Same-sex Marriage – PaulThompsonBlog

Current Idaho Marriage Code

Posted on May 20, 2019Leave a comment

Idaho marriage law is very clear on what constitutes a marriage, persons who may marry, and how the law instructs the courts to treat marriages that violate this public policy.

Yet everyone believes the Supreme Court opinion in 2015. Where is a county courthouse in the state of Idaho willing to follow the law of the state of Idaho?

Where I argue that marriage is a spiritual covenant and not simply a civil contract I find it interesting that Idaho code does not recognize same-sex (perversion of) marriage contracts. In light of this the state of Idaho continues to issue marriage licenses for such perversions of marriage.

Idaho Code: This link spells out the entire code concerning “domestic relations”
https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title32/

32-201. WHAT CONSTITUTES MARRIAGE Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of parties capable of making it is necessary. (more)

32-202. PERSONS WHO MAY MARRY. Any unmarried male of the age of eighteen (18) years or older, and any unmarried female of the age of eighteen (18) years or older, and not otherwise disqualified, are capable of consenting to and consummating marriage. (more)

32-209. RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN OR OUT-OF-STATE MARRIAGES. All marriages contracted without this state, which would be valid by the laws of the state or country in which the same were contracted, are valid in this state, unless they violate the public policy of this state. Marriages that violate the public policy of this state include, but are not limited to, same-sex marriages, and marriages entered into under the laws of another state or country with the intent to evade the prohibitions of the marriage laws of this state. (more)

My ongoing response to my homosexual neighbors; submit to God, believe in the Gospel and be saved. God’s kindness is yours today, repent of your sin and be comforted in His truth. God wants you happy, this is why He has given us commandments and precepts to direct us to joyful living. Believe Him today.

A Good Day to Be the Church

Posted on June 17, 2015Leave a comment

This week in Columbus, OH:

Bold resolutions proposed and accepted by messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention. They are kind of lengthy at times but insightful and helpful. If you are looking for a church that is more interested in looking like the culture than submitting to the authority of God you may want to avoid a Southern Baptist Church. It’s a good day to be the church.

(Full text of all 9 resolutions at Baptist Press, HERE)

RESOLUTION 1: ON APPRECIATION (full text HERE)

RESOLUTION 2: ON THE NINETIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM (full text HERE)

RESOLUTION 3: ON REVIVAL AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

WHEREAS, God is a God of life, having given birth to all life throughout the universe in Creation, and having breathed the breath of life into the first man, Adam (Genesis 2:7); and

WHEREAS, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is referred to as the Son of God who “was in the beginning with God, [and] all things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being, [and] in Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (John 1:2–4); and

WHEREAS, Regarding the Holy Spirit, the Apostle John quotes Jesus as saying, “It is the Spirit who gives life” (John 6:63); and the Apostle Paul affirms that “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6); and that the Old Covenant ends in death, but under the New Covenant the Spirit gives life to those who are born again (2 Corinthians 3:6); and

WHEREAS, The people of God in the Old Testament from time to time experienced periods of rebellion against God and His divine will for them, prompting Him to discipline them, sometimes severely, which often led to them turning to Him in repentance, prayer, and renewed obedience, at which time His glory would once again fill the house of God and His people would be endued and infused with fresh life from heaven; and

WHEREAS, The Church itself was birthed on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) with the baptism of the Holy Spirit that filled the disciples with supernatural power, prompting their desire to share the Gospel boldly and three thousand new believers were ushered into God’s Kingdom by means of regeneration on that great day; and

WHEREAS, God has manifested Himself among His people in days gone by in seasons of refreshing, revival, and spiritual awakening, such as the days of The Evangelical Awakening in Britain (1735–1791), The First Great Awakening in America (1726–1770), The Second Great Awakening in America (1787–1843), The Layman’s Prayer Revival (1857–1859), The Global Awakening (1901–1910), and The Jesus Movement in America (late 1960s to early 1970s); and

WHEREAS, Though some parts of the body of Christ have experienced “waves” of spiritual awakening since the mid-1970s, the overall “tide of revival” in America has been “out” for four decades, while the Church and our culture have been drifting further and further into a moral and spiritual state of rebellion and corruption; and

