Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Kim Davis is rendering to Caesar and God

A pro-homosexual advocate wrote the following about the Kim Davis case in a Facebook post, being critical of the stand she has taken and those who support her:

“Read the Gospel ‘Render unto Caesar . . .’ [Matt. 22:21] and Jesus' commandment to love [Matt. 19:19; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; also Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8]. Then read the Constitution, specifically the Supremacy Clause and the First Amendment in [their] entirety. Come with something more valid next time. Peace out.”

Don’t you love it when someone appeals to the Bible to criticize a disputed point and then dismisses what the Bible actually says on the disputed topic? 

He appeals to “render unto Caesar” and “love your neighbor as yourself” in an attempt to silence opposition to same-sex marriage while ignoring passages that condemn same-sex marriage, all of which come from the same Bible.

First, we don't live under Caesar, although it seems we are moving in that direction. We live under the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state where we reside. In principle, these are our “Caesars.” Elected officials and judges also live under these governing documents that they took an oath to uphold.

Second, neither the United States Constitution nor the Kentucky Constitution supports same-sex marriage. The Kentucky Constitution specifically forbids it; therefore, Kim Davis was rendering to Caesar as the pro-homosexual advocate wants her to do. 

But keep in mind that the whole quote from Christ says “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God's.” I suspect that Kim Davis, in addition to keeping the oath she took to her state’s “Caesar,” believes she was also rendering “to God the things that are God’s.” Christ says we should only obey man's law to the extent that it doesn't conflict with God's law, and that when there is a conflict, God's law is the one we must follow.

Third, as to the First Amendment, it states that "Congress shall make no law. . ." The First Amendment was designed to keep the national law-making body (Congress not The Supreme Court) from passing a national law that would (1) establish a national religion and (2) prohibit the free exercise of religion as well as guaranteeing the freedom of speech, press, and assembly, as well as give all of us the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Fourth, Congress did not make a law declaring that the states are required to acknowledge same-sex marriage, and that's the issue in this controversy. Neither the Executive nor Judicial branches can make law. So the Supreme Court's ruling on June 26 regarding same-sex 'marriage' was not a law enacted. In addition, Kentucky has not changed its constitution on the same-sex marriage provision. It’s still the law in Kentucky.

Fifth, the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" is originally found in Leviticus 19:18. Jesus and the other New Testament writers are quoting the Old Testament. The passage is sandwiched between Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, two specific passages that prohibit same-sex sexuality, and by logical extension, same-sex marriage. This means that a person can love his neighbor and still be against same-sex sexuality.

I can love my neighbor even when he or she steals, but that does not mean I can ignore the commandment “You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15; Lev. 19:11). Loving one’s neighbor does not cancel the demands of the law for my neighbor. Consider what the apostle Paul writes:

"He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need." (Eph. 4:28)

Loving one’s neighbor means not ignoring a sin but finding a righteous remedy to that sin. That's where the love is: helping someone out of sin, not turning a blind eye to it.

There were people in the Corinthian church who engaged in same-sex sexuality and other sexual sins (1 Cor. 5:1-2; Lev. 18:8; Deut. 22:30; 27:20). They were loved and restored based on the law:

"[Y]ou yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:8-11).

When all the Bible is considered, it’s easy to see that loving one’s neighbor does not mean abandoning what it says about same-sex sexuality. 

Advocates of homosexuality and same-sex "marriage" want to quote the Bible to denounce the Christians who believe in the Bible's teachings, but their credibility is compromised when they leave out the parts of the Bible that actually condemn what it is they promote.


4 comments:

  1. There's so much to pick from that's just wrong. Lets talk about the 5th point in your rant against one of your readers. Levitticus, The holiness code. Purpus was to set the priests of Israel over and against the priests of other cultures. They also prohibithaircuts, tattoos, working on the Sabbath, mixed fabrics, not eating pork shellfish, fortune telling and pig skin, all of them have gone by the way side. At the time Jews found homosexuality offensive as do you.

    Jesus said nothing about homosexuality. Jesus and Paul both said the codes in Levitticus did not pertain to Christian believers. The Old Testament never takes Christians into account. Nevertheless people like you still put the verses together using your own prejudices to determine the moral and ethical slandered about homosexuals. The passages says nothing about homosexuality as we know it today. In the bible even masturbation was worthy of death and considered an abomination. In a time when the population within the 12 tribes of Israel was crucial in the defence of their nation, raising children was critical.

    Your assumption that sex between two men is condemned in the bible and with it same-sex marriage, is unreasonable. Levitticus provides so much to pick from regarding intercourse for heterosexuals. Premarital-sex and Living together are never a topic in your column. Your way of thinking would lead me to believe that any Premarital-sex before marriage would also tant the marriage and the life of the participants. I would think if you were a fair and balanced person you say you are all behavers would be on the table. Unless of course your not well versed in matters of heterosexuals. Sorry I can't comment ferther I haven't got the strength.

    Mark

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    1. Julie didn’t write most of that post – it came from godfatherpolitics.com. But, it was quite good and accurate!

      For God’s sake, Mark, I’ve provided answers to almost everything you’ve just written! Do you not remember any of it? Do you not remember the distinctions that I noted between God’s various laws? Do you remember why the prohibition against “mixed fabrics” is not equivalent to the prohibition against homosexual activity? Do you remember why your “Jesus said nothing about homosexuality” argument is a very flawed one?

      It just boggles my mind that you’d keep regurgitating the same things over and over again. Are you just pretending that you don’t understand? And, can Christians have the freedom to hold to their biblical convictions?

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  2. Copy and past what a joke. I didn't comment on any other bible scripture you sigested because...what would be the point. You know it all. I don't put any value in your comments. I don't think like you, never will. Both of you are despicable human beings I no longer want to have anything to do with. Don't reply to this it will go unanswered.

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    1. It’s interesting that you changed your latest comment over on the Source’s website from “In my opinion your (sic) despicable” to “God bless you”. But here on Julie’s blog, I think the comments cannot be altered (at least not by the original writer), which means your hatred cannot always be edited.

      Your “Both of you are despicable human beings …” statement is not surprising. By extension, I assume your indictment would include all Bible-believing Christians throughout all of history. Do you see how hateful and intolerant you really are, Mark? You will seemingly never rest until every Christian embraces homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” and I can tell you, unequivocally, that that will never happen.

      You are a slave to your sin, Mark, and you are in rebellion against God. That slavery and rebellion manifests itself in your closed-mindedness towards Scripture, in your constant name-calling, and in your constant attacks on anyone who would attempt to show you the truth of God’s Word. One of these days when you enter eternity, all of your "explanations" and justifications for your sin won’t mean a thing. One of the horrors of Hell, apart from the unimaginable suffering, is the remembrance of lost opportunity. A person will have a fully-functioning conscience (unlike the seared conscience that justifies and excuses sin) and will remember all of the times that the Gospel was presented, all of the people who tried to reach them, and all of the times that that was willfully rejected. One Christian writer put it this way: “Perhaps the most frightening aspect of Hell is its eternality. People can endure the greatest agony if they know it will ultimately stop. In Hell there is no such hope.”

      People who are in eternal torment, right at this very moment, would give absolutely anything to have another opportunity that you still have today. Don’t let it slip away from you too …

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