Unashamed

Today the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) has already ruled, and will be ruling further, on cases brought to it concerning same-sex marriage in the United States.  Back in March I shared some articles that I thought would be particularly helpful for Christians trying to understand the Biblical framework for marriage and sex, so if you haven’t read those articles already, here’s the link.

In a ruling already handed down this morning, SCOTUS struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, which was enacted by Congress in 1996.  This ruling simply means that the federal government will have to recognize same sex marriages with regards to federal benefits.  SCOTUS refused to rule on California’s Proposition 8, indicating that it is likely to continue to allow states to define marriage according to the democratic process. 

What it all means now, and in the future, is anybody’s guess.  But it does show us that cultural views about marriage and sexuality – not just American culture, but western culture in general – are rapidly changing.  So what has changed for The Church of Jesus Christ?  What changes for Christians today?

Not much really.  As Ed Stetzer says over on his blog today, “We must realize that believing what the Bible says about sexuality will increasingly put us at odds with our culture.”

Truth is, it always has. And not just in regards to sexual behavior, but in regards to all human behavior.

It was as true for the Apostle Paul when he wrote these words in Romans 1:16 (our Bible reading for today) 2,000 years ago as it is today: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

I don’t know where the idea comes from that somehow cultural moral drift today is any worse than it has been in previous generations.  Sin, and the consequences of sin, have always been there.  Maybe the only difference is that now sin has become more culturally acceptable and less something that should be done in private.

When Paul was writing to Christians in Rome, he was writing to Christians in a culture full of all kinds of darkness and twisted practices.  But there he was, right in the midst of it, standing up and expressing his confidence in the power of the Gospel to change lives for eternity.  Paul understood that the way to change a culture began with confidence in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and continued with a bold proclamation of what Christ has done for the entire world.  Like Paul, our public conversation and engagement does not begin with shouting down those we see as the opposition, but in loving and walking along side of those who are walking in darkness. 

Although the rest of Romans 1 seems like some of the most harsh and hopeless words of Scripture, the reality of sin’s bondage and stranglehold on our lives sets the table for us to experience the incredible grace of Jesus Christ.  In v.v. 18-32, Paul talks about the reality of sin and the spiritual reality of those who reject God and reject the grace that He has generously and kindly shown to us in Jesus Christ.  In v.18, he talks about the reality of unrepentant sin and how it brings God’s wrath against us.  In v.v. 19-25 he talks about the foolishness of worshipping the creation instead of our creator.  And in v.v. 26-32, he talks about the fruit of that disobedience. 

Despite that incredibly dark and depressing description of the effects of sin in our lives, Romans is a book of incredible grace!  Paul was a man who understood and experienced this incredible grace, and as a recipient of grace he knew that his calling in life was to be a merchant of grace.

Although Paul’s understanding of grace, and our need for the grace of Jesus, put him at odds with his cultural surroundings, he stood as one who was unashamed of that grace, and the power of the Gospel.  While Paul was disturbed by the cultural decay and rot that he witnessed around him, his ministry was not fueled by disgust or hatred.  His ministry was fueled by grace and by incredible confidence in the power of Christ to break every stronghold and stranglehold of sin in people’s lives.  We know that in many of Paul’s other letters, and in Acts, that Paul’s confidence in the Gospel caused great personal trouble for him.  He was arrested multiple times; imprisoned; beaten; and the cause of riots.  But we also know that Paul’s confidence in the Gospel changed thousands of lives during his days on earth, and hundreds of millions of lives since God used him to write these words to us. 

We have before us today the same opportunities and challenges that Paul faced as he lived out God’s calling on his life.  The opportunity to love people with incredible grace.  The opportunity to share the truth of sin and what life is like without Jesus as our Lord and Savior. 

It doesn’t help us to speak and act in ways that demean others and dishonor Christ.  But it also doesn’t help us, or help others, to capitulate to the culture.  As Christians, we must remain focused on our mission to be The Church of Jesus Christ, having great confidence in and being unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while at the same time loving and showing grace to those who need Jesus the most. 

Despite what our culture, or our Supreme Court, says, Jesus is still the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  The Word of God is still living and active, and sharper than any two edged sword.  The holy and righteous demands of God have not changed.  Our mandate as The Church to love others as we love ourselves, and to preach the Good News to the ends of the earth has not changed.  As Ed Stetzer said today, “We can either get furious at them . . . or we can respond like Jesus.  After all we can’t hate a people and reach a people at the same time.” 

Jesus lived this out.  Paul lived this out.  The question now, for The Church today, is will we live this out?  We will continue to be unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the power of salvation and will we continue to love people like Jesus loved people?  This is why The Church exists – to show the world the love of Jesus and to share unashamedly with the world the truth of Jesus Christ.