I used to believe that the Bible said I had to be single and celibate. Homosexual behaviour was always wrong. Despite this, I could never understand why. I wanted love and companionship, and yes, a sexual relationship too. Why was God so set against this? Why allow me to be born gay, and then demand that I give up hope of being able to fall in love and share my life with another human being? But, that was Scripture, so I accepted it.
Today I have a very different view of what the Bible does and does not say about homosexuality. I still believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. But I also think I was taught something that isn't true.
The word "homosexual" is only about 150 years old. That means it cannot be in the Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek texts the Bible was written in. The word "homosexual" is not in the Bible! So why is it in my English translations of the Bible?
The Bible does mention some homosexual behaviours. Gang rape at Sodom, sexual religious rites in Leviticus and Romans 1 etc. But at no place in Scripture does homosexual behaviour come up in the context of a loving, faithful homosexual relationship. The Bible doesn't say anything about this.
So, are loving, monogamous, gay and lesbian relationships allowed? We have to look at the whole context of Scripture for the answer.
In Genesis 2 God said it was not good for man to be alone. In 1 Corinthians 7 we are told it is better to marry than to burn with lust. I don't think God has double standards so this must apply to gay men and lesbians too. Yet that is the opposite of what many Churches teach today.
The truth is that each of us is loved by God. We may have been told the Bible condemns us, but it isn't so. Gay men and lesbians can and do come to God through Jesus, just like anyone else. Sure, God disapproves of a lot of what the gay community does, but he loves us too! We too can know forgiveness because of Jesus, and we can know God's unconditional love for us. This is the message I believe God has for gay and lesbian people.
You can be gay and Christian. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
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Wow, thats really nice :)
ReplyDeleteLove your blog dude... i find your very story touching, thank you loads for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! God bless guys (girls!??!) :-)
ReplyDeleteI found your blog "by accident". I was looking up the difference between an atheist and an agnostic and you answered a question about that. Your user name caught my attention and I clicked to your blog!
ReplyDeleteMy dad is a minister and has always wanted the churches to treat people equally. Now that he knows that I'm gay even more so and he tries his best within our world church to get the rights and recognition us gay people deserve. Your blog is written so well, with amazing examples. It gave me some insights and I will definitely pass the info on! You should gather all your research and information and write a book, you could reach out to so many people struggling with this!
I learned a lot by this. I was the one who asked on yahoo about being Christian and gay. You really have made good points. I have a friend who is Christian and gay and for the longest time I could never understand how that was possible, but I'm starting to. I'm not 100% there, and maybe I never will be, but I understand.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I was able to help. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. :-)
ReplyDeletehello :) I would just like to ask..
ReplyDeleteIf you would say that loving same sex relationship will be okay (If I am right on my understanding to your blogs),
don't you think that these relationships will be starting a fire on sin? I mean, if you have a partner, don't you think you are drawing yourself to commit sin, which is having sex with same gender?
Sorry for my english. hoho.
This is purely inquisitive :) I have no intention to malign / judge / condemn, or something, :)
Hi
ReplyDeleteI think sex should be an expression of love between two people who love each other, and are committed to each other (I believe in marriage, but at the moment I cannot marry my partner - yet!). The assumption most Christians make is that gay and lesbian relationships are wrong, which I don't agree with any more.
If gay relationships are ok, then expressing your love as sex is ok too.
Does that answer your question? If not, let me know!
And your English is fine :-)
1 Corinthians 6:16-20 (The Message)
ReplyDeleteThere’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.