WHEREAS, Our Southern Baptist Convention has been in a state of steady decline in baptisms for the past fifteen years (since 2000); and

WHEREAS, Our current Southern Baptist President, Ronnie Floyd, has made a comprehensive and clarion call “PLEADING WITH SOUTHERN BAPTISTS To Humbly Come Together Before God in Clear Agreement, Visible Union, and in Extraordinary Prayer for the Next Great Awakening and for the World to Be Reached for Christ”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, do commit to dedicate and consecrate ourselves afresh to seek the Lord God with our whole hearts, through repentance of our own sins, and also crying out to God regarding the sins of our nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we engage in faithful and fervent prayer for the spiritual healing of our churches, our Convention, and our nation; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we faithfully and fervently plead with our great God to open the windows of heaven and come down among His people with a fresh filling of His Spirit that His Name will be glorified throughout our nation and the nations, and that His people will be refreshed with an outpouring of His love and holiness, resulting in renewed zeal to share the Gospel of Jesus with lost people for the purpose of winning them to faith in Christ and discipling them in such a way that they will in turn win others to Christ.

RESOLUTION 4: ON RACIAL RECONCILIATION

WHEREAS, The Scriptures teach that God has created all men and women in His image (Genesis 1:27) and has made from one man and one woman all peoples to live on the earth (Genesis 3:20; Acts 17:26); and

WHEREAS, God loves the world (John 3:16), sending Jesus to die for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), and, in Christ, is reconciling to Himself people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9); and

WHEREAS, Our justification before God is based on faith in Christ alone and not in our ethnicity (Galatians 3:27–28); and

WHEREAS, God has made believers one in Christ, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and uniquely qualified to stand together in faith (Ephesians 2:15–16); and

WHEREAS, The Lord has given His people the mission of making disciples from every nation (Matthew 28:19); and

WHEREAS, Racism is sin because it disregards the image of God in all people and denies the truth of the Gospel that believers are all one in Him; and

WHEREAS, In 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention publically repented of its own complicity in the sin of racism that has divided both the body of Christ and the broader culture; and

WHEREAS, We grieve over the continued presence of racism and the recent escalation of racial tension in our nation; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention has taken numerous steps to enlist qualified individuals of all races and ethnicities for leadership roles; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists, in both our congregations and entities, increasingly reflect the racial and ethnic diversity in our communities and nation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, rededicate ourselves to the holy responsibility and privilege of loving and discipling people of all races and ethnicities in our communities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge churches to demonstrate their heart for racial reconciliation by seeking to increase racial and ethnic diversity in church staff roles, leadership positions, and church membership; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptist entities and Convention committees to make leadership appointments that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the body of Christ and of the Southern Baptist Convention; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we continually prioritize and monitor our progress in adequately representing the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of our communities in our local congregations and our entities; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we call on Southern Baptists to be faithful ambassadors of reconciliation in their personal relationships and local communities as they demonstrate the power of the Gospel to reconcile all persons in Christ.

RESOLUTION 5: ON THE CALL TO PUBLIC WITNESS ON MARRIAGE

WHEREAS, God in His divine wisdom created marriage as the covenanted, conjugal union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18–24; Matthew 19:4–6; Hebrews 13:4); and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith & Message (2000) recognizes the biblical definition of marriage as “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime,” stating further, “It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race”; and

WHEREAS, God ordains government to promote and honor the public good and recognize what is praiseworthy (Romans 13:3–4); and

WHEREAS, The public good requires defining and defending marriage as the covenanted, conjugal union of one man and one woman; and

WHEREAS, Marriage is by nature a public institution that unites man and woman in the common task of bringing forth children; and

WHEREAS, The Supreme Court of the United States will rule in 2015 on whether states shall be required to grant legal recognition as “marriages” to same-sex partnerships; and

WHEREAS, The redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples will continue to weaken the institution of the natural family unit and erode the religious liberty and rights of conscience of all who remain faithful to the idea of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife; and

WHEREAS, The Bible calls us to love our neighbors, including those who disagree with us about the definition of marriage and the public good; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, prayerfully call on the Supreme Court of the United States to uphold the right of the citizens to define marriage as exclusively the union of one man and one woman; and be it further

