The two rulings of the United States Supreme Court this week in essence affirming gay marriage was inevitable and these decisions have also set the stage for further litigation. The winners are those who support the homosexual agenda, and especially lawyers who are bound to prosper from the lawsuits brought against states and private entities. The losers are those who support Orthodox Christian beliefs, traditional families, children, and America. Like other countries who have adopted such policies the number of marriages even among heterosexual couples will most likely decline in our country. With a continued decline in traditional marriage America will become a less religious and less stable society in the generations that follow.

As written in an earlier post the push for gay marriage has never been about equality, but about destroying traditional America and its Judeo-Christian beliefs. In March of this year I wrote an article entitled “The Evolution of Beliefs” in association with the topic of gay marriage, and I would encourage you to read that article again. I also recommended a book by Dr. Erwin Lutzer entitled “The Truth about Same-Sex Marriage,” and you can purchase a copy from Barnes & Noble for less than ten dollars. Dr. Lutzer provides valuable insight as he quotes the political and cultural leaders of the homosexual movement about their real agenda.

As a Christian who believes the Bible to be the very Word of God and accurate in all its teachings, I find it horrifying to see the rise in percentages of those who claim to follow Christ supporting gay marriage and the homosexual agenda. The numbers seem to indicate the shift of support for gay marriage is occurring mostly in adolescents and young adult populations. To be fair there’s also been a noted change in the attitudes among those in their 30s and 40s as well. The media and public schools have been extremely successful in normalizing homosexual behavior by bombarding our society through film and television, and as well with pro-homosexual materials and slanted studies. They’ve been so successful that many in the Church have been swayed in their beliefs.

Now here’s the absurdity of Christians supporting gay marriage. First the term “gay” is a politically correct term that softens the reality surrounding the real issue of homosexuality, and that issue is sin. As Christians we are often quick to fall in line and adopt secular slang, arguments, and positions without examining them in the light of God’s Word. The Scriptures leave no room for debate that this particular behavior is sinful. If Christians follow the logic of secular society that says homosexuality is genetically determined and therefore not a sin they stand in direct opposition to God. Truthfully, we’re all genetically predisposed to sin because of our sin nature, and this places homosexuals in the same position with the rest of humanity. Our genetic makeup is not an excuse for the sinful choices we make in life, and for Christians to support such ideas is heretical.

The whole idea that we do not choose who we love is a lie. We make choices every day based upon our own personal preferences, and especially those with whom we choose to enter into intimate relationships. To justify the sin of homosexuality is no different than justifying any other sin such as adultery, or God forbid something as vile as bestiality. Just because a majority of people say something is right doesn’t make it so. The ultimate arbitrator of right and wrong is God; He has clearly defined the standards of right and wrong as revealed in His Word, and for those who are to be in a right standing with Him. Homosexuality cannot be defended biblically just as the mass murdering of children in the womb is indefensible. There is no excuse.

I understand there’s a growing number of families’ having to deal with this issue, and even Christian families are not immune from the homosexual debate. We have family, friends, and coworkers who are coming out of “the closet” who we love forcing us to deal with this not just in society but in the church also. Many Christians in their desire to be supportive and understanding have attempted to alter their biblical views in order to be accepting, and in so doing they unwittingly subvert truth and oppose God. Our acceptance and love for another is never dependent upon our approving of their behavioral choices.

I leave you with two thoughts.

One, the words of Christ as He addresses the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 7:53 – 8:11). Note in the passage that Christ Jesus lovingly accepts the woman but He does not condone her sin. He sends her away with an explicit command to change and sin no more. Obviously there’s much more to this passage, but His not condemning her shouldn’t be construed as approval. His act is one of grace and mercy in accordance with His divine nature as God, and part of the mission of His first advent.

Two, I share with you a quote from Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council in regards to gay marriage. Mr. Perkins stated, “You can make it legal, you can never make it right.” No matter what decisions the Supreme Court makes in the future or the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President of the United States, if they are contrary to the Word of God they will always be wrong. As Christians we need to remember that our God is greater than the United States and her governing bodies; God's idea of marriage has always been and always will be one man and on woman for a lifetime. 

Blessings,
Rod

This is a great two minute video we purchased last week to show for Father's Day.  

In the fall of 1985 my wife Teresa and I were living in Lynchburg Virginia and she was pregnant with our first child. To say the least we were overjoyed with all that was taking place in our lives. Not only were we expecting our first child, but I was finishing my senior year at Liberty University and the life ahead looked promising.

Many evenings we would sit on the couch and talk about our plans and dreams all the while with my hand on Teresa’s belly. We talked about the many possible names for both boys and girls, and I remind you at that time it wasn’t always possible to know the sex of the child before its birth. There were names I liked that Teresa didn’t and vice versa. Jokingly, we had affectionately named our pre-born child “Oscar,” now both of us knew this wouldn’t be his or her name after birth. Every day we would talk about “Oscar” and the life ahead for this child. There were also days we talked directly to “Oscar” as if he/she could hear and understand every word we spoke. As the weeks passed we loved this child more and more just as most parents do who are expecting. Funny thing is we did the same type of stuff with our second child except for giving him a pet name.

