I've been thinking about Romans 1:26-27 again. I recently read an article which suggested that homosexuality is some kind of punishment from God. These two verses are the most common verses used from the New Testament to condemn gay and lesbian relationships. It says:
That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
I've previously discussed this passage and I don't want to repeat that again, I still think the key words here are "lust" and "shameful" - which I struggle to fit into loving gay and lesbian relationships. I believe that this passage is not a condemnation of loving same-sex relationships, you can read why on this blog. Instead I want to think about how we would apply this passage if it were talking about God's judgement.
To see where the idea that homosexuality is God's judgement, it's important to read the whole passage in context - Romans 1:18-32.
Is it judgement? In context I don't think so. Verse 26 doesn't say that God gave them shameful and lustful desires, they had these desires already. Verse 27 doesn't say that the penalty they suffered was inflicted by God. It could merely be a consequence.
But for the sake of argument, let's say it is a judgement. Judgement for what? Verses 18-25 are all about people who reject the one true God and worship false gods. About a third of the world's population claims to be Christian. So, we would expect to see more gay men in countries where Christianity is not the dominant religion. But we don't. In every culture, about 4% of men are gay and 1% of women are lesbian. The other problem with this view is people like me. If being gay is a punishment for rejecting God, how do we explain gay Christians? And wouldn't we expect to see more gay and lesbian people given that countries like the UK, Australia and the USA are becoming more and more secular?
Maybe the argument would only be that the penalty is the punishment. Paul's wording is very specific - "they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved". The NRSV says, "received in their own persons the due penalty for their error". So clearly this penalty is something you receive in your person. What could that be?
Some have said the penalty is HIV/AIDS but I have a couple of problems with that. Firstly, Paul uses the past tense, people were suffering this 2,000 years ago. HIV/AIDS is a modern illness, so it cannot be what Paul was talking about. Secondly, lesbian sex is the safest sex someone can have in terms of STI's. Given that Paul is talking about women here as well, any STI would not fit because lesbian sex is quite safe. Heterosexuals and gay men are much more at risk! Finally, I have a problem with what that would say about God. I did not choose to be gay, or to fall in love. Am I to be punished with such a horrible illness because of something I did not choose to be? What kind of God is that?
So, what's the penalty? Can I suggest that the rest of this chapter provides the answer?
When a person rejects God, and suppresses their conscience, they lost touch with their Creator, with no moral absolutes there is nothing to guide them. When a society rejects God, there is no restraint on what is acceptable. CNN reports what life in North Korea is like at the moment - and we saw similar stories in communist Russia as well. In Muslim countries gay men are subject to heavy penalties for having sex with another man, ranging from flogging, to imprisonment and the death penalty.
I believe that the penalty "received within themselves" is a change of personality and values. It's the consequences of being actively guided by self rather than the Holy Spirit. The changes within a person, and their societies, is the penalty deserved. But that leaves a question. Isn't this penalty for homosexuals?
No. The people Paul is talking about are not homosexuals, they are worshipers of false gods who practiced temple prostitution. This fits what Paul wrote from verse 18 onwards, and what we know of Roman society in Paul's day.
I do not think that anything in Romans 1 condemns gay and lesbian relationships, and I do not believe that we are subject to "special" judgement because we fall in love.
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Happy Easter!
Christians have a traditional greeting at Easter. Someone says, "Christ is risen", to which the reply is, "He is risen indeed".
Jesus' resurrection 2,000 years ago changed everything. That was the morning when death was defeated, and a relationship with God was made possible. Sin and evil have lost, love and God have won.
Whether you believe Jesus rose from the dead, or not, that morning changed everything. The resurrection is a fact of history, as well attested to as other events in the ancient world.
If you have never experienced the power of Jesus, start searching today. Ask the question - what happened that first Easter Sunday? The answer will change your life.
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Today is Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus' death on the cross.
Jesus willingly gave his life for us, taking our punishment so that we don't have to. If you ever doubt God's love for you, look to the cross. Whoever you are, whatever you have done, Jesus literally thinks you are to die for.
In a world where people often play a blame game, or refuse to accept responsibility for our wrong thoughts, behaviours and lack of love, the cross calls us to face up to who we are. We are not perfect. We all sin. But Jesus came to liberate us from the eternal consequences of our sin.
Because of Jesus' death we can have forgiveness, all we have to do is receive it.
Come Sunday we will remember Jesus resurrection, but today we remember his death. Jesus died alone, forsaken by virtually all his followers. If you are lonely, Jesus knows what that's like. Jesus suffered intense physical, emotional and spiritual pain (the word excruciating comes from Latin - of the cross). If you are suffering, he knows what you're going through.
We do not worship a God who is distant, but a God who knows what it is to be human, to live and to die.
Why not get to know Jesus today?
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I just read "Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs -Christians Debate" by GCN's Justin Lee (released as "Unconditional: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays Vs Christians Debate" in the UK).
