There is only one
way any thinking, truth-driven Christian can vote Tuesday on the proposed
constitutional amendment to uphold a traditional understanding of
marriage. That is to vote “yes.” But we must not allow ourselves the luxury of
thinking that this amendment if passed is a definitive answer.
The Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] passed in 1996 under the Clinton administration upholding a traditional view of marriage on a federal level is not currently being enforced. This is a sobering reminder to us of the power of government to stop cultural degeneration. Likewise, in the early 90’s the legislature of the state of Colorado began passing laws that made homosexuals a special class of people who “were given special privileges under the law and special protections.”[1] A number of Colorado citizens were in disagreement with these gay rights laws and proposed an amendment to the Colorado state constitution that would prevent laws that give special protection to “homosexual, lesbian or sexual orientation, conduct, practices, or relationships” or entitled such persons to have a claim to “any minority status, quota preferences, protected status or claim discrimination.”[2] The amendment passed with a vote of 53.4% in November of 1992.[3] The law was challenged in court and in May of 1996—less than four years later was declared unconstitutional on a 6-3 vote by the Supreme Court in what has become known as the “Romer decision.”
Laws and the
political structures have mostly stopped being a break wall for immorality in
America. Sexual morality laws once on
the books in every community were, with very few exceptions, thrown out long
ago. Today, the political realm does
even not pretend to “preserve” the culture, simply to reflect it. As the body that Christ calls to be salt and
light in society, it falls to the church to be the redemptive change agent in
the culture. We should vote “yes” on the
Constitutional amendment, but a far more God-honoring and effective measure
would be for the church to be united across Minnesota communities and pray
fervently and regularly for state and national revival. By God’s grace, that could bring massive positive
changes to the culture and as we have seen in the past few decades--when the
culture changes, laws are passed to reflect those changes. If the amendment passes but the Minnesota culture
does NOT change, this ballot measure will sooner or later be overturned just as
the Colorado amendment was. Again, the
church will respond redemptively most effectively and in a way that most honors
God when we turn to him, declare our own impotence and failure to be salt and
light and pray for forgiveness and national renewal and revival. Then by God’s grace, the church can be a
preservative and illumination in a rotting, dark world. Until then, Tuesday’s “yes” vote can provide
a speed bump to the rapid degeneration of our culture.
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