What Next? How Do We Respond?

As believers, we have a high degree of motivation to live for Christ - because He has loved us and shown mercy toward us, we are called to be merciful toward others, desiring the best for and in other people.  Consider these words from 2nd Corinthians chapter 5:
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

We have a mission in this world - to proclaim the love of Christ, by not only our words, but our actions.  And, if we truly love people, we want the best for them.  That could even mean taking the opportunity to share hard truth with them when we see someone walking in error.  God's love can enable us to overcome the fear to speak and the power of the Spirit can help to shape our words and the tone of our words so that we are making a compelling case for the gospel.

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We are called to be people of mercy who speak God's truth to a culture where you have many who have rejected Him.  2nd Corinthians 4 gives us a sense of His mercy and our mission:
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

The past couple of days on this Front Room commentary, I have highlighted various aspects of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling affirming so-called "same-sex marriage."  On Monday, I highlighted some of the concerns, and yesterday shared how important it is for people of faith to boldly declare God's truth. Today, I want to share more about our response as believers in Christ.


One might ask, "where do we go from here?"  Guests on The Meeting House highlighted how people of faith can respond to this ruling.  At the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando, I spoke with Doug Napier of the Alliance Defending Freedom, who stated, "...It's not a settled social issue; maybe 'settled' as a matter of law according to 5 out of 9 of the Supreme Court justices, but that's a bare majority, and just like with Roe v. Wade, it was not a settled issue then, it still isn't."  He also cautioned about the ripple effect of the high court reaching into the Constitution and pulling out a brand new right “impacting every aspect of commerce, family law, estate law, tax law, and...those that are in Christian business and retailing, they're going to see this coming to their door."

Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation, author of the new book, Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom, related how those who believe in the sanctity of marriage should follow the example of the pro-life movement.  He shared three ideas with me:  one was that the pro-life movement saw Roe as judicial activism and has never accepted it as the truth.  He said that the same thing needs to happen regarding marriage: "We shouldn't think that the Constitution means whatever 5 judges say it means."  

Anderson’s second point was that the pro-life movement worked to ensure their rights of conscience were protected.  He says, and I agree, that no pro-marriage citizen should ever be penalized by the government.  Referring to the First Amendment Defense Act that has been introduced into Congress to provide religious liberty protections:  "...we need to explain why public policy like this is good...why it serves the common good of our nation by protecting our natural rights, including the natural right to the free exercise of religion."

And, his third idea dealt with building a marriage culture.  He said that the pro-life movement bore witness to the truth about the unborn child, and similarly, it's important that we rebuild a strong marriage culture.  "Heterosexuals, for 50 years after the sexual revolution, destroyed the marriage culture.  Redefining marriage is simply the logical conclusion of that."  

Also, at ICRS, I interviewed Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research, who offered these thoughts in response to the Supreme Court ruling: "...I hope we're going to show and share the love of Jesus to a world that needs the love of Jesus; to both see it and...understand it and to hear it and respond to it."  He cautioned against panic and lashing out in fear or anger, encouraging believers "to speak winsomely and graciously...," adding, "The mission field has changed, but the mission hasn't changed."

In our conversation, he said those who hold a perspective on marriage consistent with the Scriptures are part of a "convictional minority."  He cited John 20:21, when Jesus said, "as the Father has sent me, so send I you."  He related that culture changes, but the mission of Jesus doesn't: "we go, we tell, we show, we share."

So, as Stetzer points out, the attitudes of the culture at large have changed.  But, as people of conviction we can seize the opportunities that we have to love Jesus, to love our spouses and reflect God's principles of marriage, and to love God's Word, refusing to accept the attempted redefinition of marriage.   And, where we have opportunity, we speak and live the truth.