Woke Pastor Wants to Keep Gay Marriage Ruling

A pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention is receiving backlash after stating he doesn’t believe the 2015 SCOTUS case, Obergerfel vs Hodges, should be overturned.

The case at hand classified same-sex unions as “marriage” and labeled them a “constitutional right” in America.

In response to a post by William Wolfe on X, pastor Joel Rainey voiced his opposition to overturning the ruling.

Rainey stated that he believes overturning Obergefell would “invalidate” all the “economic supports” built into “same-sex marriage” and would “bring harm to already established unions” that the courts have already “legitimized.”

According to Protestia, before Rainey deleted the tweet, he wrote, “Given the choice between

1. A nation that outlaws something sinful, but millions still do in secret.

2. A nation that leaves something legal that people choose not to do because they love Jesus more …

I’ll take #2. Every. Single. Time. If that’s “heresy” to some, so be it. In the past, I wouldn’t have agreed. But given that culture is moving toward an ever-widening view of what constitutes marriage, its endorsement no longer promotes the common good. May as well just get them out of it altogether.”

He later clarified: “I don’t believe in gay marriage. But I also don’t believe in using the courts to bring harm to already established unions. Asking for genuine repentance is far different from a court forcing the dissolution of a union that same court legitimized.”

The pastor’s comments on gay unions come at a time when the SBC is currently debating a plethora of issues. Although the SBC has consistently passed resolutions reaffirming its opposition to homosexuality and same-sex “marriage”, the pressure is being applied to see the SBC follow in the same digression as the Church of England and many other denominations who will start blessing the unions of same-sex couples.

Perspective:

There should be no debate on the issue of marriage – if any person or denomination is looking for a directive on the matter, they need only to consider what God has to say. He is, after all, the One who created the institution in the first place. It only makes sense that if God is the creator of marriage, which he designed both for our good and His glory, He would get to set the ground rules for how it is to function. (Matthew 19:5-6, Genesis 2:4, Ephesians 5:25)

2 Timothy 4:3 clearly says, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

God is the same yesterday, today and forever – if He addressed a matter in His Word, His answer doesn’t change just because humanity doesn’t want to abide by what He says.

The standard for living as believers doesn’t change based upon the current trends or norms in culture. In every season, we are to be holy (utterly set apart), and though we are in this world, we are not of this world.

As the soon return of Christ draws nigh, there should be a stark contrast between the believer and those who do not yet know Christ (Matthew 5:16). Yes, many will fall away and give into “doctrines of devils” seeking tolerance above the absolute truth of the Gospel (1 Timothy 4:1) but that won’t be us. As we devote ourselves to prayer and the reading and teaching of God’s Word, we will not deviate from that which God has outlined to us whether it be on this subject or any other.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

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