It’s amazing the depth of love we can have for someone we’ve never met before, and when that first meeting comes the emotions can be overwhelming. When my first son was born, whose name by the way is Joshua and not Oscar, I returned to the father’s changing room and collapse to my knees thanking God for this new life. Five years later with the birth of our second son the emotions were just as strong as my knees buckled and I bowed to God thanking Him once again for the life He entrusted to our care.

After my call to ministry I began a practice of dedicating my preaching Bibles; it’s not uncommon for me to wear a Bible out every few years as I read through it and make notations on various passages. My first Bible was a gift from my wife which I dedicated to my oldest son Joshua, and the second was dedicated to my son Tanner which was given to me on the day of my ordination. In each I wrote a note to them expressing my love for them and the Word of God. In expectation of my sons getting married one day and having children of their own, I've also dedicated other Bibles to the grandchildren I anticipate being born. None of us know what tomorrow holds for our lives, but I want my future grandchildren to know that before they were even conceived they were already loved. Every day I pray for my sons, their future wives and children, and that God will bless and use them in a mighty way to bring glory to His name.

So why have I adopted this practice? Some might even think this odd, but it wasn't so with God. In one sense this is what God has done by giving us His Word. In eternity past God not only knew me by name, but He also loved me dearly just as He does all His children. Throughout the New Testament the expression of God’s love for those He would call seemingly spring off every page. The Scriptures teach us that before the Earth was created, and the universe in which it resides, God had a plan and a purpose for our lives. It blows me away when I think about how He knew everything about me; in His mind I already existed. Knowing every twist and turn of humanity before it happened God still chose to love us, and He provided a way for eternal life and fellowship with Him through His Son Jesus the Christ.

In closing pay special attention to the following passages from Ephesians and Second Timothy. And as you read these verse don’t fall into the trap of getting all caught up in the doctrines of predestination and free will, for if you do you’ll miss the blessing of God’s greatness and His sovereignty. 

Both verses reveal the truth of God’s love through His forethought, and we should rejoice in the love God demonstrated for us before creation. The bottom line is this; God in His foreknowledge of mankind’s failure still chose to love us in eternity past and follow through with His creative plans. We could say He “pre-loved” us, and that love wasn't free. His love for mankind came at a cost, and He knew ahead of time that the cost would be the shedding of Christ's blood on our behalf. God demonstrates perfectly the love a parent has for a child yet born.

Lastly, just as the words I write in the front of those dedicated Bibles are an expression of my love for my children, and hopefully one day my grandchildren, the Bible is God’s love letter to humanity. The next time you hold His Word in your hands I encourage you to look at it and read it as a love letter written directly to you. It makes a difference!

Blessings,
Rod

I absolutely love the Word of God and believe it contains all the answers to life’s major questions. You might think that’s a bit far-fetched, but it’s not hard for me to believe that an omnipotent and omniscient God has all the answers. Now I will omit there are shades of gray at times in life. The Bible isn’t always “black and white” as we would like it to be on a particular subject, but it certainly provides us with enough guidelines to answer any questions we may have about a doubtful practice.

When seeking answers that aren't always so clear, scripturally speaking, we need to ask a series of questions for more clarification. These questions fall under three major questions which are:

1. What is the possible effect it could have on me?
2. What is the possible effect it can have on others?
3. What is the possible effect it can have on the cause of Christ?

Under question number one ask these questions:

• Could this thing I desire to do harm me physically? (1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20)
• Could this thing I desire to do cause me to have impure thoughts? (Matthew 5:27 – 28; Philippians 4:8)
• Could this thing I desire to do cause me to form bad habits? (1 Corinthians 6:12)
• Does this thing I desire feed my old sinful nature or my new nature as a Christian? (Colossians 3:9 – 10; Romans 6:6) 
• Would I care if I were caught doing this thing when Christ returns? (Titus 2:12 – 14)

Under question number two ask these questions:

• Could this cause me to be a stumbling block or hindrance to another person? (Romans 14:12 – 13, 20 – 21; 1 Corinthians 8:9-10)
• Does it have the appearance of evil? (1 Timothy 4:12)
• Would I care if my parents, family, friends, and pastors knew about this thing I do? (2 Samuel 12:1 – 7)
• Will this affect my testimony in a negative way? (Philippians 2:15)
• Would Jesus do it? (John 13:15)

Under question number three ask these questions:

• Does this thing I desire to do or be please God? (2 Timothy 2:4; 2 Corinthians 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1)
• Can I truly thank God for this habit, act, or deed in my life? (Colossians 3:17)
• Will this practice honor Christ or be a waste of God’s investment in me? (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Many of these questions, or the premises behind them, were derived in a seminary class under the direction of David LeGrand at Piedmont Bible College. LeGrand was one of the best professors I ever had the privilege of sitting under because of his knowledge and passion for the Word of God. I hope the things shared in this blog will cause you to think more deeply about the Word of God and the actions you take in your daily walk.

