Should I Attend a Same-Sex Wedding?

In his view, marriage is only between a man and a woman (cf. Genesis 1:28; Jeremiah 29:6; Matthew 19:4–5; 1 Corinthians 7:14). Therefore, a same-sex “marriage” is not a biblical marriage.

(Some claim that God’s word doesn’t address this subject, alleging that such marriages did not exist in the biblical era. This is not true. Same-sex relations were known in ancient Canaan; the emperor Nero was married to two men in separate ceremonies. Biblical writers had abundant opportunity to endorse such relationships, but they consistently forbade them.)

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Paul refused to engage in behavior that would make his brother “stumble.” Our witness is vital to our public ministry as followers of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 8:13: Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble."

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Four: God loves gay people and calls us to do the same. We are all broken by sin. Jesus died for all sinners and loves us unconditionally. Now we are to love others because “he first loved us”.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

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Here’s my position: I would not attend the wedding or the reception since my presence at either would suggest that I approve what God forbids.

However, I would meet with the couple beforehand to explain: because I care for them, I cannot endorse what I believe is not best for them. I will pray for them and want to be involved in their lives. But I believe that a wedding celebrates a sacred covenant between a couple and God. I cannot attend such a ceremony if it violates his word and will.

But there's one more thing I would do:

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Since my decision may damage my relationship with the couple, I would do all I could before and after the wedding to demonstrate my love for them. Jesus ate with sinners (Matthew 9:10) and calls us to love everyone he loves. But love sometimes requires us to say what people need to hear even when it is not what they want to hear.

“Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) is our challenge, our mandate, and our privilege.

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This article was adapted from Jim Denison's, "Should You Attend A Same-Sex Wedding?" The original article can be viewed in full here.

For more from the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, please visit www.denisonforum.org.

Do you want to live a life in whole-hearted pursuit of loving God and others? Read today's First15 at www.first15.org.

To get a pastor's perspective on reaching homosexuals, check out Tim Wilkins' Preaching on Homosexuality: Taking the Road Less Traveled. 

"Our task in preaching is to radiate God's love so as to eclipse the artificial love found in homosexuality." -Tim Wilkins

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