Radical Faith

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

“Christianity is radical.”  These were my husband’s words to me when I first told him I had become one. I responded that it was too late for me to consider that.  The Hound of Heaven had pursued me and I had responded –after quite a long time and a lot of battling Him in my own mind.

Early on I came to a firm understanding that God’s Word is true, it is living and active, sharper than any double edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12). I wholeheartedly believe 2 Timothy 3:16 that says that ”All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” The hard part for most unbelievers – and I am finding for some who consider themselves Christians – is that He has given  us these commands – His law – for our own good. He is not a joy robbing, no fun aloud, kind of God. In order to live in the peace and joy He promises we must do things His way.

This is a place where the old and new testaments completely agree. Deuteronomy 28:1 says,  “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” He goes on to promise more blessings for obedience. In John 14:15 Jesus says that if we love Him we will obey His commands. Jesus is God, the admonition is the same. Jesus also follows this statement with promises for obedience: the Holy Spirit, that He won’t leave us as orphans, and that we will know Him.

All of this is to explain why I believe that we have to leave marriage defined as one man and one woman. God created marriage. The first purpose in the Bible is in Genesis 1:28 and comes from the mouth of God, “God blessed them (Adam and Eve) and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  To serve God in marriage as He has commanded us requires reproducing. This requires one man and one woman.

Nowhere in the Bible is there any “wiggle” room to extend the definition of marriage. Same sex relationships are consistently forbidden throughout the whole of scripture. I don’t claim to understand all of God’s thinking but I know that what He commands is for our good – the good of all mankind.

Psalm 19:7-9  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

The reason I am addressing this is because I see posts on Facebook and twitter that claim they come from Christians supporting the idea of same sex marriage. I get the impression it is because they think it is the “kind and loving” thing to say. If we believe that God is the Sovereign God of the universe, we have to believe that He has given us His word for our good, that it will revive the soul, make us wise, rejoice in our hearts, and enlighten our eyes. It is easy to follow the ways and the ideals of man and go astray from God, even while claiming to follow Him. It is hard to live a radically Christian life putting God before man and others before self.

If we refuse to stand up for Biblical marriage, against abortion, for the rights of parents to raise their children according to God’s word, and the freedom to hate sin (including our own), then we are denying the faith Jesus died to give us. He said that if we deny Him before men that He will deny us before His Father.

I know it’s radical but I believe Him.

O Lord let us stand for Your Truth so that we will not be denied before You.