As I grew up, one of my favourite hymns was ‘Trust and Obey’. Along with other songs like ‘OBEDIENCE Is…’, I was taught the Ephesians 6:1 principle of ‘Children, obey your parents’. Those songs are not part of the playlist in most churches and sunday schools today. Obedience and submission are not only absent in society, but they are frowned upon as archaic and discriminative.
This week Sydney’s archbishop, Peter Jensen, took a huge amount of heat for including the word submission in the proposed Anglican Prayer Book for wedding ceremonies. In spite of Ephesians 5 explicitly stating that submission is part of marriage, the uproar was huge. Over 1000 comments, in the corresponding SMH article railed against the church and Christians in general. As I listened to talk back radio discussing this ‘furore’, it became clear just how selfish and fleshly we have all become. Even marriage is now seen a ‘partnership’ based on what an individual can get rather than give. Never mind that the archbishop clearly stated that ‘Her submission rises out of his submission to Christ’. Church leaders are castigated as being sexist and the equivalent of modern day slave traders. I could not help but muse as to why the archbishop seemed to be one of the few public voices I heard teaching and obeying the Scriptural command of this subject. This subject is not an ancillary nicety of Christianity, marriage is a picture of the gospel and undermining Christian marriage is an attack on the gospel.
Meanwhile, down in Tasmania, outrage against God’s word continued. In a forum on same-sex marriage, the Australian Christian Lobby’s Jim Wallace, made a comment on the health costs associated with a gay lifestyle. He said, ‘I think we’re going to owe smokers a big apology when the homosexual community’s own statistics for its health – which it presents when it wants more money for health – are that is has higher rates of drug-taking, of suicide, it has the life of a male reduced by up to 20 years.’
The resulting media crusade saw the Prime Minister withdraw from speaking at the ACL’s forum next month. The clear message is, ‘If you want to be considered legitimate and mainstream, do not speak of views that run counter to mainstream, popular thought‘.
I believed we have reached a point where we all need to decide who we are going to obey. It is not easy to obey God, rather than men, but we must stop being silent. Our generation must be vocal and we must teach our children the importance of trusting God and obeying and professing His truth.
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38
Will we confess Jesus and his teaching before men, or will be give Jesus reason to hang his head in shame when he looks at us? Without returning to the old days of legalism, we must restore our steadfast obedience to Christ. As followers of Christ, we can do no less.
- Blessings
JC
12 COMMENTS
Penny
Is that true that people who live a gay lifestyle live 20 yrs less? I’d like to see that study.
Jeremy Crooks
I agree. It would be interesting to see more stats on the medical conditions and expenses related to the gay lifestyle.
Greg
While I agree with Jensen’s stance and what you are saying about obedience, I would hesitate to associate myself with the Australian Christian Lobby’s statement which both seems to understate the problem of smoking while making wild assumptions with no scientific basis about homosexuality. How these statements can be founded in the Love of Christ is beyond me.
Jeremy
How can the love of God be found in Romans 1:24 and 27? Yet it is.
Jason Harris
Greg’s critique is quite fair. Is there some factual basis for the ACL’s assertions? Are they statistically defensible?
If not, the ACL should admit that. Truth is more important than a position. Always.
Greg
I am not saying homosexuality is not sin, only that scientifically unfounded statements that show judgement rather than love seems very un christ like. Is it not better to show love to those who sin so their sins become clearer to them?
Jeremy
I have already said I would like to see the statistical details. Jim Wallace said in the debate that he was referencing reports that the gay lobby have produced.
However, to say that it is unloving to say that there are physical consequences to the gay lifestyle. Well that statement runs counter to Scripture and Scripture is always truth.
Jeremy
Interestingly, Peter Jensen has come out in support of the idea that homosexuality has health risks. http://www.smh.com.au/national/anglican-archbishop-backs-christian-lobbys-gay-views-20120910-25ogi.html
Alen
Higher rates of drug use and suicide you say? Surely it is not because of all the discrimination and abuse they receive? It must alone be because of the fact that they are inherently gay.
There is no good secular argument against same-sex marriage and all people like Mr. Wallace do is make themselves look like religious bigots, and not to mention, idiots when they try to argue otherwise.
Jeremy Crooks
I would have thought the fact that gay couple could not reproduce is a good secular argument against same sex marriage.
I also ponder why we feel the need to divide truth into secular v religious arguments. Truth is truth.
Alen
Not being able to reproduce isn’t a valid argument. Infertile opposite sex couples can marry.
The reason secular arguments are required is because religious ones won’t be accepted in a court of law. The good thing about a secular government is people are more open to live as they please with no religious restrictions placed upon them in which they do not believe or accept. At the same time, the religious are free to live as conservatively as they pleased. It works for both parties.
Jeremy Crooks
Unfortunately secular reason is not compatible with Gods reason. As courts of law and governments and society moves away from God, then calls for gay marriage will grow louder.
But I will always argue two things
1. God created a natural process of reproduction that no legal change to a marriage act can change.
2. Marriage is Authorised by God, not man. A gay marriage law will likely be passed, but it will not be a valid marriage because it does not obey the author of marriage.