In the past week, I’ve read three stories about protests against the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A at three different locations. Toronto, Canada. Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. And the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
Jo Boileau, an openly homosexual student, and Purdue’s new student body president doesn’t want Chick-fil-A on campus. Boileau is joined by several professors opposing its opening in the Fall of 2020. The University, however, is sticking to their decision due to the overwhelming student support for Chick-fi-A.
Last week was the grand opening of a Chick-fil-A in Canada’s largest city. It was met with organized protests by 519, an LGBTQ group and an animal rights organization which held signs, “Don’t Eat Hate.” By the second day, however, customers standing in line to buy food outnumbered the protesters by 100-1
Then there are faculty members at the University of Kansas demanding the removal of the Chick-fil-A on their campus because they claim the restaurant is a “bastion of bigotry” and that it makes “some students feel less safe.”
Of course, this uproar by protestors and professors is due to comments by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy supporting the biblical definition of marriage, as well the company’s contributions to conservative causes.
It seems that there is a bit of irony in all of these protests. The “Corporate Purpose” as stated on the Chick-fil-A web site is “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A.”
Biblically speaking those protesting are the very ones failing to glorify God. Like those described in Romans 1 who “knew God, but did not glorify Him as God,” they have perverted God’s plan for marriage and sexual fulfillment. Their “futile thoughts” and “foolish hearts” have led them to “vile passions” that Paul describes as “shameful,” and “unnatural.”
Who’s glorifying God?
However, before we self-righteously condemn the homosexual lifestyle while smugly enjoying a Chick-fil-A sandwich, it is well to remember the same Bible condemns adultery, fornication, incest and all other sexual sins.
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Cor. 6:18-20)
Who’s glorifying God?
Furthermore, in our interaction with unbelievers, is our behavior, demeanor and disposition displaying kindness, compassion and love for lost souls? Are we “speaking the truth in love”? Peter’s warning is relevant.
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Pet 2:11-12)
Who’s glorifying God?
Finally, one more application. Are we as Christians engaging in the business world and working in a way that glorifies God? Are we faithful stewards? Are we having a positive influence? Is our vision one that shows the world that we are serving Christ, and working for the Lord, not just a company? (Eph. 6:5-9) Is it truly our pleasure to serve others?
Who’s glorifying God?
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
Thanks, Ken, for this direct and personal question which all your readers, especially me, will answer as they read whether they mean to or not.
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As much as I hold to the biblical definition of marriage, I must point out. The biblical definition of marriage promoted polygamy and allowed for adultery by allowing concubines. Christians say Christ and his Bride put an end to the old definition of marriage under the Law. However, how many Christians actually believe Christ married his bride? How many see Christ as celibate? Holding up a celibate Christ who reigns from heaven to pontificate a Biblical view of marriage that insists Man have only one Wife or sacrificially abstain from marriage and procreation –seems absurd to me and many others.
In my view, Christians who want to make a case for Christian marriage, should start looking at their own Christology and proclaim the fact that Christ did in fact marry his Bride “face to face” and the wedding feast took place.
From there, Christians could say…the LGBTQ+ lifestyle is not the lifestyle that Christ and his Bride model. Christ and his Bride promote cherishing love…love that lifts people up and encourages them to love God and their neighbour as themselves with a deep and abiding love that is physical. In my view, sexual immorality is any unloving relationship between people that is exploitative. In my view, if people who define themselves as LGBTQ+ want to love, honour, and cherish one another in a covenanting lifestyle forsaking all others, they would be following a Christian definition of marriage.
Marriage contracts are not absolutely necessary, but they do protect couples in the event of death and marital breakdown. Why would anyone want to settle for less? That would be like the Woman saying to Jesus…Son of David have Mercy on me and he saying why should he throw his food to the dogs…and she in her advocate role saying…even the dogs are entitled to the scraps that fall under the table.
No person in Christ’s household should be treated like a dog! All who believe in Jesus and honour his Everlasting Father and Mother are invited and welcome at the Wedding Table as honoured relatives and friends.
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I don’t believe in same sex marriage it’s an abomination according to the bible
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You’re not alone Charles.
Same sex couples feel like lepers and dogs because so many people see their relationships as abominations because of Leviticus 18:22. In Ezekiel 16, God tells the Son of man about Jerusalem and how Jerusalem (the city of Peace) had been abandoned as an abomination at birth…her parents were idol worshippers and didn’t want her…they threw her on the trash heap moments after her birth. God rescued her, washed her body, wrapped her in fine linen and cherished her into becoming a great nation. When she became of age….she looked for a husband who would cherish her. Finding no worthy husband or significant other, she fell into idolatry. She stopped honouring her Everlasting Father and Mother. She stopped acknowledging them. She treated them as if they were dead and no longer a part of her life.
Same sex marriage may seem idolatrous to you and many people because of Leviticus 18:22. Of course you do want to promote idolatry. And in your attempt to rid the Church of idolatry, many others are saying. Please think again. Place your trust in Christ, in the Everlasting Father and his Bride the Everlasting Mother. Take the opportunity to cherish those brothers and sisters in Christ who were born homosexual and are looking for a significant other who will love honour and cherish them as Christ cherishes his Bride.
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Charles, consider these Bible passages regarding marriage and sexual relationships.
Matt 19:4-6
And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
NKJV
1 Cor 6:9-11
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
NKJV
Rom 1:18-29
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
NKJV
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Linda, you are fundamentally mistaken about the Bible teaching on marriage. .Your comments begins by admitting it is your view.. ” In my view, sexual immorality is any unloving relationship between people that is exploitative. In my view, if people who define themselves as LGBTQ+ want to love, honour, and cherish one another in a covenanting lifestyle forsaking all others, they would be following a Christian definition of marriage.” In Matt 19: Jesus teaches that marriage, as ordained by God, in the beginning, is between a man and woman. He created them male and female to beg joined together as “one flesh.” Not a man and a man. Or a woman and a woman. That is not my view. It is God’s view. Thus, all homosexual relationships are sinful. And the depravity of that sin is well documented by the apostle Paul in Romans 1. No amount of worldly wisdom or modern redefinition of marriage can alter those indisputable facts
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You are correct. In Matt 19. Jesus did say that in the beginning God created man male and female and defined the reason why a man will leave his father and his mother and unite with his wife. And says that if anyone should divorce his wife and marry another, he is guilty of committing adultery.
Jesus goes on to say. Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
No amount of worldly wisdom or modern redefinition of marriage can alter what Jesus said before the Crucifixion. I have not forgotten that Paul was crucified with Christ. And has this to say about sexual immorality.
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen. For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
The men and women exchanged “natural” relations for unnatural ones. If it were natural for a man born as a eunuch without the natural desire to lay with a woman, a faithful man born a eunuch would not exchange his “natural” inclination for an unnatural one.
Serving God the Creator, people get creative and find ways to serve God the Creator so that all people can love God and one another honestly, with their whole heart, mind and body and their neighbour as themselves.
Even today, divorced people are looked down upon as “adulterers”. People have exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They refuse to believe the Cross destroyed the law of commandments and decrees (Ephesians 2:15). They are still worshipping as if the Creator is the Law who has no heart and never listens to the Advocate. So people exchange their natural desire to love and be loved for unnatural ones that satisfy other men and women who insist they marry and stay married to people approved by the Law of commandments and decrees–even if their heart is not in the marriage.
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Well said Ken!
All too often there are those who profess to be christians or to love God but sadly, they want to rational their feelings and opinions to justify their sinful actions/choices. God loves all sinners but, He expects all sinners (that means all of us, no exceptions) to live by His commands and not to ignore or twist His words to fit our own desires.
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