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Romans 1:26,27: Was Paul Speaking about Homosexuality?
The other day I posted an article entitled “Is the Gay Agenda a Myth?” After that article was posted, a commenter directed me to an article he did exegeting some of the main passages in the Bible that touch on the topic of homosexuality. So, I went and read this gentleman’s article on Romans 1 and this is my response to it. You can find his article here—–>”Romans 1: What Was Paul Ranting About?“
Alex begins his post with quoting extensively from Dr. Catherine Kroeger and B.Z. Goldberg. They discuss how the Roman culture viewed sex within their pagan religion. Having background is important to understanding Scripture. However, Alex uses the background as an eisegetical (reading into the text) tool. Notice what Alex does with a quotation from Goldberg and how he quotes the Scriptures:
Goldberg concludes:
The priest … who castrated himself in religious frenzy assumed feminine dress not without purpose. He continued in the service of the temple and like the priestesses served man for the required fee. They were male priests serving males in the temples of all the gods.”
Doesn’t all this sound like what Paul had in mind in the beginning of his letter to the Romans with an attack on pagan idolatry when he wrote:
“Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty [e.g., castration] for their perversion.” (Romans 1:27)
Do you see what Alex did? He takes one example of a priest who cut off his genitals and Alex then places this into the text of Scripture. Is Alex seriously suggesting that Paul knew about this single priest and that priest’s action somehow is the lens that we are to view the “due penalty”? It really doesn’t make sense. So, what is Paul talking about in Romans 1:26,27? Let’s take a look at the passage:
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. -ESV
We see that God gives people up to “dishonorable passions”. Paul then goes on to discuss what that means when he says, “For their women exchanged natural relations for those contrary to nature”. Now, Alex would have us believe that what Paul is talking about here is simply that woman acted like men. However, no where in Alex’s article does he discuss the phrase ”exchanged natural relations”. That seems to be the point Paul is communicating. Woman forsake natural sexual relations with men to pursue unnatural sexual relations with women. We see this more clearly when Paul speaks about men.
Paul says, “and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another”. The word likewise connects Paul’s discussion of women and men. Not only does Paul speak about men giving up their normal “relations” with women but he says that they, “were consumed with passion for one another.” Is this saying that they were giving up acting like men? No, it is saying that they traded natural sexual relations for the unnatural. Men traded sexual relations with women for “shameless acts with men.”
Even with Paul’s words some that identify themselves as Christian tell us that what Paul is describing here could be one man forcing himself on another man. The problem is that Paul is clear that this sexual engagement is mutual. This is clear when Paul says that they were, “consumed with passion for one another.” These were mutual desires by two willing parties. Alex did not present this but I wanted to address this argument because there have been a few people who have asserted this view.
Paul’s message is very clear. He is talking about homosexuality and he is condemning it. One must impose their meaning into this text to suggest that Paul is not speaking about homosexual behavior. People who trade natural sexual relations for the unnatural are engaging in sin. Men who sleep with and lust after men are committing sin. Women who sleep with and lust after women are committing sin. It is truly sad to see people who call themselves Christians twist Scripture to allow for sin.
If you identify yourself as gay or lesbian I pray that you find true peace in Christ. I pray that God may give you the will and strength to battle the sin that is within you. I know for myself that sexual sin is difficult to deal with but I know a God that can break through all of it. I know a perfect savior who never fails to save. I know a savior that took my sins on himself to make me righteous in the eyes of God. I know a savior that came to save sinners and I would encourage you to come to him in repentance. He alone can save and his name is Jesus!
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Battling Sin
Yesterday, I asked “How Do You View Sin?” When we have a view of sin we find ourselves in an interesting situation. We know what we should do, but we still have flesh that wants to sin.
Over the past couple of days I have watched ”The Lord of the Rings” with some group home clients. In the movie there is an interesting character named Gollum. He is consumed with “the ring”. He killed for it and then hid from his accusers. In his solitude he began to change. He went from a normal looking hobbit to a green, ugly thing that walks on all four limbs. He ends up losing the ring and wants it back. After meeting the two hobbits entrusted to destroy the ring Gollum, previously known as Smeagol, has an interesting “battle” with himself. Here is the clip:
By the end of his conversation Smeagol/Gollum believes that he has conquered his gross desire for the ring. Of course, this joy is short-lived as he ends up betraying the hobbits so that he may have the ring. This betrayal lead Gollum to his death.
Battling sin is never easy. It is a constant struggle between the Spirit that lives in us and our flesh that wraps around us. Just like Gollum relying on “master” (Froto) to care for him we need to rely on the Master to take care of us. OK, I know that was cheesy but it is true. Where Gollum went wrong was thinking that his desires would just magically disappear. We cannot afford to be as foolish! Just because we place our trust in Christ doesn’t mean that sin leaves us alone. We must declare war on and battle against sin. Romans 8: 13 says:
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. -ESV
John Piper has a great comment on this passage when he says:
The demand in Romans 8:13 is not sinlessness but mortal combat with sin. -How Dead People Do Battle with Sin
Realize you’re sinful. Recognize the sin in your life. Battle sin everyday.
For some practical ways of battling sin check out my article entitled “Make War!”
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How Do You View Sin?
Sin is a disgusting thing. It is a stench in the nostrils of a holy God. We, as fallen and sinful, humans have a hard time understanding God’s utter hatred towards sin because it is all we have ever known. For a lot of humanity it defines who they are. It defined who I was. I was on a path of death. Romans 5:12 says:
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned -ESV
Photo Credit: octaviuswinslow.org
Adam introduced sin to the world and as a child of his I followed in his footsteps. I followed the footsteps that led to death. But then an amazing thing happened. I was suddenly aware of my sin and how it affected my life. R.C. Sproul writes about this in his book The Holiness of God when he says:
Have you ever done anything that you felt like doing even though your head told you it was wrong? If you answer no to that question, you are either lying or deluded. We all fall into this, trap. We do what we feel like doing rather than what we know we ought to do. No wonder we cry like Paul, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24). -R. C. Sproul. The Holiness of God (Kindle Locations 1627-1630). Kindle Edition.
I understood that my sin was disgusting to God. I knew that I was not living like I knew I should. I didn’t have the attitude that reflected God. I was living in a body destined for death. I, like Paul, started asking, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
I found my answer in Jesus. Romans 5:20-21 says:
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -ESV
When I came face to face with God I realized that I was sinful, repugnant, and dirty. And when I, by faith, believed in Jesus Christ I became a new creation, a saint, a child of God. I was no longer enslaved to sin; God freed me from it. Paul speaks about this freedom in Romans 6:6 when he writes:
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. -ESV
I am no longer enslaved to sin but I still need to battle it. Day in and day out I battle sin. And the way we, as Christians, can battle sin is by putting on Christ everyday. Trusting in him. Living like him. Being like him. As Paul writes in Romans 13:14:
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. -ESV
How do you view your sin? Are you battling it? Are you free from it? If you are not I pray that God will rescue you as he has rescued me.
