Pastor John, if one of your family members invited you to their so-called same-sex marriage ceremony, would you attend it? Just contemplating that thought is heartbreaking. My answer is no, I wouldn't, and that would be a kind of shattering of the cornerstone of a father's broken heart at that moment.

And here's why. I assume that's what they really want to know, not just whether I'd go or not, but why? Why wouldn't you? Number one, it's not a wedding because it's not a marriage, and therefore attending it as a wedding is to be false, like everyone there is being false.

There is no such thing as a so- called same-sex marriage. God has defined marriage as a covenantal union for life between a man and a woman, as husband and wife. This isn't that, therefore this is not a marriage, and this is not a wedding. I'm not gonna lie about it by going.

Number two, this union, if you can dare to call it that, is not being joined in heaven. Jesus said, "What God has joined together, let no man separate." This is what makes weddings awesome. They're not human accomplishments. God joins a man and a woman. Marriage is made in heaven, Jesus said, not between two people merely, or a pastor, or a judge, and this pairing of two men or two women is not being joined in heaven, and to give the impression that it is is an offense to heaven.

Number three, this blessing of this event would be hateful. It would be hateful for me to do it, because it would be confirming a life and a lifestyle that will lead to hell. The Apostle Paul said, "Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, or idolaters, or adulterers, or men who practice homosexuality, or thieves, or greedy, or drunkards, or revilers, or swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." They won't.

So to celebrate this lifestyle is to celebrate the destruction of human beings, and that's hateful. It would be like gathering to celebrate theft, gathering to celebrate drunkenness, gathering to celebrate swindling. Let's all have a meeting and celebrate greed. Let's all have a meeting and celebrate adultery. Anybody that joins in celebrating sin is sinning.

I shouldn't sin. The fourth thing I would say is that this ceremony will defile the drama of Christ and the church. God designed marriage to display Christ's covenant to his bride, the church, to celebrate a brideless union as marriage is to distort and deface the parable of the most beautiful act in the world.

And fifth, I wouldn't go because the weight of sorrow and love and revulsion would probably overwhelm me. I don't think I could probably get through the ceremony. And the last thing I would say is my not going is not my drawing away from my child, but his drawing away from me.

I am where I have always been, arms wide open to the homecoming prodigal, ready to forgive anything. Thank you, Pastor John, and thank you for listening to this podcast. Email your questions to us at AskPastorJohn@DesiringGod.org. You can visit us online at DesiringGod.org to find thousands of books and articles, sermons, and other resources from John Piper, all free of charge.

I'm your host, Tony Reinke. Thanks for listening.