Recently conservative pastor Alistair Begg gave a grandmother some advice that has created some controversy among conservative Christians. The grandmother’s grandchild was marrying a transgendered person and wanted to know should she go. He asked her if her grandchild understood where she stood regarding the union and the grandmother said her grandchild did. Pastor Begg advised her to go and give the couple a wedding present.
Begg has experienced some backlash among conservative Christian voices and has been asked to step down from speaking engagements, and had his radio program pulled from some stations.
The closest that Scripture comes to a similar situation is after Jesus tells Matthew to follow Him. “Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, ‘Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?’ But when Jesus heard this, He said, ‘It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick,’” Matthew 9:10-12.
Jesus Himself was criticized when he associated with “tax collectors and sinners.” Of course there is a difference between attending a dinner and a wedding celebration. And there is a difference in being present at a wedding and celebrating a wedding. But if one attends such a wedding it would be assumed by others as being there to celebrate the wedding.
What is a Christian to do?
Knowing the theology of Alistair Begg, I know he does not believe same-sex marriages are biblical. But bible-believing Christians are divided over Begg’s advice to this grandmother with most believing his advice to be wrong.
Back in 2015 when the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that said same-sex marriage was a constitutional right, I said this will change the cultural landscape of America. That is coming to pass right before our eyes.
While I am here let me say that Obergefell v. Hodges is subject to be overturned for the same reasons Roe v. Wade was overturned. The Tenth Amendment says, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Marriage, like abortion, is not a matter delegated to the Federal government by the Constitution and as such is “reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Since marriage is not mentioned in the Constitution the Supreme Court cannot constitutionally decide anything regarding marriage, to do so violates the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution.
A favorite saying among believers is we should hate sin but love the sinner. Does that mean we should hate the sin of homosexuality, but love the homosexual and attend their weddings? To go or not to go to the wedding is the question.
I know, like Christ, I need to associate in some instances with sinners as He did, but at this point I do not think I could attend a same-sex wedding, but do not think I could condemn another who does so as to be a witness for righteousness.
Another very well-worded post, Gary. I, too, would not attend a same-sex wedding, but would not condemn another for going IF they were going to be “a witness for righteousness.” I’ve had to walk this tightrope often in my own family ~ with much prayer.
I tough subject in our present day, but I agree. Kindness is not agreeing with sin but showing our love toward others in a broken world.