"'Waiting for the Other Shoe' - The Supreme Court Rules on Same Sex Marriage"

Here is an article on the Supreme Court's rulings on two "same sex marriage" cases. In both cases, the court ruled in favor of so called "same-sex marriage." Mohler's assessment is worth reading.

Even though the Court did not rule today that all states must legally recognize and allow for same-sex marriages, the handwriting is on the wall. Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion implicitly invites any citizen who resides in a state that does not allow for same-sex marriage to claim that his or her constitutional rights are violated on the basis of the Court’s opinion handed down today. You can count on a challenge of this form arising in short order.

As Justice Scalia noted in his dissent today, “As far as this Court is concerned, no one should be fooled; it is just a matter of listening and waiting for the other shoe.”

The Court’s majority did not want to pay the political price that a decision as immediately sweeping as Roe v. Wade would have cost. Instead, the majority decided to send a clear signal that such a case will now be well received. It struck down DOMA by employing a logic that, as Scalia noted, cannot stop with the striking down of DOMA. It can only stop with the full legalization of same-sex marriage in all fifty states by judicial fiat.

Songs for the Summer

If you are looking for some good music to direct your soul to God, let me suggest Sixteen Songs for Summer:

From Age to Age (Sovereign Grace)

• Great Things
• Our Song from Age to Age
• Glorious Christ
• Mighty Fortress
• All is Well
• Gladly Would I Leave Behind Me

The Good Life (Tripp Lee) 

• New Dreams
• Take Me There
• Beautiful Life (on topic of Pro-life)

God and Sinner Reconciled (Stephen Miller)

• God and Sinner Reconciled

Risen (Sovereign Grace)

• Alive
• To Live is Christ
• Behold Our God 

The 6th Day (Flame)

• The 6th Day
• Scripture Alone 
• Let Go

I am sure we could make this list much longer, but I was trying to keep it to the length of one extended album. I'd love to hear your list of songs that direct you to God and encourage you in the faith. Feel free to share in the comments section.

Boys Using Girls' Restrooms? A Sign of the Times

In today's edition of "The Briefing," a daily analysis of events from a Christian worldview, Dr. Mohler discusses a case in Colorado in which an elementary school boy won a court case giving him access to the girl's restroom. Why? Because he, and his parents, identify him as a girl.

The Washington Post, reporting on the story, said,

"Colorado officials say a suburban Colorado Springs school district discriminated against a 6-year-old transgender girl by preventing her from using the girls’ bathroom, in what advocates described as the first such ruling in the next frontier in civil rights."1

Notice how the media seems to give approval to the whole thing by referring to Coy (the little boy) with feminine nouns and pronouns. And what is shocking is that they might be right in saying this is "the first such ruling in the next frontier of civil rights."

All of a sudden, a self-defined orientation is now the basis of determining minority status and "civil rights." What happens when a high school boy self-identifies as a girl and demands civil right protection to use the girl's restroom or locker room (this isn't hypothetical, if you read the article above, Maine is considering a case now)? I think we can all see the chaos that comes with such arguments. Nevertheless, the arguments have been made as we continue to live in the "wild west of sexual ethics." 

Sometimes a slippery slope argument is a fallacy. Sometimes its really a slippery slope we are sliding down. I hope and pray we find a way to stop the landslide, but I am not worried.

Christianity has never been tied to a culture. And as our culture becomes more and more dark and confused, we have the chance to put the Light of the World on display. We may face more persecution, but we must love those who would hate us, and that takes a lot more courage than our culture's current (mis)understanding of "tolerance" (see DA Carson on this topic of tolerance).


1 Washington Post Article - "Colo. rights case ruling favors transgender girl who wasn’t allowed to use girls’ bathroom"

"How to Survive a Cultural Crisis"

I found this article by Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in DC, quite encouraging. As our culture seems to have put Christians more and more on the defensive, Dever's words are a helpful reminder of what a biblical perspective looks like. Below are his seven main points, but you really need to read the whole thing:

1. Remember that churches exist to work for supernatural change.

2. Understand that persecution is normal. 

3. Eschew utopianism.

4. Make use of our democratic stewardship.

5. Trust the Lord, not human circumstances.

6. Remember that everything we have is God's grace.

7. Rest in the certainty of Christ's victory.

Is "Gay the New Black?"

Below are some excerpts from an article by Voddie Baucham from about a year ago addressing the arguments comparing homosexuality to the civil rights movement. He does a great job showing why the argument that the homosexual rights movement is just a continuation of the civil rights movement doesn't work. He does this by showing the distinctions between the two.
His main arguments are:

1. Homosexuals are an unidentifiable minority because it is impossible to tell who is homosexual apart from their own self-identification as being homosexual. This is completely different from being white, black, asian, latino or even man, or woman.In these cases you can tell by looking at the person or do a genetic test.
2. Marriage cannot be redifined (you will have to read this section as there are several arguments he puts forth).
3. It is an unsustainable precedent to open up marriage to any "group" that wants it. 

The whole thing is worth reading, especially if you want to get a clear view on all the issues, but below are a few excerpts that I found insightful.

In short, it's impossible to identify who is or is not a homosexual. As a result, how do we know to whom the civil rights in question should be attributed? Should a man who isn't a homosexual (assuming we could determine such a thing) but tries to enter a same-sex union be treated the same as a woman who isn't Native American but tries to claim it to win sympathy, or casino rights, or votes?

