Kim Davis: Hero or Villain?

Kim Davis

By now, most people are familiar with Kim Davis. She's the Kentucky county clerk who was recently jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.

Though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that same-sex couples cannot be denied the right to marry, some legal experts claim Kentucky law doesn't specify that. Michael Peroutka, a lawyer and founder of the Institute on the Constitution, and a conservative think tank, "The Court," said this: There is no law that requires her to grant a marriage license to people of the same sex. The Court has had many opinions ... but they are not law.   

Jeff Fisher, a Stanford University law professor and expert on Supreme Court practice disagrees: A Supreme Court decision is the law. Full stop. When the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, the Supreme Court's words become the law.

Steve Vladeck, a professor at the American University Washington College of Law specializing in federal jurisdiction and constitutional law, cited a recent Kentucky court ruling to support Davis's incarceration: But either way, the argument about the Supreme Court is irrelevant. She's being held in contempt because she's refusing to follow a district court decision in a suit to which she is a party, holding that same-sex couples have a right to obtain marriage licenses from her. It's hard to think of any way in which she could be more directly violating a judicial judgment by which she is bound. 

Since Davis was elected to her position, she can't be fired. However, she'll remain in jail until she either agrees to issue same-sex marriage licenses, or a judge or Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear exempts her from issuing same-sex marriage licenses. 

Davis is a professing Born-Again Christian who claims that she would be committing a sin by issuing same-sex marriage licenses. And indeed, she would. 

However, here's the problem. The Bible clearly tells us that we are to obey the civil laws of the nations we reside in. Here's what the apostle Peter wrote: "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor." (1 Peter 2:13-17)

And here's what the apostle Paul wrote concerning obedience to civil authority: "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience." (Romans 13:1-5)

And so, should Davis shut her mouth and violate her faith? Of course not. When civil law codifies sin, then a person such as Davis should resign rather than be forced by the law to propagate sin. Some people will say that quitting is cowardice. Some people will say that we need to fight for our rights as Christians, because by quitting, we're allowing ourselves to be defeated.

To that, I say this: If the Christian church in America had done a better job of contending for the faith over the past 100 years, then we wouldn't see people such Kim Davis behind bars and Christian florists and bakers being legislated out of business. 

The Christian church has lost the culture. While the church slept, secularists took over the government, media, entertainment and educational institutions. They filled the spiritual vacuum that the church left and imposed their worldview on the nation. When the church is strong, the nation is morally strong. But when the church is weak, the nation becomes a cesspool of sin and depravity.

Kim Davis may win in the short term. Since Kentucky belongs to what remains of America's Bible Belt, Davis has thousands of supporters who've taken up her cause. Will she become the Rosa Parks of a new Christian revival that rises up against the tyrannical godlessness of secular humanists? She may, but that's doubtful.

Davis, like a lot of Christians in the western world today, is being persecuted for her faith. And that's prophetic. Concerning the end times, Christ said this: "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." (Matthew 24:9) 

While Kim Davis certainly won't be put to death for her faith, a time is coming when many professing Christians will. When will that happen? We don't know. 

But when you consider that what happened to Davis would've been unthinkable in America even just 20 years ago, the acceleration of Christian persecution in America and the western world is rapidly increasing. And so, for all true professing Christians, here's a warning: Be prepared, because it's coming.