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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">December 16, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-weight:normal" align="CENTER">
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</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>2012-12-12
- BIBLICAL ETHICS: AN OVERVIEW</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>G.
HOMOSEXUALITY, p. 2547</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>(From
English Standard Version Study Bible, 2008)</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>1.
<u>God’s Original Design</u></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b>In God’s original design,
human sexual conduct was to occur within the context of marriage
between one man and one woman. The first chapter of the Bible says,
“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created
him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27). Differentiation
of the human race into two complementary sexes (“male and female”)
is the first fact mentioned in connection with being “in the image
of God.” In Genesis 2, which describes in more detail the process
summarized in 1:27, God said, “It is not good that the man should
be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen. 2:18).
Genesis then applies the example of Adam and Eve to all marriages:
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold
fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24).
This “one flesh” sexual union was thus established as the pattern
for marriage generally, and Jesus cites Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 as the
normative pattern that God expects all marriages to follow (see Matt.
19:4-6). Furthermore Paul, as a good disciple of Jesus, likewise
strongly echoes Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 in his two primary texts on
homosexual practice, Romans 1:23-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9. Jesus and
Paul both assume the logic of sexual intercourse implied in Genesis:
a sexual bond between a man and a woman requires two (and only two)
different sexual halves (“a man” and “his wife”) being
brought together into a sexual whole (“one flesh”). This is
further emphasized in the story of the creation of Eve from Adam’s
side: “And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made
into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This
at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be
called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man
shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and
they shall become one flesh (Gen.2:22-24).” The word
“therefore” connects the making of Eve from a part of Adam’s
body with the “one flesh” sexual union between a man and a woman
in marriage: it is the reunion of the two constituent parts of a
sexual whole. It is not another man who is the missing part or sexual
complement of a man, but rather a woman. (Jesus emphasizes this
connection between the two different sexes, “male and female,” in
Matt. 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-8).</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b>2. <u>Prohibited Sexual
Relations</u></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b>Consistent with the pattern
in Genesis 1-2, sexual intercourse outside of the marriage
relationship between one man and one woman is prohibited. For
example, “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:14; reaffirmed
by Jesus in Matt. 19:18; cf. Rom 13:9; James 2:11). In addition,
other specific kinds of sexual intercourse outside of marriage are
also prohibited, such as prostitution (2 Cor. 6:15-18), incest (Lev.
20:11-21; 1 Cor. 5:1-2), and bestiality (Lev. 18:23:20:15-16).
Homosexual conduct is also viewed as a sin (something contrary to
God’s will) in several passages of the Bible. Leviticus 18:22 says,
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an
abomination [Hb. <i>to’ebah, </i><span style="font-style:normal">actions
that are extremely displeasing to God].” Similarly, “If a man
lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an
abomination” (Lev. 20:13; cf. Genesis 19; also Jude 7). These
absolute Levitical prohibitions are grouped with other relevant sex
proscriptions (incest, adultery, bestiality) and are considered
first-tier sexual offenses that are grouped together in Leviticus
20:10-16. In the NT, Paul speaks of homosexual conduct: For
this reason God g</span><span style="font-style:normal">a</span><span style="font-style:normal">ve
them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural
relations for those that are contrary to nature; 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 (Rom. 1:26-27).
