By Stan Key
Last Friday, June 26, 2015, I felt the foundations shake when the Supreme Court assumed they could redefine the most basic of all human institutions. With all due respect, I wanted to ask them: Who gave you the right to redefine marriage? Who gave you the right to redefine a word that has had a clear definition for millennia? I was reminded of a quotation from Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll:
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is, “said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.”
There are some things you can’t not know. While many will celebrate this decision as a victory for civil liberties, the reality is that these justices are seeking to normalize the abnormal, to legitimize the illegitimate, and to sanctify the profane.
Many of us are grieving over what is happening to our nation and wonder where to turn for comfort and strength in times like these. Some may want to turn to the words of William Butler Yeats who, a century ago, looked at western civilization and pessimistically wrote:
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are filled with passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand,
Surely the second coming is at hand.
I prefer to turn to the words of that great culture warrior, Martin Luther (1483–1546). In his day, the barbarians were at the gates, the government was corrupt, immorality was rampant, and the church was asleep. But rather than wringing his hands in despair and looking for a place to retreat, Luther found the ability to sing in the storm!
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper he amid the floods of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
Doth ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name, from age to age the same,
And he must win the battle.
And though the world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours, thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.
We’ve lost a battle but not the war! Though the foundations of the city of man may be shaking, we can give thanks for the City of God that can never be shaken (Hebrews 12:28–29)!
Related Articles of Interest
“Marriage Matters” by Stan Key
“The Family: Sacred Pedagogy” by Dr. Dennis Kinlaw
“Homosexuality Calmly Considered” by Dr. Dennis Kinlaw
“The Old Testament Roots of Sexual Ethics” by Dr. John N. Oswalt
The High Calling Newsletter, May/Aug issue – Marriage & Family
Well said, Stan!
Really appreciated your response to the Supreme Court’s terrible decision on gay marriage.
At the end of the day we only have our faith in the Lord Jesus and know He is doing His will according to His purposes.
May the Lord bless you.
Thank you very much Pastor Key for running devotional blog service on Francis Asbury Society. I used to attend service at Loudonville Church when I went to school at University at Albany. Now that I work in South Korea I attend church in Seoul. I was really upset and depressed about this decision made by Supreme Court. But now that I read this blog post, I realized that foundation of marriage in U.S. is still hopeful, since there are still group of Christians and Pastors like you who are fighting back to keep it.
Praise the Lord on your commentary on the current issue of ‘same-sex marriage.’ I am currently counseling some young couples and would like to ‘distribute’ Dennis Kinlaw’s article to them w.o. costs. I also would like to put this article in the hands of each of our elected members to General Conference 2016. Do I need Kinlaw’s permission? By the way, I have been associated with him since teenage years in Lonsdale, Knoxville, TN. Thanks and Blessings!
Rev. Lewis, please email us at fas@francisasburysociety.com any time you’d like to request copies of articles that interest you. You do not need Dr. Kinlaw’s permission to share them, though he does appreciate proper credit being given, of course. The Francis Asbury Society is happy to provide more neatly formatted hard copies upon request.
Excellent, Stan!! I write a weekly letter to our blended family of 33 grand and great grandchildren. I would like to use a couple phrases from your Response to the S C article.
Clifton and I have written a book to pass on our values to the next generation taken from some of the 13 years of weekly letters. The title is: Unexplainable Events … But God: Letters to Our Grandchildren to Pass on Values from the Seasons of Life.
P.S. Do your parents live in High Point, NC?
What else will it take for our pulpits and congregations to stand up and defend all that we are losing?
Thanks my Brother!
Martin Luther kept up the good fight and the Apostle Paul pressed on and I aim to do both as the Lord leads.
In the meantime I’m going to obey the commands found in Psalm 37.
I’m going to try not to fret;
I’m going to trust, dwell, delight, commit, rest, cease from anger, and wait;
And the promise that things are going to turn out right will come true because we believe in the Commander who is in charge! Jim