Many Americans are waiting for the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on the subject of same sex-marriage. There are two main questions to be answered. First, they will decide whether state bans on same-sex marriage are constitutional; and second, if they are, whether those states with bans may refuse to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages performed where they are legal.

After reading many articles on the proceedings, something Justice Anthony Kennedy said has stuck with me: “The word that keeps coming back to me is ‘millennia,'” he said. “This definition [of marriage between one man and one woman] has been with us for millennia.”

That word millennia makes me ponder. A millennium is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a period of a thousand years, especially when calculated from the traditional date of the birth of Christ,” and millennia is the plural form of millennium, so the traditional definition of marriage has been established and accepted for thousands of years, and same-sex marriage has been legal in some states for a little more than a decade—that is a little more than 10 years as opposed to thousands of years.

Justice Kennedy’s observation takes me back to the origin of marriage. It was in the Book of Genesis— In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). According to writings of James Ussher, a respected Archbishop of Ireland in the seventeenth century, who was assigned the task of dating the Bible, God created the earth in 4004 BC. It would appear Justice Kennedy understands that marriage has been around millennia; since God created Adam and brought Eve to him 4004 before Christ was born.

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man (Genesis 2:21-22).

Once God brought Eve to Adam, He established marriage: Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Notice, Adam and Eve did not have mothers and fathers. God was establishing the covenant of marriage, as they had children and they would marry.

I think it is important to point out, when God instituted marriage; it was between one man and one women. They were brought together to procreate. God created the man and the woman very specifically so they would be able to come together and have children. That was one of the reasons God brought them together.

As we read further in the Bible, we come to the Book of Leviticus, the book of the Law; we see that homosexuality was not a surprise to God. He knew and knows the wickedness of man’s heart and He said: If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them (Leviticus 20:13).

Now, I have heard many people say the Bible is a matter of interpretation, so I want to be clear what God said. In the original text, the word for abomination is tow`ebah in Hebrew, and it means “a disgusting thing; in ethical sense (of wickedness etc).” God said they committed wickedness when they participated in homosexuality. There is no other interpretation for this verse.

Just in case you think things changed with Christ and the new covenant, the Apostle Paul, a scholar of God’s Word, wrote to the Roman Christians:

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due (Romans 1:26-27).

I know many people do not agree with the Bible. They do not believe in God, so they dismiss the teachings in the Bible. I am not trying to convince you to believe. I am showing you what the pastors, teachers and followers of the Bible believe. Christians who know and understand the Bible is the Word of God have put their faith and trust in these teachings. Through the centuries, Christians have died horrible deaths for their faith in Christ and today we see it every day on the news. Whether you agree or not, followers of Christ believe in the Word of God and try to live according to His teachings every day. They have chosen death when asked to renounce Christ.

The reason it is so important for a non-believer to understand the position of Christians is so you can better understand why we cannot accept same-sex marriage. Whether I am a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a baker, a florist or a dressmaker, my life is wholly dedicated to living according to God’s Word. I do not hate homosexuals, fornicators, liars, cheaters or any other sinner. To be honest, I love them enough to pray for their salvation. I recognize we are all sinners and we all fall short. I myself am a sinner, saved by grace.

However, just as I would choose not take part in someone’s lie, I would choose not to take part in anyone else’s sin. According to the First Amendment, that is a fundamental right I have as citizen of the United States. That is what is at stake with this decision by the Supreme Court. At this point, a number of Christian businesses have been targeted by same-sex marriage supporters and many have lost their businesses for refusing to participate in their marriages. Understand, they provide baked goods and flowers to anyone without prejudice; they merely cannot participate in their same-sex marriages. They are being persecuted for holding to their Christian faith.

According to an article on christianpost.com, April 29, 2015, the Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, who represents the Obama administration, was questioned on this very issue by Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito. He tried very hard to not give a direct answer, but finally conceded many more legal issues will be created if same-sex marriage is forced in every state. Carrie Severino, chief counsel and policy director for the Judicial Crisis Network, explained the legal ramifications saying a ruling in favor of constitutional same-sex marriage would create a “head-on collision” with religious expression.

