Henry wisely noticed, “The early church didn’t say, ‘Look what the world is coming to!’ They said, ‘Look what has come into the world!’” We want the world to know what we’re for - the good news about Jesus Christ - not just what we’re against. So let us be gracious as we listen to one another and challenge one another to boldly live out both grace and truth in our fallen world.įinally, and most importantly, we want to keep the gospel first in all things. As Carl F. Some will appear black and white, while others will not. The real-life scenarios we face will become increasingly complex. We have always wrestled with the question, “How can we demonstrate love to our friends and family without affirming their sinful choices?” We encourage you to pray, study Scripture, and remain in dialogue with other believers. But remember, these types of moral dilemmas are not new for the Church. As followers of Christ called to model both love and holiness to the world, we feel intense concern over these scenarios right now. Or you may be asked to take photographs, provide flowers, or serve food for a same-sex wedding. Or you may be invited by a friend or co-worker to attend a same-sex wedding. This precludes not only same-sex marriages, but also marriages between believers and unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-15), and marriages that involve a person who is divorced without biblical grounds (Matthew 19:4-9).įourth, we want to provide encouragement to those of you who will face very difficult decisions in the coming days. You may have a son or daughter who desires to marry a same-sex partner. Third, our church’s wedding policy has not changed. Grace Bible Church will only host weddings, and our pastors will only officiate weddings, that meet the requirements of a biblical marriage. Therefore, even though same-sex marriage is now legally sanctioned by the state, we do not recognize it as a form of marriage that conforms to God’s design. God created marriage to be a life-long commitment between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18, Matthew 19:4-9). It is not subject to political or cultural change. Second, our definition of marriage has not changed. We believe that marriage is a divine institution defined once-and-for-all in Scripture. So we see recent events as an opportunity for our church and for God’s people around the country. A candle shines brighter at night than at dusk. In fact, the further our culture moves from God, the greater our opportunity to shine to the world as beacons of God’s grace, truth, redemption, and hope. We can rest assured that our sovereign, all-knowing and infinitely wise Father knew about these cultural and legal changes even before time began and is already actively working to bring about good from these recent events (Romans 8:28, 11:33-36). Once we lose that perspective, we’re in trouble.With the recent legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide, the pastors and elders of Grace Bible Church would like to clarify our church’s position and give you practical advice and encouragement so that you can interact with this issue in both grace and truth.įirst, do not be afraid of these cultural changes (Hebrews 13:5-6). The beauty of America is that it is a melting pot.” He stressed that, “We live with multiplicity. But marriage is a gift and a covenant of love that should be respected.” Aapengnu added that Obama must act as “president of all Americans, not just of Catholics. “We in the church must respect its traditions. “Who has the authority to define what marriage is?” he asked. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Virginia’s Arlington County, suggested during an interview that marriage is a “human phenomenon” rather than a religious one. Delman Coates, pastor of Mount Ennon Baptist Church, also in Maryland, commended Obama’s “bold and courageous stance in support of civil marriage protection for gays and lesbians.” Coates, one of a group of African American ministers asked by the White House to promote its position, said in an e-mail to the Washington Post that the president’s stance “underscores the fundamental difference between the State and the role of the Church.” By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.
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