[Darris McNeely] It’s the Fourth of July. Every year on the Fourth of July I like to read the Declaration of Independence – originally penned by Thomas Jefferson with a few edits by some of his friends. One of the key phrases in the Declaration of Independence – Jefferson wrote from a political point of view he said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” Now when Jefferson wrote that, he was thinking from a purely political point of view - in terms of the situation with the beginnings of the American Revolution and desire for the colonies to separate from Great Britain. Self-evident he said. He was writing from a political point of view - a great document that has lived in American history. As I said, I like to read it every year on the Fourth of July. And, this year I think I will read it with a little bit different meaning; because, the Supreme Court of the United States just a few days ago made a ruling in regard to same-sex marriage – as we all know. And in that ruling they basically said that the United States Constitution does provide for and guarantee the right of same-sex marriage for Americans across all fifty states. Now that’s going to be debated and discussed in many, many different ways. But this thought struck me as I was thinking about the Fourth of July and that Declaration of Independence and what has happened here. There are certain truths that we have that are found in the Bible, God’s word, that are self-evident.

You know Pilot asked Christ when He was standing before him at the point of His trial, he said “What is truth?” (John 18:38). And that question continues to echo down to our day. “What is truth”? Men look for truth. Well the truth is anchored firmly in the revealed word of God the Holy Bible. And there is one truth there that is very, very clear. That is God created man and woman – male and female – created He them. And He brought them together to form one flesh, in what is the biblical definition of marriage. And He said be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:21-25). That is the beginning, that is the origin, that is the teaching about marriage at the human level between a man and a woman. That is the biblical definition of marriage. That is a self-evident truth - that the Bible, that nature and that biology teach us.

Now the Supreme Court has entered into this realm, this political body of judges and lawyers, and have made a ruling based on a political document – the document of the United States Constitution and to rule in this area of larger spiritual truths and to impose its idea and its will. It’s a very dangerous step for many different reasons far beyond what I can talk about here today.

But on this Fourth of July in America, the United States of America, as we think about what the day pictures and means in the political beginnings that surround this day and that document called the Declaration of Independence that said “we hold these truths to be self-evident”. I think about that as we kind of get our minds wrapped around what has happened in our culture in recent days. What’s taking place in these cultural wars and battles that are ranging around us - with the same-sex marriage in particular and the Supreme Court ruling. They have stepped into an area that has very interesting consequences. It is a very important matter to think about. What is most important is that we hold ourselves fast to the truth of God as revealed in His word.

That’s BT Daily, join us next time.