I tell you all of this, because the media wants everyone in America to believe the tide has changed and the people of this country are in favor of same-sex marriage. Christians are just a bunch of bigoted haters and they need to be shut down. I looked into the legalization of same-sex marriage across the nation and my eyes were opened and I was encouraged, just as I think many will be when they see the facts.

Americans have not embraced same-sex marriage overwhelmingly. As a matter of fact, only three states: Maine, Maryland and Washington, have accepted same-sex marriage through voter referendum. Both Maryland and Washington only did it after their state legislatures enforced same-sex marriage months prior.

At this time, same-sex marriage is legal in an additional 35 states, including the District of Columbia. Of those 35 states, the 21 states were forced to legalize it by Federal Court Actions, five by State Court Actions and 9 by Legislative Action. In other words, the people of the states did not embrace same-sex marriage. Court appointed judges have embraced it and forced on the will of the people, but overwhelmingly, most people embrace the definition of traditional marriage. Imagine, 13 states still define marriage as a union between one man and one woman and without judicial interference, 26 more states would define marriage traditionally, as it has been for millennia.

Christians, take heart, you are not in the minority. You should not be silent. You need to speak out what God intended marriage to be, vote and most of all pray. Marriage was not ordained by man, but by God, and no person or group of people should ever assume they can rise above the throne of God and change what He has established.

~Staff Writer

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BY STATE:

Alabama: Federal Court Action January 23
Alaska: Federal Court Action: October 12, 2014
Arizona: Federal Court Action: October 17, 2014
Arkansas: Same-Sex marriage ban
California: Federal Court Action: June 26, 2013
Colorado: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Connecticut: State Court Action: October 10, 2008
Delaware: Legislative Action: May 7, 2013
District of Columbia: Legislative Action: December 18, 2009
Florida: Federal Court Action January 6, 2015
Georgia: Same-Sex marriage ban
Hawaii: Legislative Action: November 13, 2013
Idaho: Federal Court Action: On October 7, 2014
Illinois: Legislative Action: November 20, 2013
Indiana: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Iowa: State Court Action: April 3, 2009
Kansas: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Kentucky: Same-Sex marriage ban
Louisiana: Same-Sex marriage ban
Maine: Voter Referendum November 2012
Maryland: Voter Referendum November 2012—Legislative Action: March 1, 2012
Massachusetts: State Court Action November 18, 2003
Michigan: Same-Sex marriage ban
Minnesota: Legislative Action: May 14, 2013
Mississippi: Same-Sex marriage ban
Missouri: Same-Sex marriage ban
Montana: Federal Court Action: November 19, 2014
Nebraska: Same-Sex marriage ban
Nevada: Federal Court Action: On October 7, 2014
New Hampshire: Legislative Action: June 3, 2009
New Jersey: State Court Action: October 21, 2013
New Mexico: State Court Action: December 19, 2013
New York: Legislative Action: June 24, 2011
North Carolina: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
North Dakota: Same-Sex marriage ban
Ohio: Same-Sex marriage ban
Oklahoma: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Oregon: Federal Court Action: May 19, 2014
Pennsylvania: Federal Court Action: May 20, 2014
Rhode Island: Legislative Action: May 2, 2013
South Carolina: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
South Dakota: Same-Sex marriage ban
Tennessee: Same-Sex marriage ban
Texas: Same-Sex marriage ban
Utah: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Vermont: Legislative Action: April 7, 2009 Federal Court Action: April 19 2000 Civil Union
Virginia: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Washington: Voter Referendum November 2012—Legislative Action: February 13, 2012
Washington DC: Legislative Action: December 18, 2009
West Virginia: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Wisconsin: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014
Wyoming: Federal Court Action: October 6, 2014

Same-Sex marriage ban: 13 States
Federal Court Action: 21 States
State Court Action: 5 States
Legislative Action: 9 States
Voter Referendum: 3 States