Evangelicals have always stood for morality, and same-sex marriage is first and foremost about morality, and not human rights. In fact, when the Supreme Court of Canada refused to answer one of the federal government’s reference questions, it refused to state that same sex marriage is a human right. Even the United Nations committee on Human Rights doesn’t consider same-sex marriage a human right. The ‘human rights’ argument for such “marriage” is window dressing at best. While the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is making a solid defense, churches, and individual Christians also must find their voice because:
1 – Evangelicals base their worldview on the Bible, and same-sex marriage is contrary to the clear teaching of the Bible. Furthermore, government approved “gay marriage” goes far beyond extending tolerance to behavior Christians have always seen as immoral. It actually elevates homosexuality to a virtuous status by giving these relationships the exact same status as heterosexual marriage. No government has a right to fundamentally redefine morality.
2 – Evangelicals historically have opposed various forms of discrimination including slavery, abortion, child labor abuse, violence against women, etc. Same-sex “marriage” will establish a new institution that systematically discriminates against children, for in all such relationships children will be denied either a mother or a father. Christians must stand for the vulnerable child, and insist that government has no right to institutionalize systemic discrimination.
3 – Evangelicals are bound to fulfill the second great commandment which is, ” to love our neighbor as ourselves.” But, to ignore the common good of society by passively allowing the redefinition of marriage is an outright breaking of this command. Christians must not allow society to self-destruct because they are focused only on personalistic piety. True love, and true worship of God also demands love of neighbor.
4 – Evangelicals have always championed, and even died for the freedom to freely practice their religion. Same-sex marriage, albeit covered in the guise of human rights language, is an assault on traditional morality and if it comes to pass portends a future where religious freedoms will be lost incrementally. Indeed, the Supreme Court acknowledged in its recent decision on marriage that religious freedom may need to be limited to accommodate the equality rights of homosexuals.
5 – Evangelicals believe with the great Dutch theologian, Abraham Kuyper, “There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, ‘That is mine!’” Marriage is the foundational building block of all cultures and as such is under the Lordship of Christ. Therefore, Evangelicals should boldly and uncompromisingly defend the only kind of marriage that Jesus believed in. Christians owe it to Christ, before all else, to reject ungodly passivity, and to defend what is true, virtuous, and is the common good for all Canadians.
Evangelical theologian, Carl F. H. Henry, wrote in Twilight of a Great Civilization, “We may even now live in the half generation before hell breaks loose…” He contended that evangelicals have a God given role in stopping the moral slide of a nation. May God grant that Christians will courageously embrace their prophetic, loving role. May they speak truth in the midst of moral chaos. Evangelicals may yet take part in saving marriage—if they jettison their guilty silence.