RESOLVED, That Southern Baptists recognize that no governing institution has the authority to negate or usurp God’s definition of marriage; and be it further

RESOLVED, No matter how the Supreme Court rules, the Southern Baptist Convention reaffirms its unwavering commitment to its doctrinal and public beliefs concerning marriage; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the religious liberty of individual citizens or institutions should not be infringed as a result of believing or living according to the biblical definition of marriage; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Southern Baptist Convention calls on Southern Baptists and all Christians to stand firm on the Bible’s witness on the purposes of marriage, among which are to unite man and woman as one flesh and to secure the basis for the flourishing of human civilization; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That Southern Baptists love our neighbors and extend respect in Christ’s name to all people, including those who may disagree with us about the definition of marriage and the public good.

RESOLUTION 6: ON THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

WHEREAS, Biblical revelation clearly and consistently affirms that human life is formed by God in His image and is therefore worthy of honor and dignity (Genesis 1:27; 9:6); and

WHEREAS, God alone is the Author of life and He alone numbers our days, from the moment of conception until natural death (Job 14:5–7; Psalm 39:4); and

WHEREAS, The Bible commands us to honor our parents and the aged (Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:32; Ephesians 6:2); and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith & Message (2000) affirms that “children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord” and calls us to “speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death”; and

WHEREAS, An estimated fifty-seven million unborn babies have been aborted since the legalization of abortion in 1973 (Roe v. Wade); and

WHEREAS, Legislation or court rulings have effectively legalized physician-assisted suicide in several states and additional states are considering similar action; and

WHEREAS, Recent federal directives seek to compel religious organizations to provide coverage for abortifacient technologies and services; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, affirm the dignity and sanctity of human life at all stages of development, from conception to natural death; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we reaffirm our repudiation of the genocide of legalized abortion in the United States and call on civil authorities to enact laws that defend the lives of the unborn; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we welcome and commend legislation that ensures that all mothers will be fully informed by medical providers of the life development of their unborn children; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on our fellow citizens of good will to collaborate with us on behalf of justice, the protection of human life, and the cause of human flourishing; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage Southern Baptists to continue and to expand their local ministries that care for and protect the unborn, the vulnerable, and the aged; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on Southern Baptist churches and entities to show the love of Christ through appropriate means to those women most vulnerable to the victimization of the abortion industry, and to show grace and mercy to those individuals who grieve with repentance over past abortions; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on our churches and all believers to care for the elderly among us, to show them honor and dignity, and to prayerfully support and counsel those who are providing end-of-life care for the aged, the terminally ill, and the chronically infirmed; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend the efforts of our denominational entities, especially The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, in the defense and protection of human life at every stage; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we pray and work for the repeal of unjust laws and inhumane practices that degrade human life, all the while looking toward the day when our Lord will make all things new and “Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

RESOLUTION 7: ON PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL PURITY

WHEREAS, God calls His people to holiness and Christ has specifically summoned His followers to sexual purity (Matthew 5:27–28; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5); and

WHEREAS, Sexual sin robs us of our joy in God and is especially grievous to our souls (1 Corinthians 6:18); and

WHEREAS, Increasing numbers of men and women report their addiction and enslavement to pornography in multiple forms; and

WHEREAS, Pornography has devastated many of our families and churches, leaving countless divorces and broken homes in its wake; and

WHEREAS, The sex industry is exploitative in its very nature, often complicit in the blight of human trafficking, harming all its participants; and

WHEREAS, Increasing numbers of our children have been victimized by this insidious industry, not only through child pornography, but also by the active marketing of pornographic content to young men and women; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, express our deep grief over the widespread devastation inflicted by the pornography industry in our churches and communities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves as disciples of Christ to lives of purity in thought, word, and deed; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on Southern Baptist churches to continue and to expand efforts to teach the whole counsel of God regarding sexual purity, human dignity, biblical gender roles, and the dangers of pornography; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on government authorities to enact and enforce laws that restrict all forms of pornography, particularly those that include and exploit minors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage Christian families to exercise deliberate care and concern for instructing our children how to wisely use online resources for good and to show appropriate discernment in protecting our children from harmful influences; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we commend the good news that Christ is fully able to deliver and restore those who have fallen in sexual sin who look to Him in faith and repentance, and call our churches to foster a culture of grace, mercy, and restoration.

