The Confusing Claim regarding the Colorado Cake-Maker

Richard Hollerman

We know that the Colorado Cake-Maker claim is confusing, disturbing, and unjust. As we understand it, the settlement of June 4, 2018 is back in the news and the Supreme Court must settle the case.

First, we (as Christians) must acknowledge that God’s laws must always take precedence over man’s laws. This is what Peter said when he was called to stand before the Jewish Council. He said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Further, some time before this, when Peter and John were called before the same Jewish body, these apostles affirmed, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Act 4:19-20). In this case, we have a clear-cut statement that when God’s laws conflict with what a human being requires, for the Christian, we must always put God first!

Now let’s review the case briefly so that we, as Christians, will know how we should look on this. According to the review of the case, we read that the Colorado Law “requires equal treatment in sales of goods and services to people regardless of sexual orientation.” But, according to the Supreme Court, “Decision of a Colorado agency declaring that Masterpiece Cakeshop had violated the Colorado law and would have to offer custom cakes without discriminating” (https://subscriptlaw.com/masterpiece-cakeshop-v-colorado-decision/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx6jAvbXO7wIVUPDACh2AzwnJEAAYASAAEgL53PD_BwE).

Now let’s follow this case a bit further. What is generally applicable: “The Court reserved judgment on the Colorado Law” but “Instead, the Court rejected the Colorado Ruling” (Ibid.). The Supreme Court ruling: “The Colorado agency was hostile towards religion when it ruled against the cake shop owner,” and “The Colorado agency will have to reconsider the case, without hostility towards the cake shop owner’s religious argument” (Ibid).

We must say that this is a strange case for we think that generally, a person can do what he wishes in the United States if he doesn’t deliberately do harm to another. Further, we must remember that all of this is a legal matter and it doesn’t really settle the matter in the eyes of God. Further, we must admit that (from a Christian viewpoint) this really makes no sense.

Liberal justice Ginsburg agreed with the sodomites (before she died)

Regarding this last statement, this is what we mean. What if two heterosexual people (a man and a woman) were to come to this Cake Shop and wanted Phillips to make a cake for their wedding. But, in addition, we learn that this couple are in sin and planning on a marriage that has no right to exist.  This may be an adulterous remarriage (in other words, it would mean that this couple are now and would be entering a union that God forbids since one of the two may have divorced without a Biblical reason.

If Philips were to refuse to make this cake, would it be much different than his refusal to make a cake for two sodomite men (two homosexual men)? It really wouldn’t be any different that we can discern. For the Christian, both of these actions of Philips would be justified and must be made, according to the will of God.

(We might add this: Should a Christian even be that concerned about making, buying, and eating a cake that is not really nutritious to one’s health? Would obvious “junk food” be the thing to eat? Wouldn’t it be wrong for a cake-maker to make pastry that would be harmful to one’s health? But besides this incongruity, let’s proceed with the case.)

Let’s be honest here. If Philips were to refuse to make a cake (or anything  else) for two sodomites, two fornicators, two adulterers, or if he were to refuse to participate in any other sinful activity, he would definitely be in the right. Isn’t this a matter that is clear to the Christian?

All Christians should refuse to participate in any cake-making or any other activity that would involve them in sin, isn’t this correct? They would be doing what they must—under God—do. They would be refusing to sin. Let’s not forget the succinct command of the Christian, “Stop sinning” (1 Corinthians 15:34). So this cake-maker is not sinning but, instead, the two sodomites were and are sinning! Further, Philips would be sinning if he chose to make a sinful food item such as this and sell it regardless of what the law says.

Personally, we must say that we don’t really understand all of the issues here. If a Christian man were to refuse to murder someone, surely the Court would agree that this disobedience is permissible and laudable. If  mane were to refuse to take God’s name in vain, or steal something, or commit adultery, surely most would say that this was his business and it should be respected. So we just don’t understand why they would prosecute or persecute a man who followed his conscience in this matter. And from God’s perspective, to do right is always right and to do wrong must always be wrong.

This country—including the Supreme Court—is often on the side of the wrong. Sadly, they are often on the immoral side. Probably President Biden would refuse to consider this and assume that it is good to force a person to violate his or her conscience by sinning. We would think (but don’t know for sure) that President Trump never would have required such a violation of sincerely-held religious conscience.

Cake with two sodomite men

Personally, it surprises me that in many, many more times we would find people being persecuted for failing to do the right or for doing the wrong. Didn’t Jesus speak on this matter? Wasn’t he clear enough?  If it would be clearly wrong and sinful for two sodomite men to have sex with each other and another participate in their wrong-doing, then why would there not be dozens, thousands, multiple thousands of people accusing true Christians of wrong-doing? It is true that we are living in a country (America) in which wrong-doing and sinful behavior is actually a matter of law!

Friends, let’s not be afraid to do the right! Let’s not be afraid to love and serve God! We must not be afraid of these persecutors if we “fear” the God of heaven! If we must make a choice between the right and the wrong, let’s always choose the right—regardless of what we must suffer. This is true regardless of what two sodomites may think, regardless of what the Supreme Court may say, and regardless of what the President may think. We must obey God rather than man!