...
It should be noted that the right to marry is one of the most frequently denied rights we have. People who are already married, 12-year-olds, and people who are too closely related are just a few categories of people routinely and/or categorically denied the right to marry. Hence, the charge that it is wrong to deny any person a "fundamental right" rings hollow. There has always been, and, by necessity, will always be discrimination in marriage laws.

...
One thing that seems to escape most people in this debate is the fact that homosexuals have never been denied the right to marry. They simply haven't had the right to redefine marriage. 

...

Perhaps the most damning aspect of the civil rights argument is logical unsustainability. If sexual orientation/identity is the basis for (1) classification as a minority group, and (2) legal grounds for the redefinition of marriage, then what's to stop the "bisexual" from fighting for the ability to marry a man and a woman simultaneously since his "orientation" is, by definition, directed toward both sexes? What about the member of NAMBLA whose orientation is toward young boys? Where do we stop, and on what basis?

...
It is very important for those of us who oppose the idea of same-sex "marriage" to do so not because we wish to preserve our version of the American Dream, but because we view marriage as a living, breathing picture of the relationship between Christ and his church (Eph. 5:22ff), and because we know that God has designed the family in a particular way. 

Good Books for College Students

If you are entering your freshmen year of college, you would do well to spend some time this summer preparing yourself for college spiritually. Even if you have been in college for a few years, it is good to keep preparing as you navigate college life (a skilled athlete doesn't stop preparing after her first track meet). 

Here is my top 5 list (There are others that I could have included, but these came to mind).

1. Thriving in College by  Alex Chediak
2. Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World edited by CJ Mahaney
3. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
4. Stop Dating the Church by Josh Harris
5. Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung

Don't Waste Your Summer: Plan to Share the Gospel

Yesterday, I posted on how not to waste your summer and specifically encouraged you to study the Bible and read a good, Christian book.

One more word of encouragement. Why not use some of your extra time during the summer to focus on sharing the good news of God- the gospel? Below is a list of some ideas on how to be intentional with evangelism this summer (taken from Southern Seminary 2013 Summer Challenge).

1. Join a community athletic program or summer sports league and interact with non-believers with whom you can share the gospel.
2. Invite a non-believing friend/coworker/neighbor out for coffee and share the Gospel through casual conversation.
3. Organize a summer book club and read a book that explains the Gospel or contains Gospel themes, such as Reason for God, by Tim Keller.  Advertise at bookstores, coffee shops, and local stores.
4. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen and share the Gospel with those you meet.
5. Put together a community Worship/Bible Study (i.e. Answering hard questions, apologetics etc.)
6. Invite someone or a group of people to attend a church service with you. Offer to drive.
7. Build relationships with others by going to dinner, movies, etc. and having intentional gospel conversations.
8. Strategically schedule your weekly activities in a way that makes you have intentional moments with those non-believers around you.  Be willing to get out of your comfort zone.
9. Visit your neighbors, asking how they need prayer, and offer to pray with them.
10. Challenge yourself to share the Gospel at stores, restaurants, clubs, or even gas stations you visit regularly.
11. Display Christ through your daily attitude.  Be intentional about the way you answer simple questions such as “How are you?” (i.e. Tell the truth about how God has blessed you recently, or explain, in appropriate measure, how God’s grace is helping you to get through difficult circumstances)
12. Use a church/personal vehicle to drive around your area to meet people, take prayer requests, and engage others with the gospel.
13. Offer to take a co-worker out to eat one day to hear their story and to get to know them better.  Offer to share your personal life-story and use your testimony to clearly articulate the work of the gospel in your life.
14. Volunteer in a ministry at the church where you would not normally be active; particularly one in which you feel you can best share the Gospel. Step out of your comfort zone.
15. Volunteer at a local nursing home and share the Gospel with residents.
16. Serve at a local summer camp some and share the Gospel with campers.
17. For those working at a café or restaurant, invite Christian friends/church members to do a regular bible study or fellowship at your place of work, getting to know your coworkers.  Follow up with your coworkers and use this as an opportunity to voice your prayers for them and share the Gospel.
18. When you tip your waiter, leave a track or note with the Gospel on it and with addresses to local churches and numbers to contact pastors.  Tip well.
19. When on vacation, leave a Gospel track or note encouraging the housekeeping staff that will be cleaning the room.
20. Within your work place, neighborhood, or family, find opportunities to distribute Bibles to those you have had conversations with about the Gospel.
21. Invite a lost neighbor to join you as you walk the dog, go on a run, or participate in other outdoor activities. Use the opportunity to strategically share the Gospel.
22. Put an ad in the local newspaper with an article about the Gospel.  Encourage those who do not know Jesus to follow up using the contact information you have provided in the ad.
23. On a weekly basis, ask your pastor how you can help him share the Gospel in the community.
24. In your family, lead a daily devotion time for your wife/husband and kids and encourage them to share the Gospel. Take them out to share the gospel in an appropriate context listed above.
25. Find someone in your church who is new to faith that you can mentor/disciple for the summer. Bring them along to share the gospel in one of the above contexts.

You may want to read a good, Christian book on the topic of evangelism. Try Tell the Truth, by Will Metzger or The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, by Mark Dever.