RESOLUTION 8: ON THE PERSECUTED CHURCH WORLDWIDE

WHEREAS, Religious liberty is a principle rooted in Scripture and demonstrated in the Gospel (Daniel 3:16–18; Galatians 5:1); and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith & Message (2000) asserts, “The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinion of any kind,” and “A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power”; and

WHEREAS, All individuals are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and therefore deserve to be regarded with dignity and respect; and

WHEREAS, Vast numbers of Christians worldwide are experiencing religious persecution because of their confession of Christ as Lord (2 Timothy 3:12); and

WHEREAS, Multiple thousands of these believers are martyred each year, while countless others are imprisoned, tortured, or otherwise oppressed for activities including possessing a copy of the Scriptures, gathering to worship Jesus Christ, or sharing the Gospel; and

WHEREAS, Faithful followers of Christ worldwide are facing extreme and severe persecution in nations including, but not limited to, North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Central African Republic, Qatar, Kenya, Turkmenistan, India, Ethiopia, Egypt, Djibouti, and Myanmar; and

WHEREAS, Governments that persecute Christians and abridge religious freedom invariably are guilty of other human rights abuses as well; and

WHEREAS, Followers of Jesus reflect the character and mission of our Lord by proclaiming liberty to captives and setting free those who are oppressed (Luke 4:18); and

WHEREAS, Baptists, owing much of our heritage first to the women and men of the Radical Reformation, have courageously stood for religious liberty and the exclusivity of salvation in Jesus Christ and were persecuted, many becoming martyrs; and

WHEREAS, Christians living in nations with religious liberty bear a responsibility not only to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters worldwide (2 Timothy 1:8) but also to employ every avenue to advocate justice on their behalf (Amos 5:24; Micah 6:8); now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, give thanks to God that He has mercifully placed us in a nation that upholds religious liberty, and resolutely oppose and denounce all religious persecution anywhere in the world; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists and all Americans to refrain from international trade, even at the risk of financial loss, with or in nations that practice religious persecution; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage our governmental officials to elevate religious liberty concerns to the highest priority in foreign policy, invoking sanctions against those nations which advocate or tolerate persecution of those with differing religious beliefs; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we gratefully acknowledge and trust that what wicked people intend for evil, God is sovereignly using for good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28), affirming the message of the ancient theologian Tertullian to persecutors: “The oftener we are mowed down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed”; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we call for all Southern Baptists to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters continually in our personal prayer times and regularly in our corporate worship services and prayer gatherings, asking that God grant them endurance, deliverance, justice, and souls won to Christ through their faithful and sacrificial witness.

RESOLUTION 9: ON RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NORTH KOREA

WHEREAS, All individuals are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and therefore deserve to have their physical, emotional, and spiritual integrity respected; and

WHEREAS, God’s people should be committed to break the chains of wickedness, untie the ropes of the yoke, set the oppressed free, tear off every yoke, and care for the prisoner and the mistreated (Isaiah 58:6; Matthew 25:36; Hebrews 13:3); and

WHEREAS, The human rights situation for millions of people in North Korea since the succession of the new leader Kim Jong Un on December 17, 2011, remains among the most severe in the world; and

WHEREAS, in 2014 the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on human rights in North Korea determined that crimes against humanity were taking place in that country, including “extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence, persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, the forcible transfer of populations, the enforced disappearance of persons and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation”; and

WHEREAS, Followers of Jesus Christ and adherents to any faith other than the state-sanctioned cult of personality revolving around the Kim family face extreme persecution against themselves and their family members; and

WHEREAS, Despite the fact that an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 Christians in North Korea remain at grave risk of persecution, underground churches continue to minister to and help North Koreans escape to third country safe havens like the United States and South Korea; and

WHEREAS, The United States Congress passed the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, reauthorized in 2008 and 2012, to alleviate the suffering of North Koreans in and outside of the country, provide information of the outside world into North Korea, and to promote human rights, democracy, and market economy in North Korea; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Columbus, Ohio, June 16–17, 2015, appeal to Kim Jong Un and the government of North Korea to respect and ensure human rights for all individuals as obligated both by biblical teaching and the international covenants to which it is a State Party, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge President Barack Obama and both houses of the US Congress to do all they can to pressure the government of North Korea to respect the dignity and religious freedom of all its citizens; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we renew our call to Southern Baptists and all our brothers and sisters in Christ to pray that God will turn the heart of Kim Jong Un to Himself and that President Kim might grant to all the people of North Korea the respect they deserve as God’s creation (Proverbs 21:1).

