The Cyber Kazbá

It is usually against my habit to tackle such a publicly hot topic. This is because I would like to avoid meaningless arguments that follow such controversial topics. But I read an article earlier this week in the recent edition of Newsweek. Anyway this article got me thinking that there must be a better way to approach the issue.

As such hot, political and religious topics go, there are usually very strong opinions on each side of the spectrum. Usually, and sadly, neither side gives a rip what the other side thinks, says or does; unless it's "offensive" then the other side attacks. So let me lay some ground rules out first so that we can have a decent civilized conversation and not a barbaric name calling argument. Ground rule #1 I am speaking form 'within' the church and what I have to say is directed inward not necessarily outward. I believe when we project our ideas and opinions upon the 'opposing' camp this is were a discussion becomes very unproductive. #2. I think I have some credibility to speak 'within' the church because not only have I grown up in the church but I also hold a degree in Biblical Theology and another in Biblical Exegesis. That being said I know that everything I say is not automatically right, but I feel it should be respected. #3 Feel free to agree or disagree with anything but please don't be offensive and don't try to persuade others that are not in your ideological camp. It never works.

So with that being said, I would like to tackle two major issues. The first is wether or not the Bible indeed shows that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination in God's eyes. The second point will discuss what to do about homosexual marriage.


Believe it or not deciding wether or not the Bible rejects homosexuality as lifestyle is not as easy as it sounds. Many are quick to point out the Levitical passages that state quite explicit that homosexual sex is an abomination to God (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). It should be that easy and end of story, however these texts are couched with a lot of laws that Christian no long heed; to so many think this law is much like the rest. ( I disagree and think this is oversimplification, please read my blog entry Law collections and Law codes for my explanation on how to interpret the OT Law) For example the 20:13 verse says the sinners should be executed and not many people are even willing to go that far! So if we can't use the Leviticus passages what can we use?

The Genesis story is a beautiful example to show how the Bible intends humanity to function. As the common phrase states: It was Adam and EVE not Adam and STEVE! But all joking aside, Eve was created to be a helper to Adam and some better translations will say companion. Woman was specifically designed to be compatible with Man. The Divine blessing to be fruitful and multiply further highlights this point that man and woman are intended to be together to populate and care for the earth. Also the statement that Man will leave his father and be joined to his wife solidifies the bIblical idea of marriage between a man and a women.

The Genesis passage does a good job at outlining the intended structure of family but falls to outright restrict homosexual marriage. After the fall things on earth fell apart and nothing was the way it was intended to be. Adam and Eve stand as a good standard, but is there room for alternatives?

Lets look at another Genesis passage Sodom and Gomorrah. Here we have men begging to sleep with the men in Lot's house. Shortly after, the city is destroyed. Many deduce that because of the cities homosexual acts the city is utterly destroyed. However, some have questioned this and wonder if the men are being punished because they were homosexuals or because they were displaying other sexually inexcusable behavior such as rape. Though I understand this point of view I think it clearly misunderstands the text. The men were freely offered women for their sexual appetites and they rudely turned it down for the men. However it is still not a closed case as this story is in the OT and we are not sure if such stories are still applicable (I think they are but I am playing along).

So we go to the NT. Many will quickly point out that Jesus said nothing about homosexual behavior and this is true. In fact I think Jesus would show love if/when he encountered a homosexual. So our focus then turns to Paul. In my opinion Paul only addresses homosexuality once in all of his writings. (I believe 1 cor. 6:9-11 and 1 Tim 1:9-10 are too obscure and the greek isn't clear enough to show that he intended to include homosexuals in these lists of vices). So the only passage is Romans 1. In this passage Paul is outlining what the result is of when man rejects God. vv. 24-27 24 "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."

This passage is unique because it includes both women and men in homosexual acts. Clearly here homosexuality is shown to a sin right? Well some say that Paul is referring to specific Men the Romans would be familiar with i.e. the Roman caesars who were men of renown immorality ranging from murder to all kinds of twisted sexual acts.

Though the idea of a caesar allusion is very intriguing to me in this passage it still doesn't nullify Paul's universal statements all throughout chapter one. Yes the Caesars might be a nice test case but Paul's words apply to everyone. The result of turning form God is a corrupt life, and a corrupt life can lead to homosexuality.

Ok so believe it or not these are basically all the texts that deal with homosexuality. However, I don't think it is enough to proof text through the bible and establish some sort of concrete truth. Good biblical theology seeks to see the Bible in it's literary and theological whole. Though I raised many objections that people commonly bring up against the proof text I still think that biblical harmony reaches a conclusion that homosexuality is a something that was never intended to happen in human nature. The institute of marriage was established to create fruitful families that cover and care for the earth. The principals that we can gather from such an outdated text (being sarcastic) like the OT are clear that Man is not to lay with another man, nor his he to lay with an ox, or his daughter etc. Furthermore Paul's statements in Romans 1 run parallel with all other mentions of homosexuality in the Bible and that is that homosexuality is sin the result of a fallen human.

So now if we agree that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin, what do we do with the proposition of homosexual marriage. Well one obvious answer is to reject it! But such close mindedness leads us sometimes in the wrong direction. I want to point to a passage in Paul that deals closely with how those within the church should respond to sexual immorality outside the church.

See 1 Cor 5:12-13 Paul tells his readers not to associate with people who are sexually immoral. He explicitly explains though that this does not include those in the 'world' (often times Paul's word for those who are in the flesh i.e. those outside the church). He says (vv 12-13): "For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the Church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside."

How can we who are within the church demand a biblical lifestyle from those outside the church? Really the movement to homosexual marriages should not come as a surprise at all. Of course fallen humans are going to fall into it, did not Paul tell us in Romans 1?

I am not ever going to tell you how to vote politically, and certainly as a citizen of your state you have every right to vote how you wish; however I think there will be a time soon when homosexual marriage will be more or less universally accepted (in terms of state law). And when this happens We as Christians must be prepared to deal with an homosexually married couple.

The homosexual topic I believe is so heated because the religious people like to pick out sins that they don't often battle and are clear to see. Really the legalization of homosexual marriages movement is not much different than the materialism movement that is choking out America as we speak. Yet you don't see any picket marches against Wal-mart!

We as Christians need to be extra cautious around such topics and be willing to show the radical love of Jesus in such situations. They should know us by our love not our picket lines and signs. We can't disengage ourselves from the culture; but rather engage ourselves in loving acts. Our war is not against the homosexuals, these are our friends, brothers, and sisters.