There’s been a lot of kerfuffle, hand-wringing, and general angst about whether Christians should bake cakes (or provide any services) for things that they find morally objectionable.
Not even including the legal side of things (which is huge), this issue is massively important for us as Christians. It touches on what it means to love sinners and how Christian businesses should operate in a sinful world.
As I’ve interacted with people over the issue, I’ve heard two primary arguments as to why Christians should bake cakes for gay weddings (and presumably other events they find objectionable).
Before I dive into these arguments, I need to acknowledge that there are issues of conscience and wisdom here. You may not see things as I do, and that’s okay. But regardless, all of us should wrestle deeply with these things. These situations are only going to become more common in the future, and we need to know how to respond in a biblical and godly manner.
With that said, here are the arguments I’ve heard and why, in spite of these, I still wouldn’t bake a cake for a gay wedding (assuming I could bake).
But Didn’t Jesus Love Sinners?
Again and again in scripture, we see Jesus loving sinners. He ate with them, entered their lives, and told them about the glories of the kingdom of God. He wasn’t afraid of sin.
As Christians, we’re called to emulate his example. To spend time with those who don’t believe the gospel. To be present in their lives. To be friends of sinners.
But this argument fails to make one, really important distinction: Jesus loved sinners but didn’t honor their sinful lifestyles.
In other words, Jesus didn’t participate in activities that were a celebration of their sinful choices.
For example, Jesus ate dinner with Zacchaeus the tax collector. He didn’t attend a party in which Zacchaeus dedicated a new house that had been purchased with money stolen from people. Jesus welcomed prostitutes, but he didn’t celebrate the relationship of the woman at the well and the man who wasn’t her husband.
Jesus delighted to be with sinners and was deadly serious about sin. He appealed for people to repent so that they wouldn’t go to hell.
Certain events do celebrate and honor things that God calls wicked. I realize that sounds extreme, but we need to come to terms with that reality. A gay wedding is, essentially, a celebration and party for the union of a same-sex couple.