Interviews

Posted on October 26, 2014Leave a comment

I was interviewed for input on the matter of marriage by the Twin Falls Times-News recently (the article was published yesterday.) I thought the article represented my response fairly and I was pleased with the outcome of the work of Tetona Dunlap.

Read the article here: (Gay Marriage: Taking the Pastors’ Pulse)

Here is the full content and context of the questions I was asked.

Question: What is your stance on gay marriage and why?

My Answer: If the trend across the United States is an accurate indicator then I am in the minority on this matter. I am in agreement with historical and orthodox teachings of the Bible on the definition of marriage being between one man and one woman until death.

Question: How will gay marriage becoming legal affect churches and religion in Idaho?

My Answer: The true church will continue to preach that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Even before same-sex marriage became legal, the church existed in communities where immorality and sinful establishments existed. Churches have historically called all sinners to repentance. I don’t see that this law will change the churches duty to God. Citizens in the community commit adultery; the church has never been stopped from preaching that adultery is a sin. Our community has alcoholics and drug addicts throughout her history; the church has never been hindered from preaching repentance from drunkenness. There are rebellious children in our homes and churches have always taught children to honor their parents. Even though same-sex marriage is legal, the church has a responsibility to love everyone enough to warn of the consequences of sin.

Question: If a gay couple wanted to get married at your church, would you have the right/power to turn them away?

My Answer: Where we are happy for our building to be used by others in the community and we do allow our community to use our building for civic events, we are grateful to God to live in a land with a constitution that protects the people from a government regulating religious practice. If a same sex couple wanted to use our building for a wedding we would not allow it to take place in our building. By doing so, we aren’t forbidding them from pursuing what they want. There are other places and people recognized by the state to do these ceremonies. We would decline such a request with respect.

Question: Have you ever had a congregation member, friend or family member open up to you about being gay? What did you say? If not, what would you say to anyone who came to you?

My Answer: I speak to all in my congregation, family and friends the same. Homosexuality is a sin. I don’t shy away from saying that anymore than if a member in our church committed adultery, fornication, drunkenness, robbery, murder, etc, the bible calls these “sins”. I’m candid about these things and take advantage to even speak to all about the kind of grace it takes to save a sinner like me. It’s the kind of grace that called me unto repentance. It’s the kind of grace that tells me of a sufficient Redeemer, able to cover my sin by taking the wrath I deserve upon Himself. Jesus, the Christ, is that Redeemer. It’s the kind of grace that keeps me from being silent.

Question: Are you ever afraid of voicing your opinions? Why or why not?

My Answer: I would say I want to be careful because I want to be caring to all. I don’t want to offend by expressing my belief in arrogance. I attempt to speak boldly, with caring consideration.

Question: What are the benefits and downfalls of gay marriage becoming legal?

Answer: The way I see these things are based from my belief of marriage being between one man and one woman.

Question: Do you think churches today are successful in reaching out to the gay community? Is this something they should they doing?

My Answer: Churches are successful in reaching all when we stay true to our duty before God. When a church preaches truth, she is a blessing to her community. When a church stops calling all people to repent then the church ceases being a true church. When the church begins looking other places than the Bible to determine her success, she ceases being a blessing to the community. When this pursuit of success is to make any segment of the community comfortable in their sin for the sake of being popular then the church has lost her way and become irrelevant while trying to be relevant.

Question: Please add anything else you think is important.

My Answer: Thank you for asking for my input on this matter.

On Notice

Posted on October 14, 2014Leave a comment

All believers have a unique relationship in a government that is made up of the people and established by voters. Believers are eligible voters and should take that responsibility seriously.

I am a values voter, meaning I vote my values above party or popularity. I vote for candidates and in relationship to laws according to my values. I respect that not everyone in the land will agree with me nor should be required to do so. I hope they like that the ‘system’ works this way.I do.

