More Moral Failures and Other News of the Times

We are one step closer, here in Minnesota, to joining a growing number of states that have legalized same-sex marriage.  A final vote in the legislature might happen as early as the end of the week.  Shortly after His creation of the world, God declared that marriage should be between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24).  And, since those days with Adam and Eve in the Garden, cultures and civilizations everywhere have declared marriage to be the union between one man and one woman.  That is, until the 21st century.  The definition of marriage is about to be rewritten.  It will no longer be gender specific - one man, one woman.  Now it will be relationship specific.  It could include one man and one woman who love each other, but it could also include one man with another man, or one woman with another woman.  Who is to prohibit their getting married if they love each other?  And, this might sound far-fetched, but I believe it is where we are going, what is to prohibit a man from marrying a younger boy because he loves him; or a father to marry his daughter; or a mother her son?  When we tinker with God's definition, friends, and say that any love-relationship can result in a marriage, well, where does it stop?  I was reading in Isaiah the other morning and came across this verse that staggered me: "Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence.  The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.  Woe to them!  They have brought disaster upon themselves" (Isaiah 3:8-9).  What was the sin for which God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah?  From a reading of Genesis 19 it was homosexuality.  It was flaunted by the people there.  It became their curse.  And God finally judged the city because of it, leaving no traces of its existence to this day.  Friends, when we dare to change the definition of marriage to include any sinful relationship merely because it is based on some type of love, I fear for our existence.  Are we parading our sin like Sodom?  We certainly no longer hide it.  There is a line from C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity where he states, "Moral failings always result in troubles."  There is something prophetic about that statement.

Over the weekend, as you heard, Israeli warplanes destroyed a weapons depot and research facility outside of Damascus.  The Israelis stated that the attacks were aimed at missiles and other weapons that were passing through Syria from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon.  Of course the world quickly condemned Israel for these blatant air strikes.  The Russian foreign ministry stated, "We are looking into and analyzing all the circumstances surrounding the specially worrisome reports of the May 3 and May 5 Israeli air strikes.  A further escalation of the armed conflict severely raises the risk of creating centers of tension in Lebanon as well as in Syria, and also destabilizing the still relatively stable situation in the region of the Israeli-Lebanese border."  Chinese authorities issued this statement as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived in Beijing for an official state visit: "We are opposed to the use of force and believe that the sovereignty of any country should be respected."

Syria's response was that the attack "opens the door to all possibilities."  Syrian information minister Omran al-Zoubi stated, "We will not accept to be humiliated.  We are all in a state of anger.  We are abused by this attack."  One Syrian official said the attack constituted "a declaration of war." 

With Iranian and Russian help, the Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad has remained in power in spite of terrific civil war that has lasted for over two years with estimates as high as 100,000 people killed during that time.  (To put that number into perspective, during the American Civil War, after two years of fighting, over 300,000 Americans had died).  But, yes, the casualty figures are excessively high.  American involvement has wavered with uncertainty.  We will help the rebels with nonlethal aid but not with weapons.  The time for arming the rebels was at the outset of the war two years ago when we knew with some certainty the spirit of the rebels.  However, today the rebel forces have been so strongly infiltrated by extremists from Iran and Iraq, that one wonders what will become of Syria should the Assad regime finally topple.  Perhaps it is prudent that we not take sides at this time but wait it out along with the rest of the world. 

Will Syria, with all its bluster and threats, retaliate directly against Israel?  Would the Assad regime dare to initiate a war with Israel when there is no clear winner in the civil war?  Perhaps Assad might think that a war with Israel might unify the country once again, for if there is one thing that all Syrians agree upon it is the destruction of the State of Israel.  But that ploy might backfire for while Syrian forces are engaged with the Israelis - who are definitely better equipped and not fatigued as a consequence of two years of nonstop fighting - the rebels might more easily seize power.  If Syria does anything it will come through its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah. 

Aren't these exciting days?  Moral collapse continues.  Wars and rumors of wars in the Middle East keep everyone's nerves a little bit jittery.  And I have not even mentioned the attacks against Christians in the United States military.  Let me just touch on this topic briefly.  Last week, the head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, Michael Weinstein, called the practice of Christians in the service sharing their faith "spiritual rape."  He has led efforts to remove Bibles from lodging affiliated with the U.S, Air Force Academy and pursued a policy that forbids guests from bringing Bibles to patients at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  The Pentagon released the following statement: "Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense.  Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis." 

Friends, I have shared with you in the past that I believe such persecution of Christians will increase in intensity as we get closer to the return of Christ.  Those who are dedicated, committed followers of Jesus Christ are seen as the enemy.  Should this surprise us?  Of course not.  Jesus wore a target.  The disciples and the Early Church members did as well.  Should we presume that we have some type of exemption?  Of course not.  It is time church members banned together to strengthen and to encourage one another.  I love the way the writers to the Hebrews expressed this: "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).