The New Testament says that homosexuality is a “shameful lust” (Romans ), a “shameful act,” an abandonment of “natural relations” (Romans ), a “wrongdoing” (1 Corinthians ), and “sexual immorality and perversion” (Jude ). Hence, the church cannot affirm same-sex relationships without abandoning the gospel. Learn more about the key Greek terms used in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy in chapter seven of God and the Gay Christian. Previous point.
Since , scholars have debated the translation and modern relevance of New Testament texts on homosexuality. [1] Three distinct passages – Romans –27, 1 Corinthians –10, and 1 Timothy –10 – as well as Jude , have been taken to condemn same-sex intercourse, but each passage remains contested. There are some key Bible verses about homosexuality to understand the biblical view of gay relations. The most commonly quoted Bible verses are Leviticus and Leviticus , which state that it is an abomination for a man to lie with another man as he would with a woman. In Romans , Apostle Paul says that homosexuality is contrary to God's natural order and results from rejecting God.
From Genesis’ creation account to Jesus’s affirmation of one-flesh union between male and female, from Levitical prohibitions to corresponding declarations in the New Testament, the biblical witness addresses same-sex relations as incompatible with God’s intention for human sexuality. Revisionist scholars have published several recent books that argue the Bible does not condemn same-sex behavior. In other words, if we can disregard rules like the ban on eating shellfish in Leviticus , then we should be allowed to disobey other prohibitions from the Old Testament. Today, I have to follow only the latter rule, since the former is no longer needed to protect me.
How did Paul understand homosexuality, and how did he view homosexual orientation and action? Paul’s approach to homosexuality and homosexual acts reflects the assumption he shares with other Jews of his time, that all people are heterosexual because God created humans male and female (Gen ). First published in , The Fourth R shares the latest thinking from religion scholars and writers—in non-technical language aimed at a general audience. Annual subscription to six issues of The Fourth R is included in Westar membership. Mainline Christian denominations in this country are bitterly divided over the question of homosexuality.