I don’t want a government that forces morality or religion on any citizen, yet I hope that same government would recognize her duty to wellness and safety of all citizens.

Contrary to what many think about me in the region, I do see and understand the relationship between a civic magistrate and the church. It is a separated relationship and there is no mandating between the two. There must be a respect between the two and the two should be allowed to exist independently of each other even in areas where the two disagree.

I will strive toward a new understanding of what this looks like in regard to marriage licenses. There will be many things to discover and I expect to find a way with in the law of the land. One that will not force me to do that which I conventionally will not do.

Today, every elected official within my voting privilege in Idaho and beyond should know that they are on notice from this voter. Take me off of your automated phone trees telling me about your family values if you are not willing to put your entire political career aside for conviction of what you say you believe.

While this gets figured out, I will continue to “speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.” (Job 13:3)

What Will You Do Now?

Posted on October 13, 2014Leave a comment

“Warn the nations: Look!” (Jeremiah 4:16 NASB)

Twin Falls, ID: Times-News is reporting that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered the state of Idaho to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 15, 2014. If the orders by the 9th circuit court of appeals stands, county courthouses will be forced to issue marriage licenses to citizens who don’t meet the requirement of Idaho law.

I don’t doubt that those seeking a license are excited and in hopes of experiencing happiness. All Sinners pursue things that we think will make us happy. A court decision to act in favor of sexual deviance and debauchery is a dangerous day.

It is a good day to be the church! Speak the gospel into the darkness, church.

Here is the letter I wrote Governor Otter this afternoon: (You can contact his office here.)

Dear Governor Otter,

I respect that you are being pushed on every side to act on the new order from the 9th circuit court on the Idaho defense of marriage laws. I want you to know that I’m proud of your boldness in the past and I assure you that I will continue to pray for you on this matter.

If there is anything you can do to legally stay the court order as the governor of Idaho, please do so. If it is within your power to order county offices closed or if it is within your power to place the Idaho National Guard on orders to defend the people of Idaho from the United States of America, please do so with boldness.

Thank you for your defense of marriage.

Paul Thompson
Twin Falls, Idaho

Words I’ll Never Say

Posted on October 7, 2014Leave a comment

Today, I have drawn a line in the sand, I will be bond by a higher court than the court in the land. I will not be able to ever say: “Applicant A, you may now kiss Applicant B”.

Church of the Living God, we must speak into this matter. We must speak with care and compassion as we speak as boldly as ever.

Today, the federal appeals court in San Francisco has ruled against the state State of Idaho. God have mercy upon the Land. My hope is not in a Supreme Court, a court of appeals or the court of public opinion. My hope is in Christ.

Will the church awaken now? We are in a land that is hostile toward God. The people in the land grow in their arrogance with every ruling. This is a good day to be the church of the Lord Jesus the Christ. Speak church, speak! Stay on the wall and speak truth in love.

Arrogance grows as “life moves on as normal”. See the grace of God in that he has not delivered a final judgement upon you yet.

Today (October 7, 2014) in SAN FRANCISCO (AP) : “A federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down gay marriage bans in Idaho and Nevada. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that gay couples’ equal protection rights were violated by the bans.”

God , your creator, has given his blessing to the partnership union for sexual relations and childbearing to unions between one man and one woman, in a covenant relationship. I don’t hate anyone who wants to fulfill their love for another person. There is a God ordained way and there is an arrogant way. Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Submit to Christ.

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:1-8 NASB)

The Fall of Sodom and Gomorrah

Posted on October 6, 2014Leave a comment

The fall of Sodom and Gomorrah has long been noted as being linked to homosexuality. Where there is biblical argument that these were cities that allowed this sin, Scripture shows that there was something much closer to home to all of us that brought the judgement of God upon the cities. “Arrogance, abundant food, careless ease and not helping the poor and needy…” these are the things that God charged against Sodom and Gomorrah. (Ezekiel 16:49)

Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, by not making a ruling, that lower court decisions will stand on the issues of same-sex unions. This sinful lifestyle is the fruit of arrogance. What does that mean for Idaho? What does this mean for the United States of America? Historically when the Supreme Court rules on social or biblical issues it is nearly impossible to change. Unless the Lord intervenes, the once God fearing land of America will arrogantly thumb her nose at God and rebel against His word.