The phrase “contrary to nature” means that homosexual conduct
does not represent what God intended when he made men and women with
physical bodies that have a “natural” way of interacting with
each other and “natural” desires for each other. (See note on
Rom. 1:26-27; cf. also Rom. 1:19-20, that the truth </span><span style="font-style:normal">a</span><span style="font-style:normal">bout
God and his moral law is visible and apparent in the material
creation.” Homosexual desires are “dishonorable” both because
they are contrary to God’s purpose and because they treat a
person’s biological sex as only half of what it is. While the logic
of a heterosexual bond is that of bringing together the two (and only
two) different and complementary sexual halves into a sexual whole,
the logic of a homosexual bond is that another person of the </span><i>same</i><span style="font-style:normal">
sex complements, </span><span style="font-style:normal">and fills
what is lacking in, that same sex, implying that each participant is
only half of his or her own sex: two half males making a full male or
two half females making a full female. In other words, the logic of
sexual intercourse requires a sexual complement, and thus a same-sex
bond is a self-devaluing of one’s own gender inasmuch as one see</span><span style="font-style:normal">s</span><span style="font-style:normal">
the need to complement structurally one’s own sex with someone of
the same sex. In a long list of sins, Paul also includes “men
who practice homosexuality” (1 Cor. 6:9). This phrase translates
two different Greek terms; </span><i>malakos</i><span style="font-style:normal">
means “soft” or “effeminate” and was commonly used in the
Greco-Roman world to refer to the “passive” partner in homosexual
acts, while </span><i>arsenokoit</i><i><u>e</u></i><i>s </i><span style="font-style:normal">was
apparently coined by Paul from the Septuagint (Greek translation) of
Leviticus 20:13, and means (in plural) “men who have intercourse
with men.” In 1 Timothy 1:10 Paul uses the same word</span><i>
arsenokoit</i><i><u>e</u></i><i>s</i><span style="font-style:normal">
in the midst of vices derived from “the law” (here, the second
half of the Ten Commandments), which means that this verse also
should be interpreted as an absolute prohibition of male-with-male
intercourse, in keeping with Leviticus 18:22; 20:13. Early Jewish
interpretation of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, and early Christian
interpretation of 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10, also show
that these verses were understood as absolute prohibitions against
all types of homosexual conduct. Does the Bible address the
question of homosexual attitudes and desires? It must be remembered
that God ultimately requires moral perfection, not only in human
actions but also in attitudes of the heart. Therefore the Bible
prohibits not only adultery but also a desire for adultery (Ex.
20:17; cf. Matt. 5:28), not only theft but also coveting (Ex. 20:17).
This is because “the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the
outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
Therefore Scripture teaches that any desire to break God’s
commandment is also viewed as wrong in God’s sight. “Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). </span><span style="font-style:normal">W</span><span style="font-style:normal">hile
an impulse to do what God expressly forbids is (by definition) an
impulse contrary to God’s will, the </span><span style="font-style:normal">B</span><span style="font-style:normal">ible
recognizes that Christians will be “tempted” by their “own
desire” (James 1:14) and encourages Christians in such
circumstances to “remain steadfast” (James 1:13) and to “be
doers of the word” (James 1:22). This implies not actively
entertaining the wrongful impulse (cf. Matt. 5:28), and not dwelling
on it so that it “give birth to sin” (James 1:15). It is not
surprising, therefore, that not only homosexual conduct but also
homosexual desires are viewed as contrary to God’s will. Homosexual
desires are viewed as “dishonorable passions” (Rom. 1:26), and
Paul also says that homosexual partners are “consumed with passion
for one another” (Rom. 1:27), giving a strong image of a powerful
but destructive inward craving. This is not to say that
homosexual </span><i>desire</i><span style="font-style:normal"> is
as harmful as homosexual </span><i>conduct</i><span style="font-style:normal">.
Though all sin is wrong and brings legal guilt before God (cf. James
2:10-11), a distinction between wrongful desires and wrongful actions
can be made with regard to many areas of life. Hatred of another
person is wrong in God’s sight, but murdering the person is far
more harmful. Coveting a neighbor’s farm animals is wrong, but
actually stealing them is much more harmful. And lustful desires for
adultery are wrong, but actually committing adultery is far more
harmful. Similarly, homosexual desires are wrong in God’s sight;
but actually committing homosexual acts is far more harmful.</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">3.
</span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>The Bible Solution
regarding Homosexuality</u></span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">As
with every other sin, the Bible’s solution to homosexuality is
trusting in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, the imputation of
righteousness, and the power to change. After talking about the
“sexually immoral” and “adulterers” and men who practice
homosexuality” and “thieves” and “drunkards” (1 Cor.
6:9-10), Paul tells the Corinthian Christians, “And such were some
of you” (1 Cor. 6:11). Then he tells them, “But you were washed,
you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11; cf. Rom. 6:23;
Phil. 2:13; 1 John 1:9). This implies that some former homosexuals in
the church at Corinth had left their previous homosexual lifestyle
and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, were seeking </span><span style="font-style:normal">to
</span><span style="font-style:normal">live lives of sexual purity,
whether in celibacy or in faithful, heterosexual marriages.
