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Dr. Hamada: Ten Important Reminders For Christians In Wake Of Court's Gay Marriage Opinion
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 Two things - this picture of the White House breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what the former residents would think about seeing one of the iconic symbols of this nation with these colors on it. As far as I know, on July 4th it was not shown in Red, White and Blue. Second, in addition to reading this article, I would encourage you to read Dr. Hamada's bio. It is truly remarkable. I was not familiar with him until I saw this article on my pastor's Facebook page. It seems the doctor may be worth following.
by Dr. Omar Hamada - Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 2, 2015- Over the past several years, Christians across the world are being persecuted at an increasingly alarming rate. The Supreme Court's latest blow to Christians in America will likely open a Pandora's box of religious persecution. Many proponents of the Court's opinion on gay marriage have pointed to the First Amendment as promise that religious clergy will not be forced to join same sex marriages. To those individuals, I would simply point to the Second, Fourth and Tenth Amendments. Over time, the Court and Congress have shredded each of these Amendments, so why would anyone believe the First Amendment is sacrosanct? Regardless, as a Southern Baptist minister, I wanted to clear up a few general and widespread theological misconceptions.
1) A follower of Jesus Christ is a Christian; most Christians are not followers of Jesus Christ.
2) The passages that have to do with Christ and the apostles warning us not to judge have to do with not pridefully considering ourselves better than others as we judge ourselves more righteous and deserving of God's favor than they. It has nothing to do with calling sin sin in whatever form it may be.
3) Yes, God is love. But He is also just. If there is but one word that we could use to describe God, it would be "Holy".
4) God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that God does not want us to be happy if happiness is defined as that temporary situational-based feeling that we experience when we are fulfilling our own carnal desires, but he does want us to be joyful as we follow Christ with all of our heart soul and mind.
5) As followers of Jesus Christ, we no longer live in brokenness and defeat; we are no longer enslaved to sin. We have been restored and are enslaved to righteousness as co-heirs, friends, and brothers/sisters of and with Christ.
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A Letter From Dutch Sheets Concerning The Recent Supreme Court Marriage Ruling
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July 1, 2015 Posted by Dutch Sheets
For those of us who hold a Biblical worldview, the mix of sadness, grief and anger over the redefining of marriage by the Supreme Court has been profound and is certainly appropriate. These emotions are much different than the trivial feelings caused by the sting of "losing." They are more akin to the deep grief associated with death. We mourn because we know what has actually happened-and what is coming. Through this ruling, America took one step closer toward the death of our God-given destiny and greatness. As respected Pastor and Revivalist John Kilpatrick points out in a recent video, we are now an apostate nation. [1]
Although Dutch Sheets Ministries has never endorsed a candidate or political party, I did issue a warning regarding the Supreme Court during the election of 2008. While I had concerns about both major party candidates, now-President Obama's stand on abortion and other moral and legal issues led me to believe his Supreme Court appointments could cause great damage. I warned, in fact, that the true spoils of the election, regardless of who won, would be the shaping of the Supreme Court for many years to come. Sadly, this has proven to be true. Though President Obama has done much personally to take the nation in directions I disagree with and mourn over, I believe what has just happened through the Court will prove to be the most destructive part of his legacy. We have just experienced this generation's "Roe vs. Wade."
In an article published by The Daily Signal, Canadian Dawn Stefanowicz gives us a shocking but eye-opening report of the true fallout, based on what occurred when Canada went down this path. Lance Wallnau of The Lance Learning Experience also points out clearly what is coming. I have placed a link to their statements at the end of this response. Both clearly explain the dire and terrifying consequences of this ruling-truly, America has entered a new era.[2, 3]
But as disheartening as this ruling was, and as appropriate as it is to grieve, it does us no good at this point to vent and rage. The real questions are: "What happens now?" and "Where do we go from here?" As we ponder this, here are five thoughts to consider.
1) The Bible is still God's standard
A watered-down gospel and a largely Bible-less church have given way to a generation of Americans who believe there is no true standard for life and morality. Relativism (no absolutes) and humanism (self-rule, as
opposed to God's) have taken over our nation, including much of the church. When our nation embraced this philosophy, the Bible became merely a historical book of "suggestions," and the Constitution became nothing more than a historical document of old "ideas." Both became "outdated" sets of values, appropriate for generations past, but not relevant for today. Therefore, we needed to create our own guidelines, beliefs and boundaries, which, of course, would always need to be evolving.
The problem with all of this is that in reality, a changing standard is no standard. This has led to mooring-less chaos, unbridled sin, lawlessness, and rebellion. As occurred in Israel's early history, most Americans are now doing what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). America is adrift in the devastating sea of self-desire, self-adulation and self-rule.
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40 Questions for Christians Now Waving Rainbow Flags
Kevin DeYoung 1 July 2015
For evangelicals who lament last Friday's Supreme Court decision, it's been a hard few days. We aren't asking for emotional pity, nor do I suspect many people are eager to give us any. Our pain is not sacred. Making legal and theological decisions based on what makes people feel better is part of what got us into this mess in the first place. Nevertheless, it still hurts.
There are many reasons for our lamentation, from fear that religious liberties will be taken away to worries about social ostracism and cultural marginalization. But of all the things that grieve us, perhaps what's been most difficult is seeing some of our friends, some of our family members, and some of the folks we've sat next to in church giving their hearty "Amen" to a practice we still think is a sin and a decision we think is bad for our country. It's one thing for the whole nation to throw a party we can't in good conscience attend. It's quite another to look around for friendly faces to remind us we're not alone and then find that they are out there jamming on the dance floor. We thought the rainbow was God's sign (Gen. 9:8-17).
If you consider yourself a Bible-believing Christian, a follower of Jesus whose chief aim is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, there are important questions I hope you will consider before picking up your flag and cheering on the sexual revolution. These questions aren't meant to be snarky or merely rhetorical. They are sincere, if pointed, questions that I hope will cause my brothers and sisters with the new rainbow themed avatars to slow down and think about the flag you're flying.
1. How long have you believed that gay marriage is something to be celebrated?
2. What Bible verses led you to change your mind?
3. How would you make a positive case from Scripture that sexual activity between two persons of the same sex is a blessing to be celebrated?
4. What verses would you use to show that a marriage between two persons of the same sex can adequately depict Christ and the church?
5. Do you think Jesus would have been okay with homosexual behavior between consenting adults in a committed relationship?
6. If so, why did he reassert the Genesis definition of marriage as being one man and one woman?
7. When Jesus spoke against porneia what sins do you think he was forbidding?
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