It Is NOT Over

I want to spend some time today on Kim Davis. If you are not familiar with her, she is the Rowan County, Kentucky clerk who refuses to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. Ms. Davis cites her religious beliefs as the reason for her refusal. She is convinced that the Bible dictates that marriage is limited to one man who is married to one woman. I think there is something missing in the media coverage I have watched on television and read on various Internet news sources. So, let's pull back the curtain. 

Kim Davis experienced a "religious awakening" in 2011. She is a member of the Solid Rock Apostolic Church located near Morehead, Kentucky. It is a Oneness Pentecostal congregation which are often referred to as Apostolic Pentecostal. For those unfamiliar with Apostolic Pentecostals their beliefs include wearing modest clothing. Women wear dresses or skirts that extend below the knee. They do not wear any makeup or jewelry other than a simple wedding ring. Women are not permitted to cut their hair. They are referred to as Oneness Pentecostals because they do not accept the common Christian belief regarding the Trinity. They believe, to put it as simply as possible, that in the same way a man can be a father, son and brother; God can be the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Ghost without being three distinct persons as the Trinity requires. I know exactly how Kim Davis believes. I know her world view. I was, at one time in my life, a member of an Apostolic Pentecostal Church. Some of the Republican candidates for President have thrown their support to Ms. Davis including Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee. They feel Ms. Davis should be able to ignore the dictates of the United States Supreme Court and refuse to issue marriages licenses to same sex couples. She has been offered what many feel is a reasonable accommodation. Licenses can be issue from her office without her name on them. They do not understand what she believes. 

There is no room for her to allow those licenses to be issued from her office. She is the responsible official in the office. She was elected by the public and everything done by or issued from that office is done through or by her authority. She believes that makes her a participant in their sin. She is enabling them to marry and enter into a sinful life. There are people who argue that she could simply issue the licenses and repent of the sin. Her beliefs do not allow that. You cannot willfully sin with the intent to repent later. They also point to her four marriages and argue that there is more scripture against divorce and remarriage than there is against homosexual conduct. Those who make that argument are correct. They miss this point that is central to Kim Davis and her beliefs. She repented of those sins, she was baptized by immersion, ritually participating in the death and burial of her former life. Those repented sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. Her slate was wiped clean. It was as if she had never sinned in the eyes of God. She arose from the waters of baptism a newborn soul. She completed her journey down the Apostolic Christian rabbit hole by receiving the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues as the Apostles did in the Bible in Acts chapter 2. What does all that mean? Mr. Cruz and Mr. Huckabee and the vast majority who support her stance don't understand how she sees them. She will tell them in public she is not their judge. In her heart she believes they are going to hell. They believe the lie of the Trinity, they have been baptized but not solely in the name of Jesus, they have not spoken in tongues. The evidence of their sinful lives is displayed in their immodest clothing, the short hair of their women, the beards of their men and men with long hair, and their makeup and jewelry. Anyone who does not believe as they do is doomed to an eternity in hell. Of course they also believe that once you have laid your hand to the plow to work in the field of life for God, if you walk away you cannot be forgiven. In their eyes, there is nothing I can do to once again redeem myself in the eyes of God. Don't feel bad for me. I realized some time ago that an eternity in hell would be better than an eternity in heaven with them. 

Where does that put us with Kim Davis? Tomorrow she returns to her job as Clerk of Rowan County. She has been ordered not to interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses by any of her deputy clerks. If she does the Judge will hold her in contempt again. She will choose contempt from the Judge rather than condemnation from her God. Her beliefs allow no other outcome.