“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ.  Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

In the controversy over homosexual marriage, Christian leaders have responded in various ways.  Some have taken the rational approach. They argue the Christian position in the same way the world argues its case for homosexual marriage. Science and logic are on our side.

Others have taken the two kingdom approach where the church must not speak about political matters.  The state is a legitimate kingdom in its own right and it is certainly not bound by the Law of God.  The church is a spiritual kingdom and should stay out of the fray of politics.  The church must insulate itself and prepare for persecution.  Actually, according to many who hold this view, Christians should support the civil rights of homosexuals to marry.

Others say that the church should be known for what we are for, rather than for what we are against.  Silence is a virtue. Being positive is evidence of Christian charity.  Then too there is the “confess our own sins first” approach.  We need to get heterosexual marriage right first before we judge homosexual marriage.

Certainly, the arguments and approaches are numerous. My purpose in this short comment is not to critique the various approaches, but it is simply to add what is obviously missing from almost everything I have read by evangelical and reformed writers.  The following are a few verses from the Holy Scriptures (NASV) without any comments on the texts by me.

“And the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven…” (Genesis 19:24).

“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22).

“If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death.  Their bloodguiltiness is upon them”  (Leviticus 20:13).

“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Romans 1:26-27).

“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 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Maybe we need to be reminded of the words of Martin Luther (as quoted by Francis Schaeffer).  “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ.  Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

Larry E. Ball is a retired Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and a CPA. He lives in Fleming Island, Florida.