2 Kings 5:18-19, "Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes in to the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing. Then he(Elisha) said to him(Naaman), 'Go in peace.' So he departed from him a short distance."
Anyone who has watched the news over the last few days has heard of the controversy now occurring in Indiana over a state law known as RFRA(Religious Freedom Restoration Act). This sort of law, also present in 20 other states including right here in South Carolina, builds on a federal law passed by a bipartisan congress in 1993 which allows for among other things the right of a business or individual the legal standing to refuse a service to someone on the basis of the right to practice freedom of religion. These state laws allow for a judicial principle known as "strict scrutiny" in regards to state laws not covered by the federal bill. In other words, if charged with something like discrimination, the person charged has a right to have the case reviewed in light of their religious beliefs.
Many times over the years these laws have prevented religious discrimination against individuals in regards to practicing the tenants of their faith, and have been applied to many faiths, not just Christianity. The most famous case in regards to these laws was the Hobby Lobby case where that Christian company was arguing they could choose not to provide some forms of post-conception birth control based upon their religious faith and view that life begins at conception, and to terminate the baby was in fact terminating a child, albeit unborn. The Supreme Court ruled that such closely-held corporations as Hobby Lobby did in fact have the right based upon faith based beliefs to limit forms of birth control issued through the insurance they provided for employees.
But now, the challenge to RFRA's has moved in to the ever intensifying battleground over same sex marriage. In several instances across our nation private businesses owned by Christians have been held guilty of discrimination when refusing to bake a cake for a same sex wedding. These state RFRA's are a response to such judicial decisions to protect the rights of faith based businesses. But is this the wisest way to proceed in such circumstances?
Understand, I believe that a Christian's first duty is to God, even if this means violating the laws of the land. Scripture such as Acts 5:29 clearly instructs us we are to "obey God" and His commands over the laws of man, and when they conflict, we choose God. I certainly understand the reluctance of these Christian bakers to bake these cakes for fear of endorsing a same sex union which we believe scripture clearly teaches is against nature and called sin by God. But is there a better way, and a way in which God approves of our actions, apart from defying a law against discrimination? Does the bible provide another path? I believe so.
In the scripture that begins this blog we see the wonderful story of the Syrian commander Naaman and his healing from leprosy. Leprosy is a stark symbol for sin in the bible. Just as leprosy disfigures the body making one unrecognizable, so sin does to us in the eyes of God. We are disfigured by sin and unrecognizable in regards to humanity which was created in the image of God. While a true account of a miracle from God through Elisha the prophet, the story illustrates the magnificent power of God to cleanse us of our sin, which has made us unrecognizable and an outcast before God, just as the leper was an outcast from the society in which they dwelt in biblical times. The leper was unclean, just as we are in our sin apart from Christ.
Here, after his miraculous healing, Naaman approaches Elisha and asks an interesting question. Being a Syrian and a Gentile, and also a servant to the king of Syria, when Naaman returned to his native land, he would be required to accompany the king to worship of the pagan god Rimmon. With his king at his side, Naaman would be required to bow down to a god he now knew was false(v.15). Being a Syrian there was no way for him to avoid this. Knowing this was against the law of the God of Israel, and the first of the Ten Commandments, to have no other God before Him, Naaman asks Elisha, and in effect God, if God would pardon him for having to bow down to this idol. I think we should pay close attention to the response of Elisha for Naaman to "Go in peace" in verse 19. God here, has basically said, I understand your situation Naaman, and I know your heart, while your body may be bowed to the useless idol, I know your heart is not. I believe this is a scriptural principle that may be the best way to handle the situations these Christian bakers, and surely others, are facing and will face in the future.
As the Supreme Court will take up the gay marriage issue in earnest late this spring, I believe we are on the verge of the issue being declared legal nationwide. While the court may not issue a direct ruling, I personally believe what comes from the court will basically make gay marriage the law of the land, meaning all states would be forced to recognize these unions as legal. Should this happen, businesses such as these bakeries, even though their objection would be based upon their faith, would be legally guilty of discrimination and subject to punishment under the law. I wish the future held something different, but honestly cannot foresee it.
If this happens, Christians may feel the need to act upon the words of the bible such as cited in Acts 5:29, to obey God rather than man. But is baking a cake for a same sex marriage actually condoning the union? In 2 Kings, Naaman was allowed to participate in something that scripture does prohibit as he had no choice. God knew that Naaman was now a true convert in his faith, and allowed for him to bow down to the pagan idol. Naaman in no way was endorsing Rimmon as god in doing so, as his faith now resided in the God of Israel. He was simply following the law of his land.
So how should Christians handle these situations as they most certainly arise in the future? Personally, I'd bake the cake. God knows our heart and knows we in no way condone or endorse something He has called sin, but if this does indeed become law, we would have no choice. I believe we should bake the cake, and witness of Jesus. Tell the couple who desires the cake of God's love for them and His desire to cleanse them of their sin, just as He cleansed Naaman of his leprosy. Reveal the scripture that identifies their lifestyle as sin and share the gospel that through faith and by God's grace, they to can be forgiven, saved and changed. They can be a Holy Spirit indwelt, born again, new creation in Christ with the power to overcome their sin, just as we overcome ours, through Jesus.
The outcome will likely be one of two things: either they will rebuff the word and leave of their own accord, or they will hear the truth of how they can be delivered from their sin and the certain judgment and wrath of God that will greet all apart from the cleansing power of Jesus. While refusing service to someone with a lifestyle we feel violates our faith may become illegal, sharing our faith is still perfectly legal, especially if we own the business. No law can prohibit me from sharing Jesus in a business I own, at least not yet.
Now if the government does one day prohibit sharing the gospel as the Pharisees attempted to do with the disciples in Acts 5:29, we may be required to choose God over man. Until then, is the example of Naaman in 2 Kings a better, biblical choice? I'll leave that up to the individual. I do feel we do have the right under freedom of religion to refuse. But personally, I'd use the opportunity to share with them the only thing that can deliver them from the bondage of their sin, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In my bakery, for my cake, they are a captive audience. If they don't like it, they are free to leave. If they want the cake I will bake, they will hear of Jesus and His love for them He showed on the cross. That they can be delivered from their sin, just as you and I have been.
These are perilous times we live in when it comes to living out our faith, and things are almost certain to grow more troublesome. But we can still share our faith! Just maybe, situations such as these bakers have encountered are an opportunity to proclaim Jesus, and know that God knows our heart and situation. Just as he did with Naaman in 2 Kings.