It is important that the Christian community always show love and
compassion toward those engaged in homosexual conduct, and also
extend friendship toward them where opportunities arise, though not
in a way that signals approval of homosexual practice. It is also
important to extend hope for change, since many homosexuals </span><span style="font-style:normal">will
say that they long to establish a different pattern of life. However,
a number of studies have concluded that long-term change from a
homosexual lifestyle seldom occurs without a program of help and
encouragement from others.</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">4.
</span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>Objections</u></span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">Numerous
objections have been presented against the view that homosexuality is
morally wrong. One objection is that some people are “born gay,”
that is, tha</span><span style="font-style:normal">t</span><span style="font-style:normal">
many homosexuals do not choose their homosexual orientation but it is
part of their genetic makeup from birth, and so homosexuals can never
change, and for them homosexual behavior cannot be wrong. But, as
noted above, Paul, in talking about “men who practice
homosexuality” (1 Cor. 6:9), says to the Corinthian church, “And
such were some of you” (1 Cor. 6:11), indicating that homosexuals
can change and become former homosexuals. This does not mean that
homosexual desires will automatically or necessarily be eradicated
for those who come to Christ. Becoming a Christian does not mean that
people will no longer experience intense sinful urges (sexual or
otherwise). But genuine faith does produce the fruit of obedience and
real, substantive change, and Paul indicates that this is precisely
what happened with some who had practiced homosexuality in Corinth.
Some argue that science supports the argument that homosexuality is
determined by one’s biological makeup from before the time of
birth. Studies have in fact shown some indirect, congenital
influences on homosexual development that may increase the </span><i>likelihood</i><span style="font-style:normal">
of homosexual development. But there are certain hereditary factors
that give people a greater likelihood of developing all sorts of
different sinful behavior patterns (such as frequent wrongful anger,
violence, adultery, alcoholism, and so forth), and it would not be
surprising to find that some people, from certain hereditary
backgrounds, have a greater likelihood of developing homosexual
desires and conduct. But this is far different from proving
congenital </span><i>determination</i><span style="font-style:normal">
of homosexuality, that is, that some people are genetically incapable
of making any other choice tha</span><span style="font-style:normal">n</span><span style="font-style:normal">
t</span><span style="font-style:normal">o</span><span style="font-style:normal">
entertain homosexual desires and engage in homosexual conduct.
Especially significant are studies of identical twins, where one has
become a homosexual and the other has not, even though they have
identical genetic makeup. The moral teachings of God’s
Word, not people’s inward desires, must be the final standard of
right and wrong. It is important to recognize that (</span><span style="font-style:normal">1)
virtually all behavior is, at some level, biologically influenced,
and that (2) no command of God is predicated for its validity on
humans first losing all desire to violate the command in question.</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">
As for environmental factors that have been shown to increase
the likelihood of homosexual behavior, two of the most significant,
particularly for male homosexuals, are the physical or emotional
absence of a caring father during childhood years, and sexual abuse
sometime during childhood or adolescence. Another objection is to
say that the biblical passages concerning homosexuality only prohibit
certain kinds of homosexual conduct, such as homosexual prostitution
or pedophilia, or unfaithful homosexual relationships. (This is
sometimes called the “exploitation argument”: the Bible only
prohibits exploitative forms of homosexuality.) But there is no
legitimate evidence in the words of any of these verses, or their
contexts, or in evidence from the ancient world, to prove that the
verses were referring to anything less than all kinds of homosexual
conduct by all kinds of people. Two biblical counterarguments against
the “exploitation argument” may be briefly mentioned: (1) In
Romans 1:23-27 Paul clearly echoes Genesis 1:27, indicating that Paul
viewed any sexual relationship that did not conform to the creation
paradigm of “male and female” to be a violation of God’s will,
irrespective of whether the relationship is loving. (2) Paul’s
absolute indictment against all forms of homosexuality is underscored
by his mention of lesbian intercourse in Romans 1:26, since this form
of intercourse in the ancient world was not typically characterized
by sex with adolescents, slaves, or prostitutes. Some
have suggested that the Sodom and Gomorrah episode does not point to
judgment on homosexual practice. But Genesis 19:4-5 indicates that
homosexual conduct was characteristic of the entire city and was a
