It was just a little over two years ago that Jason Collins, a washed-up NBA player nearing the end of his career and looking for some cheap publicity, announced to the world in a Sports Illustrated interview that he was “a 34-year-old NBA center” who was “black” and “gay.”
In the interview, as he tried to justify his sexually deviant lifestyle, he reflected on the “Christian” lessons he learned from his parents, particularly the teachings of Jesus Christ:
I’m from a close-knit family. My parents instilled Christian values in me. They taught Sunday school, and I enjoyed lending a hand. I take the teachings of Jesus seriously, particularly the ones that touch on tolerance and understanding. (emphasis mine)
Of course, I documented how wrong Mr. Collins was about the teachings of Christ, particularly when it came to how the Son of God doesn’t “tolerate” our sin and the choices we make. I invite you to check it out.
So, why am I revisiting this story?
Because I believe that in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case, which fabricated a constitutional basis to legalize “marriage” between two people of the same gender, we will begin to see a new level of religious persecution for those who believe in God’s definition of this sacred arrangement such as we have never seen before.
One need look no further than the actions of the Gay Mafia against Christian businesses even before this unconstitutional ruling when the question on the legality of same-sex “marriage” was still in doubt. Now that the court has issued its mandate, the extortion tactics will increase as the homosexual mob tries to eliminate all those who refuse to tolerate their sexual practices. In fact, the lawsuits against churches has already begun in Britain where same-sex “marriage” was legalized just a month ago.
Which brings me full circle. Jason Collins claimed that Jesus taught tolerance in his attempt to legitimize his sexual behavior while making those who call themselves Christian look like they are bigoted antichrists. Question homosexuality, particularly when it comes to the subject of same-sex “marriage,” and you’re the one who sins, not the homosexuals.
During the heated days leading up to this decision, we heard calls for the church to stand up against acts of judicial tyranny, and that’s good news. But it’s also bad news for those who decide to take such a stand because of the persecution that will result.
We really shouldn’t be surprised by this ruling. It is, after all, the fault of the lukewarm church that we are where we are today, as we see in this quote from Charles G. Finney:
If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree.
If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it.
If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it.
If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it.
If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it.
If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it.
If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.
Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation.
As sobering as Finney’s words are, they are worthless if we don’t see them as an opportunity to repent of our lukewarm ways; and even for those who repent, they remain worthless if repentance isn’t followed by works. And for those with the courage to display works worthy of their faith, the Gay Mafia and others in the pro-homosexual movement will be increasingly hostile towards them for lacking the tolerance they claim to possess.
Which begs the question: what kind of Christians will we choose to be? Will we cave to “the law of the land” as Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush say we should in the name of tolerance (i.e. unconditional acceptance)?
Or will we be intolerant… just like Jesus is?