This is a great book in which Justin shares his own story. While he does explain why he believes that the Bible does not condemn gay and lesbian relationships, the focus is on a better way for Christians to relate to one another. Rather than arguing, he says we need to learn to listen to each other, to learn from each other and love each other.
I loved this book - it's personal, it's Justin's life story. He shares his heartaches, joys, and faith. It's Biblical - Justin never lets go of the centrality of Jesus and the Bible. It's relational, Justin shares some of the stories of people he has met along the way.
I think this book is a refreshing change to books about gay debate. Instead of just arguing for one side (which he does do!), it's less about proving a point of view, and more about how to live together.
I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in the Bible and gay people. If you are gay you'll probably recognise much of yourself in Justin's story. If you know someone who is gay and Christian, you'll gain valuable insight into our lives.
You can find out more at http://www.tornbook.com/ - and it's even available on Kindle!
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I've been doing some interesting reading on Bible prophecies lately. I wondered if anyone had any ideas on these 2 areas...
The Antichrist - a Muslim?
I was always taught that the antichrist would be a European, and most likely an atheist/humanist. This is based on Daniel 9:26 (NIV) since the people who destroyed the Temple after the Messiah were the Romans.
However, research suggests that the armies who had Jerusalem under siege were not ethnic Romans, they were mostly from Syria, Egypt and that area - specifically Arabs and Syrians. The word "people" (Heb = am) in "people of the ruler will come" designates ethnic, not national identity. There is also an interesting passage in Micah 5 which says that "Assyrians" will invade, and be defeated by Jesus Christ Himself. This is interesting given that Christians believe that the Antichrist will invade Israel and will be defeated by Jesus at the Second Coming.
Furthermore, Muslims (largely Shia, but Sunnis also believe this) are awaiting a leader known as Al Mahdi (Lit "The Guided One). He is an interesting character. Most sources have him coming from Iran, to destroy Israel, to unite Muslims politically into a new Caliphate, convert all people to Islam and will in effect persecute Jews and Christians who don't convert. He will rule for 7 years (some sources say longer, 7 is the majority view) and is identified as a rider on a white horse - some Muslim scholars say they see Al Mahdi in Revelation 6:2.
This is an amazing mirror image of the Biblical Antichrist - ironically that's who the rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 is! In the Bible the Antichrist is a military leader, who has an empire, calls people to one religion, persecutes Jews and Christians and has a 7 year treaty with Israel (which he will break half way through).
Here's another thing - Al Mahdi warns that the Dajjal (the Islamic Antichrist) will appear, defend Jerusalem with the Jews, and will persuade them that he is Jesus the Messiah. Muslims are warned to flee from him and ignore everything he says. Interestingly the Bible says Jesus will defend Jerusalem, and will convince many Jews of who he truly is.
The Rapture - When?
I was always taught that there will be a rapture of God's people just before the 7 year Tribulation. I've been looking at this again, and am less and less convinced that this is what the Bible is teaching. There is no clear verse which says Jesus will have a 2-stage return. Historically Christians have not believed in a rapture that precedes the Second Coming - they have always been seen as the same event. Jesus gathers his people to himself at the Second Coming.
I've been thinking about what the effects of the belief in a pre-trib rapture would mean. I think it leaves Christians unprepared for the suffering that is coming. Corrie Ten Boom said that she believes that the pre-trib rapture is a false teaching, and ignores the tribulation that 60% of the Church is already experiencing, and leaves us unprepared for the horrors that are coming. She has a point.
If you have read up on any of this, and have any thoughts, please let me know what you think - this is a very interesting area of Bible Study!
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It's almost the end of 2012, and it's almost 2013! The world didn't end on December 21st (in case you hadn't noticed!) but nevertheless, we are a year closer to Heaven.
Whatever your 2012 has been, I pray your 2013 will be a great year! Make every day of 2013 count.
God bless, and Happy New Year!
I was recently asked if I believe that God can cure homosexuality. I am assuming the question meant, can "God make a homosexual, heterosexual?"
Yes. I believe God can do that - with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
By the same token, I believe that God can make the blind see, the deaf hear and the lame walk! The question is not "what can God do?" The question is, "what is God doing?" And what does this tell us about how God views blind, deaf, lame and gay people?
Lots of research says that ex-gay ministries and reparative therapy does not work. At best it persuades bisexuals to take opposite sex partners, and teaches homosexuals to suppress their sexuality. At worst it instills a sense of shame which often results in promiscuity (as that's the only outlet for intimacy with another person when you can't allow yourself to fall in love - second rate, detached, emotionally empty sex).
In his book, "Speaking my Mind", Tony Campolo says that after interviewing hundreds of men who have been through reparative therapy, he is convinced that God is not "curing" homosexuality.
Of course the whole question assumes that there is something to cure. I've said elsewhere that a Biblical understanding of homosexuality totally negates the question of curing it. God is not, and has never been bothered by loving, faithful same sex relationships.
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I've been thinking about Romans 1:26-27 again. I recently read an article which suggested that homosexuality is some kind of punishment from God. These two verses are the most common verses used from the New Testament to condemn gay and lesbian relationships. It says:
