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On Thursday, May 15th, 2008 the California Supreme Court overturned a proposition passed by California voters in 2000 declaring that only marriages between men and women could be legally recognized.
The 4-3 decision reversed a lower court ruling enforcing the ban on same-sex marriage.
Before the Califonria court decision, only one other state, Massachussetts, allowed same-sex marriage. But as the most populous state in the nation, California's ruling could have far-reaching national impact.
It has been noted by theologians for many generations that while eternity is the context in which God judges the sins of individuals, nations are only temporal--so God judges them in the "here and now." While it is true that there are consequences for sin that work themselves out in this life for individuals, ultimate divine judgment for unrepented sin is in the hereafter. Since there are no "nations" in the afterlife, since geopolitical entities only exist in history, it is in that history that they will know the judgment or blessing of God, as they reject or follow the light they have been given. Psalm 33:12 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people."
In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul charts the course of a people when they reject God. Their sin progresses until God's Spirit eventually stops resisting their moral and spiritual decline. He withdraws His gracious urging of repentance and let's them go into the debauchery they've longed for. He "turns them over." Paul says one of the evidences a people have arrived at this desperate place is when homosexuality among both men and women becomes accepted.
Take a close look at Romans 1:18-31. Watch the spiritual and moral decline charted here.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because
that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it]
unto them. For
the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and
Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory
of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to
birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who
is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for
even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And
likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and
receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And
even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them
over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being
filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters,
haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents, without
understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful: Who
knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of
death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Those who believe in the God of the BIble ought to see the California Court's decsion to legalize same-sex marriage as a sobering wake up call to the danger our nation is in. In November, the citizens of California will have an opportunity to reverse the court's ruling with an amendmane to the State Constitution the court cannot over ride. But this is NOT ENOUGH! The people of California must recognize the dangerous peril the 4 judges placed the State in by their decision. These judges must be recalled from office.
If someone was caught selling defense secrets to Al Qaeda, information that imperield the lives of millions of innocent children, we'd think nothing of locking that person away for the rest of their life. The 4 justices who removed the ban on same sex marriage in Califonria have no less imperiled the lives of the people of California and the rest of the nation. It is unconscionable that they continue in office.
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