American Christians have served God in the safety of an artificial cocoon. We have heard of atrocities in other lands. We have sent our money and other forms of aide to assist our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. We have even said a few prayers in their behalf. Few real dangers have ever threatened our religious freedoms. Gradually, however, a subtle shift has taken place in our nation. Our culture has gradually been eroded by various actions in government as well as private life.

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The Scopes Trial put the THEORY of evolution, with the sanction of science in our textbooks. Creationism was at the same time laughed out of the classroom. The Supreme Court decision, Roe vs. Wade, made it legal to murder unborn babies. A parent of a child in school petitioned the courts to stop the school from exposing their child to prayer in school and reading the Bible in school. The court took the phrase from the first amendment which says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting free exercise thereof” to mean that the church and the state were to be totally separate. In doing this they took a statement by Thomas Jefferson out of context. The language of “church and state” or to quote Jefferson, of the “wall of separation” developed when he was writing to the Danbury Baptists of Connecticut who were trying to develop a state religion. He said, “You cannot do that.” This is the reason for this amendment—so that the government cannot mandate what our religion will be. It does not say that the church and state should be separate… no prayer in public schools, no Christmas nativities on courthouse lawns, etc. What it is saying is that the government cannot make its people be Roman Catholics, or Baptists, or Holiness, or any other brand. It is also saying that it cannot keep people who want to worship God from doing so as they please. After the June 17, 1963 ruling, the Wall Street Journal commented that atheism was now “the one belief to which the state’s power will extend its protection.” These are three landmark cases that changed the meaning of the First Amendment as it was previously understood and practiced in America.

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Because of the June 26th Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage, Christians once again have been knocked to their knees. The court which only has the power to interpret the Constitution has usurped authority from the legislative branch and is now making its own laws.

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Because of the realization that we are gradually losing something that we took for granted, many Christians are alarmed. Many are angry. We feel threatened. Our tendency is to argue and strike back. But, now is the time for us to turn to God and His Word for guidance. We must be careful to guard our relationship with God, our character, and our spirit. In this time of societal turmoil Christians must avoid the danger of a damaged spirit, a diminished influence and a distracted mission. We must be focused on pleasing God.

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In this lesson we will look at a news item regarding the Supreme Court’s recent decision to permit same-sex marriages in all of the states. We will notice how the court stretched the 14th Amendment out of shape to get it to fit a definition that would please a vocal and aggressive lobby group.

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The purpose of this lesson is not to prove that same-sex marriage is wrong for our culture or that it violates biblical precept and principle. The purpose of this lesson is to search the scriptures to find direction for a biblical response that displays Christlikeness in attitude and action.