some polls, are in favor of same sex marriage. I don't know if that is why President Obama changed his mind, evolved as he called it, or not but it is curious timing in an election year. In an interview with ABC, the president did say that his daughters, Malia and Sasha had an influence on his decision. With many of his daughter's friends having gay parents and their thinking that this was normal their acceptance influenced his acceptance.

So now the experience, understanding, and morals of teenagers are teaching and shaping the views of the American President and his nation. Does anyone see something backward here? Maybe I'm just remembering wrongly but I seem to recall a day when the parents helped shaped the view, morals, and understandings of the kids. Silly notion I guess.

When it comes to sexual issues, racial issues, financial issues, family issues and morality we find ourselves greatly divided in this nation. Even Christians have radically divergent views on the issues and interpretations of the bible to "back them up."  Who is right? I'd like to suggest a little backing up or at least some background work before you "evolve" to your own standing on this or any issue. Please consider the following:

The Right-- Who has the right to decide what is right or wrong? Who has that kind of authority? My belief, and we all start with a belief (apriori assumption),  is that God as He has revealed Himself through the bible has the authority to make those decisions and declare right from wrong, good from bad, just from evil.  On a personal basis I must ask myself who has the right to tell me "no" or tell me what I need to do, other than my wife, of course? The simple answer is God has that authority. Then one begins to grapple with what exactly has God said to do or not to do, to be or not to be. Here many interpretations are still available but God has the right to say about His creation what is right, proper, good, just, loving, and in accordance with his will and purpose.

The Reason--If  (and I mean since) God has the right, does He have, and does He reveal the reasons behind His declarations of right, wrong, good, evil, sin and righteousness along with His purpose for mankind? In most cases God does reveal the reason behind  His purposes and declarations of right and wrong. The First Reason, one definition of God, is that He is God and can say and decide what He wants to. But the Bible reveals beyond the first reason is that God's character is actually what determines what is good, right, just, merciful, kind and loving. God has total fidelity to His character. This brings constancy, not mere consistency, to questions of morality and justice and God is constantly, totally, always true to His character which is revealed most clearly in Jesus as kind, loving, merciful, forgiving, generous, sacrificial and right. Another word the Bible uses to say this is "holy." Therefore, the reason God would declare something right, wrong, false, true, hopeful, helpful, and loving is that it was true to His holy character. It therefore would mean that in questions I have about issues I should seek to know the character of God to help me determine what is right or wrong.

Reason II also falls in with the definition of God as revealed in the Bible. God is all-knowing. He knows more about sin and wrong than I do. If He says "no" I may not like it, it may feel wrong, it may oppose my will. But if He is all knowing then I must humbly admit that I am not and trust Him. Let me give you an example. If I seem my toddler who has just learned to walk reach up and start to pull a pot of boiling water off the stove and on to his head, I don't consider if the toddler has friends whose parents let them pull pots on to their heads or search the latest ABCMSNBCCNNFOX poll to see if the American public think its okay. I yell NO and scare the kid away from the stove, not because I'm mean but because I know what the effects could be. That is disciplining love. We learn to trust that since God knows and if he says "no," we need to heed.

Responsibility--- Now I am better equipped to tackle some issues. I may not have total clarity but knowing that God has the right to declare what is right and wrong, good and evil, then I can look at what He has actually said in His word. I can also see the reasons revealed that are accord with His revealed character and purposes. I then have the responsibility to make a decision based on revealed truth (reason) and humble myself, my opinions, my desires, my will, my pride to his right (authority) to tell me what is best for His kingdom and for me.

Applied to this issue of same sex marriage, the answer comes to me that it is wrong. The bible speaks to the issue for periods over 3000 years and in half a dozen cultures. In all that time and in all those cultures it is always declared wrong. The reason has to do with the purpose of mankind in creation. God made mankind both male a female after his image (Gen 1:26-28). To achieve the oneness in which the nature of God is enjoyed and displayed in the relationship,it requires male and female. To be true to the fullest revelation of God in the union both male and female are necessary. In our culture we have tended to take God out of nearly everything that didn't make us feel good or cozy or sweet or give me what I wanted when I wanted it. That goes back to the garden of Eden. In God's image, there is both male and female, and He intended marriage to reflect that. Yes, the world is mesed up, fallen, sinful but even when it goes against public opinion, personal wants or desires, we are still responsible for choosing God's revealed will over ours. It's a matter of trust and obedience but not just in homosexual issues, but in heterosexual unions, marriages, race, finance, law and justice. God has the right to tell us "no" and He always shows us His better "yes" when we have committed our lives to Him in a trusting relationship. We are called to be true to Him above all else as he is to His own character.

Mr President, your kids got this one wrong.

Cos