primary reason for God’s judgment (cf. the note on Jude 7). Some
object that the phrase “contrary to nature” in Romans 1:26-27
shows that Paul is only talking about people who “naturally” feel
desires toward a person of the opposite sex but who then practice
homosexuality. Paul says, “For their women exchanged natural
relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise
gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion
for one another” (Rom. 1:26-27). According to this view, Paul is
not saying anything about people who “naturally” feel desires for
a person of the same sex, for such desires would not be “contrary
to </span><i>that person’s</i><span style="font-style:normal">
nature.” However, this is reading into the text a restriction that
has no basis in the actual words that Paul wrote. He does not say
“contrary to </span><i>their</i><span style="font-style:normal">
nature,” but “contrary to nature” (Gk. </span><i>para physin</i><span style="font-style:normal">)
a phrase that is used several times in literature outside the Bible
to speak of all kinds of homosexual conduct as something contrary to
the natural order of the world. In other words, Paul is not saying in
</span><span style="font-style:normal">R</span><span style="font-style:normal">omans
1:24-27 that some people switched their innate heterosexual urges for
contrived homosexual urges, but rather that people exchanged or left
behind sexual relations with a true sexual complement (someone of the
other sex) to gratify their inward urges for sex with members of the
same sex. Paul sees such people as choosing to follow their desires
over God-ordained creation structures.</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b> Finally, there is an
objection from experience: some homosexual “couples” have
faithful, fulfilling relationships, so why should these be thought
immoral? But experience should not be used as a higher standard for
moral right and wrong than the teaching of the Bible. In addition,
many studies indicate that, particularly among male homosexuals,
long-term one-partner relationship are uncommon, and the widespread
pattern is many sexual partners, often numbering many hundreds over
the years. An additional harmful result of homosexual conduct is
often immense damage to the family structures of a society and also
to physical health (e.g., various studies have shown a significant
reduction in life expectancy for homosexual males compared to the
general population).</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">5.
</span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>Same-sex Marriage</u></span><span style="font-style:normal">?</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">Proposals
for governments to recognize “same-sex marriage” should be
evaluated in light of the Bible’s teaching that one role of civil
government is to “praise those who do good” (1 Pet. 2:14).
Government recognition of a relationship as a “marriage” carried
with it the </span><i>endorsement</i><span style="font-style:normal">
and </span><i>encouragement</i><span style="font-style:normal"> of
that relationship by a society. Married couples enjoy many
protections and benefits (legal, financial, and interpersonal) that
society has granted in order to encourage marriage and signal that
the institution of marriage brings benefits to society as a whole. So
the question is really whether a society, through its laws, should
give approval and encouragement to homosexual relationships that both
the Bible and most cultures throughout history have considered to be
morally wrong rather than “good,” and tha</span><span style="font-style:normal">t</span><span style="font-style:normal">
also bring significant harmful consequences. Governmental recognition
of “same-sex marriage” would imply a requirement to allow
homosexual couples to adopt and raise children, and this would rob
many children of the opportunity to be raised in a home with both a
father and a mother, which is by far the best environment for them.
In addition, government recognition would likely soon carry with it
governmental prohibitions against criticizing homosexual conduct.</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="font-style:normal">6.
</span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>Conclusion</u></span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt"><b>Homosexual conduct of all
kinds is consistently viewed as sin in the Bible, and recent
reinterpretations of the Bible that have been raised as objections to
that view do not give a satisfactory explanation of the words or the
context of the relevant verses. Sexual intimacy is to be confined to
marriage, and marriage is to be only between one man and one woman,
following the pattern established by God in creation. The church
should always act with love and compassion toward homosexuals, yet
never affirm homosexual conduct as morally right. The gospel of Jesus
Christ offers the “good news” of forgiveness of sins and real
hope for a transformed life to homosexuals as well as to all sinners.</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-weight:normal" align="CENTER">
</p>
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</p>
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