The land needs God fearing people to cry out to God in humility for repentance.

Oh that God would heal the land.

Oh that the church of the Lord Jesus the Christ awaken and cry out to God.

Church, you are as needed today as you ever have been to raise up an army of God fearing men and women. May the Gospel banner be advanced even today.

The Mirage of Same-Sex Marriage

Posted on May 13, 20142 Comments

In her statement released on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale said, “After careful consideration, the Court finds Idaho’s Marriage Laws unconstitutional.” (full ruling)

I thought that I should read the ruling before offering a response. I’ve just finished reading the ruling. Wow, that was not easy.

First the positive effect of reading the ruling; my vocabulary has now deepened. The value of reading the ruling will help me know how to express my thoughts. I now know what I’m responding to.

The ruling will not go into place until Friday morning. Unless a stay on the ruling is issued, by the ninth circuit court of appeals requested by Gov. Butch Otter, county clerks will be required by law to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Now, an early response of concern; as one charged by my church to be a pillar and buttress of truth, I must speak against the ruling from the vantage point of Holy Scripture.

From Judge Dale’s conclusion (V Conclusion, page 55)

“The Plaintiffs are entitled to extraordinary remedies because of their extraordinary injuries. Idaho’s Marriage Laws withhold from them a profound and personal choice, one that most can take for granted. By doing so, Idaho’s Marriage Laws deny same-sex couples the economic, practical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of marriage, relegating each couple to a stigmatized, second-class status. Plaintiffs suffer these injuries not because they are unqualified to marry, start a family, or grow old together, but because of who they are and whom they love.”

To U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale,

No, U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale, regardless of your decision on the matter, marriage is an order given to humanity by God for His glory. I respect that you have made a significant decision for Idaho, but your decision is not in defense of the creator of marriage. This is no simple ruling you have made, it has lasting ramifications.

This indeed is a complicated ruling.

Obviously homosexuals and heterosexuals are equal citizens and equally capable of accomplishing amazing feats. This orientation of sexual attraction does not declare one superior to another. All of humanity face problematic conflicts with what God has ordained holy and acceptable. We have laws that forbid certain actions based on the welfare of all. Polygamist are forbidden by federal law to attain a marriage license for more than one spouse. This limitation is not a discrimination against this person’s ability or value to culture. It is a limitation based on the definition of the word marriage.

The ruling today is not a ruling for homosexuals. God is opposed to those who practice homosexuality. Homosexuals in Idaho are loved by God and given strength to overcome the attraction of their wretched heart that wants to do that which is offensive to God. Just as adulterers are called on to not give in to their sinful craving of being disloyal to their spouse. Liars must not be allowed to live out their debase craving of deceiving the federal government on their tax reporting. Giving the homosexual the ‘right’ to marriage is no favor as you suppose. It may afford them secular benefits, as you surely argue, but where is your jurisdiction to rule on things spiritual?

My response is not to defend heterosexuals. Heterosexuals are equally capable of offending God. My response is from my duty to speak for biblical truth. For the welfare of homosexuals and heterosexuals who reside in the great state of Idaho, repent of your ruling.

To Governor Butch Otter,

Where I’m thankful for your bold stand against same-sex marriage and upholding the law of Idaho, I am concerned about your defense. Fundamentally we agree that marriage is an institution between one man and one woman. However, marriage is not “an ancient and traditional child-centered institution, one focused first and foremost on the welfare of children rather than the emotional interests of adults.”

Marriage is an institution ordained by God focused first and foremost on His glory. A blessing of marriage between male and female is children. Yes, I agree with you in that a family is the optimal place for a child to be raised, and that family is with a mom and dad, but this is not the defense of marriage. It is good argument for a child’s welfare but not a defense of marriage between a man and a woman.

Thank you for your work on this matter. I am praying for you. I am praying for your staff. I am praying for Idaho. May the glory of God be your defense of marriage.

