The Homosexual agenda is not mere acceptance; it is moral celebration. Rather than being willing to live in peace with those of us whose deepest, most personal convictions compel us to say no to their choices, the Homosexual agenda demands that we deny and reject our beliefs and instead adopt and celebrate theirs.

“All we want is equal treatment under the law,” so says the Homosexual community. They propose that all they want is equal treatment under the law. That, in the end, is what this push for recognition of same-gender marriage is all about.

I don’t think so. Consider this summary prompted by a recent article on the Aquila Report:

A group of California doctors lost a discrimination case because they would not offer artificial insemination services to a lesbian couple. Sounds like discrimination right? Problem is that the doctors didn’t offer their services to any unmarried couples, and always willingly referred such requests to other doctors who would offer the services. Discrimination against the lesbian couple? Hardly! Rather discrimination against the doctors.

Parents whose girls attend a Massachusetts public school are not allowed to object when a transgender boy (cross-dressing, identifying as a girl) uses the girl’s restroom. Discrimination against transgenders? Hardly! Rather discrimination against these families who object.

Religious adoption agencies are not allowed to say no to assisting with adoption by homosexual couples. This in spite of the fact that it goes against their religious convictions and there are other adoption services available who will work with homosexual couples. Discrimination against homosexuals? Hardly. Rather flat out religious discrimination against Christians.

A bed and breakfast proprietor was fined for refusing to rent to a homosexual couple. Christians, their religious convictions forbid them to rent to any other than heterosexual married couples. Discrimination against homosexuals who were easily able to find better accommodations? Hardly. Rather discrimination against Christians merely seeking to live by their own beliefs.

A New Mexico photographer was charged with discrimination for rejecting a job to photograph a lesbian couple’s “wedding.” Discrimination against the lesbian couple, when there were lots of other photographers available who wanted the job? Hardly. When did declining a job become a crime?

The Homosexual agenda is not mere acceptance; it is moral celebration. Rather than being willing to live in peace with those of us whose deepest, most personal convictions compel us to say no to their choices, the Homosexual agenda demands that we deny and reject our beliefs and instead adopt and celebrate theirs. Nothing less than full personal affirmation of the rightness, the purity, indeed the holiness of homosexuality in our consciences will satisfy the Homosexual agenda. And it is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this end, even if it means discriminating against Christians.

Christians, discrimination of even greater proportions is coming. Are you ready?

“In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Hebrews 12:4).

Call me an alarmist if you will. However, history is full of examples of cultures that overnight (e.g., Kristallnacht) turned against a minority, often a religious minority, usually Christians. Some parts of the Church have been shedding their blood for over a millennium (can anyone say, “Christians in Muslim countries?”).

America is becoming strongly opposed to the gospel. Some of it is our fault, to be sure. Yet even more basic than the confused gospel of hypocrisy we’ve taught, is simply this: the darkness hates the light (John 3:19). If they persecuted Jesus for shining light on wickedness, they will likewise persecute us (John 15:20).

As the Muslims prevailed over countries and the Church in the Middle East and North Africa (and then into Europe) during their conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries, they gave the conquered masses two choices: 1) remain a Christian and live as a slave in perpetual risk of shedding your blood, or 2) convert to Islam and enjoy the fruits of our conquest. Millions of nominal Christians overnight (there is that word again) converted to Islam. What John said of false brothers in the early church was true of them, “They went out from us because they were not of us” (1John 2:19).

Are you ready, brother or sister? Will John’s observation be true of you? Do you know enough about your own sinfulness to cling even more tightly to Jesus? Or will it be a simple choice for you to shout “Amen” to the homosexual demand for universal celebration of their personal choices? Jesus or the world, you cannot serve both (Luke 16:13). You must choose, God as your friend or your enemy (James 4:4).

I wish that this were not happening to us. I wish that homosexuality was not being visited upon our nation. I wish that my homosexual friends did not even have to wonder how I could think this way. I wish they and we were free from this issue.

But there it is. Does your faith in Christ enable you to look, even with fear and trepidation but nevertheless hope, at the promise of God in the gospel? All things, even this coming storm that some of our brothers and sisters are already being affected by, are from the hand of God whose perfect love will complete our joy in the true goodness of these things (John 17:13, Romans 8:28).

Jesus died for us; we may for him in these circumstances. At least we will suffer the death of some of our freedoms. But Jesus came back to life, and so will we. He will sustain and prosper us (Revelation 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21; 21:7).

So we stand firm in Christ. (1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Corinthians 1:24; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 6:13; Philippians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Peter 5:12).

Reed DePace is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and is Pastor of First PCA in Montgomery, Ala.