Thursday 1 December 2011

Homosexuality and Romans 1:26,27

Many Christians believe that the "NEW TESTAMENT" also says that HOMOSEXUALITY is a sin due to ROMANS 1:26,27.
But most Chrsitians fail to see the verse in context!


"for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet"
Lets take a closer look at the verses before 26,27
"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:7)


HERE... PAUL IS WRITING TO THE ROMANS!
"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." (Romans 1:21)


 SOME OF THE ROMANS KNEW GOD, BUT REJECTED HIM
"And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." (Romans 1: 22)
THEY EXCHANGE GOD FOR IDOLS


"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:" (Romans 1:24)
BECAUSE OF THEIR LUST IN IDOL WORSHIP, GOD GAVE THEM UP.


"Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen" (Romans 1:25)
THIS SPECIFIC GROUP CHOSE IDOLS OVER GOD!


Till now, we see that Paul is Writing to a specific group of Idol worshiping Romans Who Used to worship God.
NOT GAYS AND LESBIANS


Secondly is a cultural fact that in Biblical times Heterosexual men would have sex with the shrine priests to give their sperm as a sacrifice to their Gods in Idol worshiping.




It says that they "exchanged their natural function and abandoned their natural function."
Exchange = (Greek - metallasso) = "to change" 
Abandon = (Greek - apheimi) = "to give up"


Hence its clear that heterosexuals were acting AGAINST their feelings. They did which was unnatural to their own sexual orientation, which was done for the sake of IDOL WORSHIPING.


"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:"
For their sin of Idolatry and unclean worship rituals, God gave punished them by handling them to their own Lustful unclean rituals.


"for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:"
Also women performed unconventional sex with MEN, not with women.
Women had anal sex with men.


In other words women changed their natural way of male/female intercourse into unconventional male/female anal intercourse!


"And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, -Males having sex with the SHRINE PRIESTS .
 burned in their lust one toward another; -LUST, Not monogamous loving relationships.
men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet."- Men having sex with men (FOR IDOL WORSHIP) which was unnatural for them (since they are HETEROSEXUALS) and in this way they received their punishment from God for their sin of Idol worship and Unclean rituals.


This is against nature because they were all Heterosexuals.
The Greek meaning of Unnatural doesnt mean sinful or immoral or wrong, but Unusual or unconventional!


ROMANS 11:24 States that GOD HIMSELF ACTED UNNATURAL. Hence unnatural can never mean Immoral!


So, The sin that was carried over from the Old Testament was:
1. Adultery
2. Idolatry
3. Bearing false witness (by rejection of the True God)


This incident doesn't describe the modern same-sex monogamous loving relationships.


It speaks of a heterosexual group of people who performed dirty rituals in worship to God, for which God punished them by Giving them permanent attractions towards the same sex.
Hence Romans 1:26,27 are not condemning homosexuality!

No comments:

Post a Comment