Homosexual Hermeneutics: Is Homosexuality a Sin? (Preface)
Jul 8th, 2008 by Sam
When I first moved to the Bay Area to plant a church, I knew that one area I would be confronting would be homosexuality. It’s something that I faced in ministering to college students in the Amherst-Northampton area, where lesbianism was rampant. Back in 1999, the PCUSA and other mainline denominations were faced with the impending crisis with some in their ranks advocating the acceptance of gay marriage and the ordination of homosexuals and lesbians. Now in 2008, we are seeing many denominations accepting both gay marriage and gay ordination as part of the culture of mainline Christianity.
What struck me was not that so many in mainline Christianity and parts of Evangelicalism were accepting a pro-gay advocacy in the church, but instead their persistent attempt to circumvent Scripture’s teaching on homosexuality. Many were and continue to argue that homosexuality is not a sin. Some make the argument that homosexuality as a sin is no different than other sins, and thus to place this sin above others is tantamount to spiritual elitism and arrogance. Some believe that God actually creates some to be homosexual. One commenter on a blog had this to say about homosexuality and the Bible:
I think it is the task of the modern Christians to interpret the Bible in the way that it is inclusive and upbuilding. As long as we brazenly practice selective enforcement of the law in the Bible, we are practicing hypocrisy. There are many things in the Bible we ignore, although they are prohibited from doing, based on many reasonings and excuses. A Christian may believe that he or she is saved, because he does not commit the homosexual sin, but at the same time, may commit other things prohibited in the Bible. I am not going to list them all here.
But I ask this: why would God condemn homosexuals, when they are born that way? God made male and female, but God also made heterosexuals and homosexuals, as I see. Do we condemn them, because we believe that they intentionally “chose” to be homosexual? Why would some one choose to be in the group that is condemned and hated by the rest? Is the “choice” of the homosexuality that rewarding?
Is this what the Bible says? Are those who believe homosexuality is a sin believing in a lie? If the Bible says homosexuality is a sin, then how should the church respond? Is there room for grace and love in such matters?
This past Men’s Retreat with Justin Buzzard, we spent about 50% of a Q & A time discussing the issue of gay marriage. It was a vigorous debate with many practical scenarios. If we were invited to a gay wedding, would we go? Would we bring a gift? Would we say, “Congratulations”? These are real life issues for many of the people in our church.
And so I’m going to be posting in succession on this topic, with what I hope will be rigrous biblical study, but alongside humble orthodoxy and Gospel-centered responses to homosexuality. I’d love to interact with you on this topic if you wish to comment. I’ll do my best to respond to questions, but I can’t make any promises that it will be a quick response. But I’ll try.
Sometimes the posts might have some technical jargon because we’re dealing with Bible texts that were written in Hebrew and Greek. But I’ll transliterate all of the words. I hope you find these posts to be fruitful, beneficial, and gracious.
- Homosexual Hermeneutics Have Deadly Implications (Part 1)
- Homosexual Hermeneutics (Part 10): Is Homosexuality a Sin?: A Personal Perspective, Conclusion and An Approach
- Al Mohler on Homosexuality
- Homosexual Hermeneutics (Part 7): What Does the Bible Say? 1 Corinthians 6:9 & 1 Timothy 1:10
- Homosexual Hermeneutics (Part 6): What Does the Bible Say? Romans 1:26-27
My God does not discriminate. It is sad that people have chosen to interpret scripture in a way that supports their fears. They have created a God who loves many and loathes others. They have created a God who only creates people like themselves, a God who would punish someone for their natural disposition. I am a straight man, and I admit, it is a little weird to see men holding hands. But I have known many gay people, and it is a FACT that they are gay because they ARE. We’re not talking about sexual experimentation, or ‘a choice’, we are talking about a genetic disposition. Why does that seem so hard to believe? Because it doesn’t fit into your fear-based interpretation of gays. Call it ‘wires being crossed’ or whatever, but that’s what they ARE. God does not discriminate. If it is choice, then why can’t I choose it? Why have I never once been ‘allured’ by it? Because I’m not wired that way. Most people are not. So you don’t have to worry about us being ‘taken over’ by gays or something. My cousin Sharon got married in her 20’s to a man, Tim. She was never happy in that marriage. 18 years later, they finally got divorced. About a year later, she finally realized the problem. She was never attracted to men. Now she is the happiest she has ever been; she is living the life that was meant for her. God wants us to live in our own truth. He does not discriminate. My cousin, like you, was ruled by her fears, and societal stigma, and spend a good portion of her life being unhappy and unfulfilled. Is it a little weird? Yeah, a little. It was also weird for blacks to ride on the same bus. If you are really honest with yourself, you just plain think it’s gross. You just think it’s odd. You think it’s just not right. In elementary school you called people fairies and such. Well, we aren’t in elementary school anymore, as individuals, or an advanced society. We can see now that God’s love permeates everyone and everything, and that he does not discriminate. We are conscious enough to accept even those things that may make us uncomfortable at first. I recently played music at a gay wedding (try not to cringe). It was weird for about 3 seconds, until I could see so clearly how happy the couple was. They had been together for 25 years, and were fulfilling their dream of being married. In that moment, I realized that we are all the same.
I think the Bible is certainly relevant if interpreted through our modern eyes. This is not the same society that existed during the times it was written. You are right, I am ‘interpreting’ it in a way that supports my view as well. But more to the point, I am asking myself what is fair. Yes, I am taking the leap of questioning the Scripture, or at least questioning interpretations which seem to be at cross-purposes with what goodness is. Again, I don’t see God as one who would discriminate, and hold someone’s sexual orientation in a dark light and call it “sinning”. I would really love to have this debate as free thinking individuals rather than having a Scripture battle. Now that I have explained my view in more detail, would you be willing to respond to my points?
Thanks.
First, I still don’t think you’ve addressed anything I’ve written. But since you’ve asked me to respond to your points, I will. Thanks for your civility. It hasn’t been too common that someone with an opposing view has been relatively even-keeled.
You said: “It is sad that people have chosen to interpret scripture in a way that supports their fears.” The whole point of my articles was not to ‘interpret scripture in a way that supports their fears,’ but rather to interpret Scripture in the way that Scripture is written. There are many pro-homosexual exegetes and theologians who have simply written off the Bible as unbelieveable, archaic, and irrelavent. And while I disagree with this proposition, I understand their logic. That seems reasonable to me. But when you say that I have chosen Scripture to support my fears, I’d like to ask you to show me specifically from Scripture and what I have written in light of Scripture to support this statement. It seems like quite a broad-sweeping statement based on little.
You wrote: “They have created a God who only creates people like themselves, a God who would punish someone for their natural disposition. I am a straight man, and I admit, it is a little weird to see men holding hands. But I have known many gay people, and it is a FACT that they are gay because they ARE. We’re not talking about sexual experimentation, or ‘a choice’, we are talking about a genetic disposition. Why does that seem so hard to believe? Because it doesn’t fit into your fear-based interpretation of gays. Call it ‘wires being crossed’ or whatever, but that’s what they ARE. God does not discriminate. If it is choice, then why can’t I choose it? Why have I never once been ‘allured’ by it? Because I’m not wired that way.”
I addressed thoroughly in my articles. And I don’t want to repeat myself here which is why I have contended that you actually haven’t read anything that I wrote, and so you’re bringing up points I’ve already dealt. If you don’t have the time or desire to read what I wrote on this subject, I understand. But to make these statements without actually reading what I wrote seems like an untenable argument.
But thanks for your response again.