PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

Blunt sins require blunt responses.  Read with that awareness in mind.  But blunt sins require the kindness of God and grace as do all sins (Romans 2:4).  Let’s keep that in mind too.

Let’s ask some questions that are designed to make us think.

• Are people genetically born homosexual?  Then if one identical twin is homosexual, both would be. But that is not case as studies have shown. 
• If homosexuality is genetic, how is the gene passed on?  Homosexual activity does not lend itself to propagation.
• If such a genetic proclivity became universally inherited, wouldn’t the human race become extinct? If a genetic trait leads to extinction, shouldn’t the medical world be looking for a cure? 

None of those questions are politically correct, but our concern is being Biblically correct, logically consistent, and gracefully compassionate. In this article, we will address both the genetic and moral question of homosexuality by examining Romans 1.  Although not a scientific book, the Romans text itself will argue against homosexuality being genetically inherited within people and therefore addresses it as a moral and spiritual issue.   

Romans 1:26-27 NASB  For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,  (27)  and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

The passions experienced are degrading which mean without honor; and are exchanged for what is natural which means “produced by nature, inborn.”  Advocates for homosexuality claim that Paul condemns “unnatural” homosexuality, that is, heterosexuals abandoning what is natural for them.  Let’s see if that is what the text teaches.

Whatever is unnatural is condemned because it exchanges the natural function.  The word function means that the body is physically designed for certain functions that are performed between men and women because of their male and female parts.  The NCSB translates fucntion as intercourse.  Furthermore, the word translated woman is better translated “female” because the word itself comes from a part of a woman’s body that is designed to attract men (Proverbs 5:19).  Therefore two words describe why such an activity is unnatural, based upon the way male and female bodies are designed. Do male homosexuals have, to be blunt, male parts?  Do lesbian women?  If homosexuals have the same parts as God created them with, then their behavior violates how their bodies are made.  That is why it is unnatural.

The extended context in Romans 1 includes all of creation (1:20), not just the creation of male and female bodies.  For example, idolatry is wrong because it violates the image of God.  Mankind (Romans 1:23), male and female, are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).  Therefore anything that violates God’s creative order is sin.  Maybe that is why idolatry and homosexuality are often interconnected within history.  False worship leads to false living; and false living leads to false worship.

But there is more.  Within Romans 1 the sins of idolatry and homosexuality not only violate God’s creative order, they are results of people who became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:21). This led to them living in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them (Romans 1:24).  Homosexuality is a problem within the mind which violates the body.  Some choose homosexuality willingly, and others have their minds warped by violations done to them against their will.  Both involve a mind that needs to be redeemed so that the body can be redeemed (Romans 12:1-2). 

All this teaches that homosexuality is not inborn or else homosexual bodies would not retain the same physical functions of heterosexuals.  The cause is not physical, it is spiritual and mental.  And folks, that can be said about every sin. 

As an aside, most evangelicals claim humans are born totally depraved, with inherited sin.  Despite believing they themselves are spiritually defective with an inborn inclination to sin, many condemn homosexuals who claim their behavior is inherited and inborn.   As we tried to be logical in the very beginning, I ask is that position itself logical?  That should give us cause to pause as we later try to interpret Romans 5:12 (and Psalm 51:5). If all of mankind can be born sinful, why can’t homosexuals be born sinfully homosexual? I hope that make us all think.

But let’s not forget the compassion.  Here is an interesting fact from Romans.  Because the sinners of homosexuality did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper (Romans 1:28).  So where is the compassion?  The Greek word translated gave (them) over is the same word translated delivered in Romans 8:32 NASB  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Every sin can be forgiven because Jesus died for every sinner.

The truth is, no one is born sinful.  That’s what is wrong with homosexuality and Calvinism.  Both violate God’s creative order that His creation is good.  Both blame the way they were born.  How’s that for being blunt!?

Tags: Article, Commentary

This entry was posted by PHall on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 9:03 pm and is filed under Romans, Genesis, Psalms. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.