Men, with Father’s Day approaching I leave you with a quote and a question. Thomas Carlyle once said “Show me the man you honor and I will know what kind of man you are.” My question to you is: Does your life honor Christ in such a way that others are drawn to Him because of your example? When others look our way may they see Christ in our words and deeds.

Blessings,
Rod

As we approach Father’s Day I want to share a few thoughts concerning Christian men in the home. Specifically I want to focus on husbands and fathers in regards to leadership and biblical manhood. In order to do this lets ask a few questions. 

“How do we know what our true roles as husbands and fathers are to be?”

“How do we know if we’re being good husbands and fathers?” 

“Who taught us about being husbands and fathers? And who will teach the next generation of men?”

The truth of the matter is most of us were taught long ago something about being husbands and fathers although we may not have realized it or always had the best teachers. Our fathers and grandfathers, possibly stepfathers, uncles, teachers, or neighbors unwittingly served as our models. I don’t remember a class in school ever addressing the topic of how to be a good husband or father and maybe there should have been. What I learned about being a man, husband, and father was by watching not only my father but other adult men in my life. Suffice it to say, I didn't always have the best models and ended up making some of the very mistakes as those I was observing. As Christian men we need to always keep this one thing at the forefront of our thinking; someone is always watching us. Our wives are depending on us to be good leaders in our homes. Our sons are not only watching us but learning from us as well. Our daughters will often make their choice of a husband based on what they see in the life of their daddy.

The Scriptures have much to teach us concerning who we are to be as husbands, fathers, and the role of biblical manhood. Here are four biblical points for us to remember this Father’s Day.

1.     Every husband is accountable to God for his wife, children and home.

So often throughout my ministry I’ve heard Christians jokingly say that all our issues with sin are to be blamed on Eve because of her actions in the Garden of Eden and nothing to be further from the truth. The events of Genesis 3 of the serpent tempting Eve are often misconstrued by making the woman a scapegoat. A closer examination reveals that Adam was with his wife when she took of the forbidden fruit and failed in his responsibilities. This is not to make an excuse for Eve, but it should be noted that when God pronounces judgment He pronounces it last upon Adam who was ultimately responsible for his wife. In Genesis 2:16 – 17 God had instructed Adam concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil and that it was not to be eaten from. It was Adam’s responsibility to not only teach his wife the law of God that had been given to him, but it was also his responsibility to protect Eve by standing between her and Satan.

Doctor Tony Evans once made the following statement: “… Satan focuses his attacks on the husband-wife relationship because by destroying that he destroys children and families too. He who controls the family controls the future.”[1]

2.     Christian husbands and fathers are to represent God in the home.

When our wives look at us they should see Christ through our words, actions, and character. Along the same lines our children should also see God the Father. If you want to be the leader that your wife and children will follow then you must first be a follower yourself. This relates back to our first point in which Eve would not have attempted to supersede the authority of Adam had he been the leader he was supposed to be as designed by God. We have no real authority to lead our families apart from God meaning we must first be totally surrendered to His Lordship. 

3.     Modeling for our children a proper view of a marriage begins with a right attitude or thinking about love.

We are to love our wives in the same way that Christ loved the Church according to the Apostle Paul, (Ephesians 5:25 – 26). This is a type of love that goes beyond mere feelings of affection. This is a love that is sacrificial and long-suffering. As Christ willingly gave Himself for His Bride, the Church, we also are to demonstrate a willingness to die to self. This is the love that God the Father has shown to the world, (John 3:16). Our children will learn how to love their future spouse because of the unconditional love they witnessed in us as husbands and fathers.

It should also be noted that none of us fall in and out of love. Love is a choice we consciously make and is best demonstrated by God in John 3: 16. Many believe they can fall out of love because they have become disenchanted with the other person in their life and have chosen to believe Satan’s lie that marriage is move from ecstasy to agony over time. The truth is, if Christ is at the center of our life and relationship then our marriages should be better and healthier as time passes.

4.     If we’re truly to be united as one with our wives in marriage then we need to get the “leaving and cleaving” right  
        from the beginning.

The “leave” in the passage above literally means we are to sever any and all ties that would come ahead of our wives. This doesn't mean we’re to alienate our families, but simply that our first priority next to Christ should be the relationship we have with our wife. This relationship is to be stronger than even the relationship we have with our children. And the word "cleave" is much more than having a physical relationship. It literally means that as husbands we are to seek to please our wives mentally, emotionally, and spiritually which leads to greater intimacy.

Study after study has shown security is the number one issue for women in most marriages. In Genesis 2:25 it is written “And the man and his wife are both naked and were not ashamed.” Some have suggested, and I think rightly so, the idea of nakedness and not being ashamed refers to more than just physical nakedness. Adam and Eve were transparent with each other, meaning they were open to one another emotionally and spiritually which provided the security Eve needed while also meeting the needs of Adam for help mate.

I close with two thoughts. I believe our wives should be our best friends in life, and when this happens true intimacy is achieved and makes the best marriages. Secondly, I leave you with another quote from Doctor Tony Evans.

[1] Tony Evans, No More Excuses, p. 149
[2] Ibid, P. 157