The Reality of Homosexuality Part Two

Side One:

So, people are not supposed to judge one another? Right.

No one sin is greater than the next? Right.

The problem: it happens anyway.

The key is to break down why this happens or a least try to. In this society, maybe even this world, it seems the most obvious form of homosexual discrimination comes from within the government. Or the people who influence and make law or policy (i.e. the politicians and the voters). This country has seen tremendous uproar in recent years in concern for gay rights and equality. Some states have tossed and turned in the law – giving rights and then revoking them.

But even in this government that is so fond of the separation of church and state, it is within the union of these two that the foundation of the issue can be discovered.

Church

As general rule of thumb for Christians, God’s instruction takes precedence over human authority. Peter and the disciples clearly confirm this in the fifth chapter of Acts. The discrepancy emerges because Paul just as clearly states that people are to obey the government for God is the one who put it in place (Romans 13:1 NIV).

It is often overlooked that the human authority Peter was referring to was in the context of human (personal) preference. It is a concept people still carry today. (Example: You have a right to your own opinion.) So, in a general context Peter was saying that is better to obey God than to conform to another human’s personal preference.

Paul goes on for the first seven verses of Romans 13 to explain that people should obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. The law doesn’t bother anyone being lawful, right? Of course we know that bad things sometimes happen to good people. Recent history has shown that the government makes mistakes too.

But why is that? Government is supposed to be an institution for authority to be structured, disciplined and thrive. However, authority is rooted in the personal preferences of fallible humans. Still, government finds some of it roots within the law of God (i.e. the ten commandments). So, it is no coincidence that certain laws mirror biblical regulations.

It’s against the law to steal. There are certain types of fornication that are illegal in both context (i.e. statutory rape). Let’s not forget that adultery has consequences that are often severe in both context. Yet, these laws exist within the government. Thus the government has a sense of vulnerability because its influenced to suit the preferences of people. (It takes “for the people by the people” to a totality different level.) The church isn’t known among the masses as the advocate of reprimand. So the consequences set in place for these offenses are enforced by the state.