In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling to legalize gay marriage, the news feed in all the forms of social media I use have become increasingly depressing. Sometimes it is because people I know and love have spoken in favor of gay marriage. Other times it is because others I know and love are attacked when they make a Biblical stance against gay marriage, and when they are attacked as intolerant, they often seem to feel the need to apologize for their convictions. Those who loudly proclaim the gospel of tolerance are only tolerant of those who believe as they do.
The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. End of story. The Bible also says coveting is a sin. Lying is a sin. Hatred is a sin. Lust is a sin. Speaking evil of others is a sin. In God's eyes, all sins are equally evil, each deserves the divine punishment of death. Sin is a departure from that which God says is good and right and true. When one sins, they destroy their access to what is good and right and true. Sin is a burden, and apart from Christ man cannot be freed from it.
In Christ though, there is freedom. Freedom from the punishment brought on by one's sinful life. Freedom from the desire to live a life of sin. When one is a believer, there is freedom to live according to God's laws, according to that which is good and right and true. Those who are in Christ know that. They know the deep and abiding freedom that salvation through Christ gives.
Christians are not against gay marriage because they hate people, they are against it because they know homosexuality is a sin and they do not want to see others trapped in a sin that hurts them. They do not want to see others condemned to an eternity apart from God. They want others to have salvation in Christ, to know the freedom His love offers. In the end, love will win. And not the silly hashtag that currently burdens social media. The love of Christ will fully redeem those He has called as His own. It will restore them to a perfect relationship with Him, in spite of all the hate and disobedience they directed towards Him.
There is no need to apologize for love, because true love is a perfect God dying for sinful men to save them. It is men turning from their sin by the help of the Holy Spirit to honor the God who saved them. It is men pointing one another to Christ as the only hope of salvation from their brokenness. Love wins, because God is love.
