BaptistLife.Com Forums.

The fact that changes all of the issues of conscience is that the florist, and the baker, are voluntarily participating in a business market where you have to assume they know the laws, regulations and rules. They already made their choice to serve the public without exception the day they opened their doors, and any issues of "conscience" were resolved then. To apply this scripture in any other way is to do exactly what critics of Christians say happens, that scripture is twisted to justify discrimination.

The florist and baker have freedom of religion, guaranteed, 24/7. But so do their customers. That's why there is a conflict.

The law permitting same-gender marriage did change, though the discrimination laws have been on the books for some time. Maybe these particular business owners didn't think they'd ever be in this particular position, facing this kind of choice. It would not have been good for business for them to openly advertise their position, though it might have prevented them being approached, and ultimately, that was their policy. There are probably a lot of legal intricacies involved.

But, the business owners were Christians, and mature enough to have developed convictions about same-gender marriage. I don't think you can put them in the category of those with the weaker conscience in 1 Corinthians 8. Shouldn't they know Paul's words, "We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live"? Do you put the customers whom they refused to serve in a position of having a more mature Christian conscience than they do? Because that's what your argument about their conscience is doing.

No argument that this is a tough issue. It's easy to become the angry, self-righteous judge and get upset over people who have made their own "wicked" choice causing problems for good, Bible believing Christian folks who just want to earn a living. That's certainly a human reaction, but not the reaction that is discerned from the scriptures. God loves each person in this situation equally, and that's where Matthew 5 comes in.

Let's put another question of religious freedom. Can a compounding pharmacy whose owner is pro-life (which for me includes objection to capital punishment) be forced to fill prescriptions for the drugs for lethal injections? Technically, the pharmacy is not there when they are used, but is this business not being asked to act against its convictions? Seems like this may have a lot more gravity than cakes and flowers.