Earlier today, the Supreme Court of the United States announced two historic but unfortunate decisions regarding same-sex “marriage” in our country. In a 5–4 vote, the court decided that California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state, would not be upheld. While this was a very narrow ruling, it does allow for California to resume performing same-sex marriages in the state. California Governor Brown has already directed state and local agencies to proceed in this way, pending confirmation of the court’s decision. Bans on same-sex marriage in other states will remain in place.

Even more egregious, however, is the Supreme Court’s 5–4 vote to strike down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional. Section 3 defines marriage as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” Such a definition meant that married same-sex couples did not qualify for a number of benefits (e.g., spousal exemption from estate taxes, family and medical leave, veteran spousal benefits, etc.) offered by the federal government. With the court’s decision, couples married in states where same-sex marriage is legal will now be entitled to receive such benefits.

These decisions are being hailed as great gains for the homosexual rights movement. But in reality, we are seeing the fruit of a culture that has “exchanged the truth of God for the lie” (Romans 1:25). From the beginning of creation, our Creator God established marriage as the union of one man and one woman: Adam and Eve were the first married couple and our example. Furthermore, there is not a single Bible verse in support of homosexual unions; instead we find repeated condemnation of this behavior. In Matthew 19:4–6, Jesus Christ Himself reaffirmed the definition of marriage given in Genesis:

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 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’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:4–6, quoting Genesis 1:27 and 2:24)

The Supreme Court of the United States has strayed far from this definition.

Tomorrow, look for a full analysis of these decisions and their implications, written by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell. In the meanwhile, continue to pray that we would proclaim the absolute truth and authority of the Bible with boldness.