Should A Christian Attend A Gay Wedding?

According to the Daily Mail (10 December 2015), “Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has said he would attend the gay wedding of one of his children, despite the Church of England opposing same-sex marriage. In an interview, Archbishop Welby suggested that if one of his five children asked for his blessing for a gay marriage, he would pray with them and attend the ceremony. He also refused to say that a gay relationship was ‘sinful or inappropriate’, insisting he would ‘always love them’ whatever their sexuality.” The key question is: is Archbishop Welby standing ‘on the right side’ of Scripture, properly reflecting the love, compassion, justice and mercy of Christ in these published statements? Let us consider the facts: • When Christ embarked on His ministry on this earth, the outcasts of society (e.g. the tax collectors and the sinners), came close to Him (Matthew 9:10; Luke 15:1). He proved to be a friend to them. • Further, all sin is offensive to God. Homosexuality is one of many sins listed in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that will keep a person out of God’s kingdom. Each of us must acknowledge that we sin and fall short of perfect standard (Romans 3:23). It is only through the sin-atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ that we may be saved from sin’s eternal consequences. • On the basis of the biblical references just cited, some argue that a Christian should have no issues with attending a gay wedding and that one’s presence at a gay wedding does not necessarily indicate support for the homosexual lifestyle. Rather, they consider it as extending Christ’s love toward a friend – not toward the lifestyle or spiritual choices. And showing support and unconditional love in this area could keep the door open for an effective witness in the future. So, that’s sorted then. Definitely not. • The problem is that a gay wedding is a celebration of two people who are living a lifestyle that God declares to be immoral and unnatural (Romans 1:26-27). • “Marriage is honourable in all” (or, should be honoured by all) is the demand of Hebrews 13:4; but a gay wedding dishonours the institution of marriage by perverting its meaning. “However, a gay union is not a marriage in God’s eyes. God ordained marriage to be between a man and a woman for a lifetime; to take that holy and blessed union and link it to something God declares to be unholy is unconscionable. How can we ask God’s blessing on a union that He declares to be unnatural?” A marriage between a non-Christian man and non-Christian woman is still a marriage in God’s eyes, because it fulfils the “one flesh” relationship that God intends (Genesis 2:24). Even a marriage between a believer and an unbeliever is a valid marriage (1 Corinthians 7:14), despite the fact that God commands believers to avoid such marriages (2 Corinthians 6:14). Some will contend that a Christian could attend a gay wedding and communicate clearly that he is supporting only the individuals getting married and not their lifestyle. The problem is: the individuals he is supporting are still holding an event which celebrates their immorality. There is no way around the fact that a gay wedding ceremony is a celebration of sin. How does this position play out in other scenarios? • We support an alcoholic friend by helping him abstain from drinking, not by going to a bar with him. • We support a friend addicted to pornography by making him accountable and getting him counsel, not by helping organise his magazine collection or creating more hard drive space on his computer. • In the same way, we support a homosexual friend by helping him out of the lifestyle, not by appearing in his support at a celebration of homosexuality. We do not truly help our friends by attending an event where their sin is applauded. It is admirable to show love to a friend. It is good to seek opportunities to witness to and show kindness and love to our gay friends. However, such motivations are misguided when it comes to attending a gay wedding. It is never our goal to drive our friends away from Christ, but Christians are obligated to fear and obey God rather than men, and to stand up for righteousness, even if this stance results in pain, division, misunderstanding, or hatred (Acts 5:29; Luke 12:51-53; John 15:18). If invited to a gay wedding, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should respectfully decline and courteously outline the reasons why.