For further help, consider reading The Mirage of Life

Reaction

Posted on March 1, 2014Leave a comment

On a monthly basis I get the privilege of writing a column in the Twin Falls Times News paper. The paper has approx. twenty thousand daily readers (not including the online readers.) The privilege to write in the public square is a privilege I treat more like a responsibility. Not to the paper, not to the reader, not to myself but a responsibility to herald truth from the perspective of a minister of the Gospel.

This reality comes with a learning responsibility to guard my heart from reacting to reactions.

Case in point: Today, the Times News published my column entitled “Unromantic Duty“. This was essentially a blog post from about a month ago that I tweaked to a broader reader base, but still directed to believers. Usually I will receive an email or two from a column and a few social media “likes” and “tweets”, but rarely will a column generate a public comment. Today was a reminder to myself that I must discipline myself always.

The first comment came early this morning. As I read it I began to think I should probably respond. After all, he thinks I’m from the bronze age of mythology and a fascist for forcing my moral code on everyone. Then I wanted to take him to task for saying that he has “no problem with folks believing what they want.” No problem with folks believing what they want except for Christians. This began to show me that my reaction was going to be less about advancing the gospel and more about defending my feelings. So I prayed for him and others who won’t understand what I wrote about and consider it foolish to submit to the authority of God’s word. Good lesson to remember when in dialog in the public square. Speak as an ambassador of truth and resist defending self.

“The sooner we can move beyond allowing adherents of bronze age mythology form public policy based on tenants of said mythology, the better. I have no problem with folks believing what they want. However, forcing your moral code on EVERYONE because you’re positive that your god is the god we ALL have to listen to and obey is fascist.”

The other comment came later this afternoon.

With marriages not being a wholly religious event(meaning marriage ceremonies are not solely conducted by religious leaders or in churches), being conducted by government officials in government owned buildings, defining marriage as between a man and a woman based on the bible won’t work. With the separation of church and state in this country, how a civil authority decides to conduct civil unions/marriages is up to the civil authority, a.k.a. the voters. Now if a pastor decides that he/she doesn’t want to conduct same sex marriages as a private person in a private entity(a church) then that is completely up to him/her. But to say that “marriage” is an institution that only came from religion is historically incorrect. Marriages and unions were being performed by “civic leaders” long before Christianity, Judaism, or even Islam became widespread across the world.

Yes, both are examples of poor logic. They both miss the point of my column and make their comments about their own agenda. This is normal in a public forum dialog where readers are invited to comment. I like the interaction it provides but I also acknowledge that it affords itself to an ego feeding frenzy. It’s hard to make a point in a written forum that doesn’t quickly unravel into a total mess.

I do think that engaging in the public square by commenting on articles is an important place for a Christian to engage with truth. This engagement should be done carefully. This engagement should be done with purpose to show truth.

This engagement should be done with integrity, kindness, and gentleness. Followers of Christ must remember that we are strangers in this land and that we speak as ambassadors not residents.

The thing I’m learning about this interaction between author and reader is indeed a spectacular element columnist in the past would not have to contend with. Immediate interaction to a columnist provides a platform that quickly lessens the initial impact of the written word.

I’m thankful to write a monthly column in the public square. I’m thankful if my column helps the reader. I’m thankful if my column causes discomfort. I’m thankful if my column drives the reader to pursue truth in Christ.

The Times News has been generous to allow me and the others to continue writing. May the glory of the Lord be seen in the public square.

Last Night on KMVT

Posted on February 7, 2014Leave a comment

Even though the segment did not report every thing I said, I felt it represented my sentiment fairly. KMVT

a few observations for clarification:

My agreement with the court right now is in the ‘staying’ of the earlier decision to allow. The debate in Utah will resume in April, 2014.
definition of ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ means male and female.

things I said that was not reported that I wish would have been reported:

Everyone has emotions on the matter, we don’t have the luxury to determine right and wrong based on emotion.
All sinners (including me) are guilty before the Lord as ignoring truth and doing what we feel is right in our own eyes.
We are all guilty of breaking God’s law and must be judged accordingly.
Our hope is the righteous covering of Jesus Christ.

Over all I felt the segment did express my position fairly. Thank you KMVT. If my email inbox is any indication of things to come, I’ll need to learn how to type faster as I reply, and to preach to myself to be kind in all speech.

Posts Tagged with Same-sex Marriage