The Supreme Court is currently setting its agenda for the
next year, as to the cases it will hear. Many of the pundits believe that
it will consider a case on homosexual marriage and its status under the Full
Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution.
The foundational document's section known as the "Full
Faith and Credit Clause" speaks to the reciprocity which is to take place
between states within the United States as it pertains public acts, records,
and judicial proceedings of every other state. More clearly, this is the
article used to allow ones order of protection or marriage certificate to be
transferred from state to state. Without this, one legally recognized
marriage or court proceeding would have not standing, that is would not be
recognized in another state. Article IV, Section 1 states, "Full
faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and
judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws
prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be
proved, and the effect thereof." So,
if the Supreme Court in setting its agenda decides to hear a case on homosexual
marriage and its status under the Full Faith and Credit Clause, it could make a
decision that must be follow by all states and territories of the United States.
Why is this case? It
is so because the Supreme Court of the United States of America has authority to
interpret the law. Because of our system
of government, the court has the right to rule over the laws of the United
States.
Understanding the principle of authority and sovereignty is
important for the Christian. For you
see, we serve a God who rightly has sovereignty over all for it is His
creation. Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” It may be easy to agree to this reality but
as Christian must also understand that God invites us to be coregents with Him
over His creation. Over and over again,
He beckons His people to fulfill this role, to exercise dominion and spread His
name among His creation.
Genesis
1:26, 28
“Then God said, “Let us make
man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish
of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over
all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth…And God
blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the
earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the
birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Psalm
8:6
“You have given him dominion
over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet…”
Psalms
24:1
“The earth is the Lord's and
the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…”
Genesis
8:16-17
“Go out from the ark, you and
your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you
every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be
fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
Genesis
9:1, 7
“And God blessed Noah and his
sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase
greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”
Genesis
26:4
“I will multiply your
offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these
lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…”
Exodus
1:7
“But the people of Israel were
fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so
that the land was filled with them.”
Matthew
28:19
“Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations…”
Mark16:15
“And he said to them, “Go into
all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”
Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
II Corinthians 2:14
“But thanks be to God, who in
Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the
fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.”
As Christian, we also believe that God, the rightly sovereign
King will on day rule over His creation.
Revelations 7:9-10, gives one an insight into the future when it
declares that… “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one
could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes…”
So what? How is this
relevant to the Christian life? It is pertinent
and significant for it is a status given to each Christian and each Christian
ought to live as such. Christian, do you
see the task given to us? Do you desire
to fulfill the task given? Do you
undertake this task and each moment of life as one given authority?
Brother and sisters let us live as if we are coregents… as those
with rightful authority over all of creation.