Marsha West
Would the Son of God contradict the Father?
By Marsha West
Is it true that Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexuality? That He never brought it up, even once? Most of us have heard the line that in the Gospels there's no record of Jesus condemning homosexuality. There are individuals, especially from the militant homosexual rights movement, who utter this fabrication with all the raw hostility of liberals who think abortion is their God given right.
The "Jesus never mentioned homosexuality" argument is meant to bully people into believing that Jesus actually took a benign attitude towards same-sex acts. Liberal's reason that if Jesus disapproved of homosexuality, He would have said so. Since He never mentioned gay sex, He didn't condemn it.
Most people, including some Christians, don't have a clue what Jesus did or did not say on any given subject, let alone what He thought about same-sex practices, so they fall for the "Jesus never mentioned homosexuality" lie, hook, line and sinker.
So, do homosexual relationships have the approval of Jesus?
At the very heart of the Christian view of God is the Holy Trinity. (This is not an essay on Christian doctrine, so bear with me.) Classical Christianity has believed that God exists in Holy Trinity, or tri-personality — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not three gods in one. Each Person of the Trinity is fully God. They are one in essence with three separate and distinct personalities. All are infinite and eternal. Jesus Christ, the Son, is the Second person of the Trinity. The Son is in perfect union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are never, nor could they ever be out of union with one another. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). The deity of the Holy Spirit is also evident. In Acts 5:3-4 Peter told Ananias that by lying to the Holy Spirit, he had lied to God. Dan Corner offers an excellent way to illustrate the Trinity:
"H2O...is common water-two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. You can freeze H2O and you would have the solid, or ice. You can turn on your faucet and you would have the liquid H2O. You can hear the whistle of H2O that comes out of the tea kettle spout which is steam, but it would still be H2O. H2O can and does exist in solid, liquid and gas. The solid is not the liquid; the liquid is not the gas; and yet all three are of one nature: H2O. And that is exactly how it is with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Father is not the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is not the Holy Spirit."
Here's the crux of the matter. Those who try to make their case by arguing, "Jesus never mentioned homosexuality" are either ignorant of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, or they ignore it for the purpose of supporting a hollow argument.
The late Lehman Strauss offered the following insight into the Apostle Paul's clear teaching on homosexuality:
"In Romans 1:26-31 twenty-three punishable sins are listed with homosexuality leading the list. Paul wrote, "For this cause God gave them up into vile affections:
for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet" (Romans 1:26, 27). These verses are telling us that homosexuals suffer in their body and personality the inevitable consequences of their wrong doing. Notice that the behaviour of the homosexual is described as a "vile affection" (1:26). The Greek word translated "vile" (atimia) means filthy, dirty, evil, dishonourable. The word "affection" in Greek is pathos, used by the Greeks of either a good or bad desire. Here in the context of Romans it is used in a bad sense. The "vile affection" is a degrading passion, a shameful lust. Both the desire...and the act of homosexuality are condemned in the Bible as sin."
In Galatians 1:11-12 Paul provides his qualifications to speak for God: "I want you to know brothers that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." Later he tells how he went to Arabia to be trained "in the school of the Spirit in order that he might receive greater revelations concerning the mysteries of the Gospel of the glorified Christ."
Paul's ideas were more than his own speculations. He says his thoughts came directly from the Second and Third members of the Trinity.
What does God the Father say about homosexuality? "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" (Leviticus 18:22). By their very nature the Son and the Holy Spirit agree with the Father that for a man to lie with a man is detestable.
"It is significant," says Harold Janz, "that while virtually nothing is written in ancient literature about female homosexual activity, Paul in Romans 1 does. He treats both homosexuality and lesbianism the same and understands both to be wrong for the same reasons. It is important to note...that Paul echoes the words of the creation account in Romans. He speaks of those who substitute images of the creation for the Creator and go "against nature" in committing unnatural acts with one another. Those who do so, he says, are both females and males, using not the usual Greek words for women and men, but the words used in Genesis, "female" and "male." Paul is saying that we must look back toward the order that God established in creation to recognize where we've gone wrong."
Those who commit unnatural sexual acts with one another go against God's moral order for humanity. Sadly, men and women who indulge in moral anarchy don't give a hoot what God thinks! Essentially they're saying to Him, "Stay out of my life!
Why would God hang around if He's not wanted?
God weeps over our indiscretions. He wept over Jerusalem because her people killed the prophets and would not turn to Him. Our disobedience also angers Him. The God who wept over Jerusalem is the same God who destroyed Sodom because most of its citizens were moral degenerates.
In Romans 1:25-28 Paul blames moral depravity on men and women who "exchange the truth of God for a lie," and those who "did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God." When you come right down to it, the immoral individuals Paul was talking about dethroned God and deified themselves! Consequently, He punished their sin by delivering them over to it.
"Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals — these are the very things that destroy them." (Jude 1:10)
It's worth noting that the Bible speaks of no "gay" role models. When homosexuality is spoken of it's always in the negative. Because the Gospels have no record of Jesus mentioning homosexuality the "gay" rights movement would have us believe that He must not have opposed it. From His silence they conclude that sodomy is "normal and healthy." First of all, sexual relations between a man and a woman exemplify normal behavior. Second, there is nothing healthy about engaging in sodomy. The sexual practices of homosexuals have serious health risks and illnesses.
Although sin shouldn't be taken lightly, it is imperative for Christians to hate the sin but love the sinner. Even if we disapprove of someone's lifestyle and/or choices we are expected to treat them with kindness and respect. Bear in mind, though, that withholding what the Bible teaches on homosexuality from someone who's indulging in risky behavior isn't loving it's cowardice, even hateful.
"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:8-9)
Recommended Reading
On Solid Rock Resources — many articles on homosexuality
© Marsha West
February 10, 2012
Is it true that Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexuality? That He never brought it up, even once? Most of us have heard the line that in the Gospels there's no record of Jesus condemning homosexuality. There are individuals, especially from the militant homosexual rights movement, who utter this fabrication with all the raw hostility of liberals who think abortion is their God given right.
The "Jesus never mentioned homosexuality" argument is meant to bully people into believing that Jesus actually took a benign attitude towards same-sex acts. Liberal's reason that if Jesus disapproved of homosexuality, He would have said so. Since He never mentioned gay sex, He didn't condemn it.
Most people, including some Christians, don't have a clue what Jesus did or did not say on any given subject, let alone what He thought about same-sex practices, so they fall for the "Jesus never mentioned homosexuality" lie, hook, line and sinker.
So, do homosexual relationships have the approval of Jesus?
At the very heart of the Christian view of God is the Holy Trinity. (This is not an essay on Christian doctrine, so bear with me.) Classical Christianity has believed that God exists in Holy Trinity, or tri-personality — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not three gods in one. Each Person of the Trinity is fully God. They are one in essence with three separate and distinct personalities. All are infinite and eternal. Jesus Christ, the Son, is the Second person of the Trinity. The Son is in perfect union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are never, nor could they ever be out of union with one another. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). The deity of the Holy Spirit is also evident. In Acts 5:3-4 Peter told Ananias that by lying to the Holy Spirit, he had lied to God. Dan Corner offers an excellent way to illustrate the Trinity:
"H2O...is common water-two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. You can freeze H2O and you would have the solid, or ice. You can turn on your faucet and you would have the liquid H2O. You can hear the whistle of H2O that comes out of the tea kettle spout which is steam, but it would still be H2O. H2O can and does exist in solid, liquid and gas. The solid is not the liquid; the liquid is not the gas; and yet all three are of one nature: H2O. And that is exactly how it is with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Father is not the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is not the Holy Spirit."
Here's the crux of the matter. Those who try to make their case by arguing, "Jesus never mentioned homosexuality" are either ignorant of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, or they ignore it for the purpose of supporting a hollow argument.
The late Lehman Strauss offered the following insight into the Apostle Paul's clear teaching on homosexuality:
"In Romans 1:26-31 twenty-three punishable sins are listed with homosexuality leading the list. Paul wrote, "For this cause God gave them up into vile affections:
for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet" (Romans 1:26, 27). These verses are telling us that homosexuals suffer in their body and personality the inevitable consequences of their wrong doing. Notice that the behaviour of the homosexual is described as a "vile affection" (1:26). The Greek word translated "vile" (atimia) means filthy, dirty, evil, dishonourable. The word "affection" in Greek is pathos, used by the Greeks of either a good or bad desire. Here in the context of Romans it is used in a bad sense. The "vile affection" is a degrading passion, a shameful lust. Both the desire...and the act of homosexuality are condemned in the Bible as sin."
In Galatians 1:11-12 Paul provides his qualifications to speak for God: "I want you to know brothers that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." Later he tells how he went to Arabia to be trained "in the school of the Spirit in order that he might receive greater revelations concerning the mysteries of the Gospel of the glorified Christ."
Paul's ideas were more than his own speculations. He says his thoughts came directly from the Second and Third members of the Trinity.
What does God the Father say about homosexuality? "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" (Leviticus 18:22). By their very nature the Son and the Holy Spirit agree with the Father that for a man to lie with a man is detestable.
"It is significant," says Harold Janz, "that while virtually nothing is written in ancient literature about female homosexual activity, Paul in Romans 1 does. He treats both homosexuality and lesbianism the same and understands both to be wrong for the same reasons. It is important to note...that Paul echoes the words of the creation account in Romans. He speaks of those who substitute images of the creation for the Creator and go "against nature" in committing unnatural acts with one another. Those who do so, he says, are both females and males, using not the usual Greek words for women and men, but the words used in Genesis, "female" and "male." Paul is saying that we must look back toward the order that God established in creation to recognize where we've gone wrong."
Those who commit unnatural sexual acts with one another go against God's moral order for humanity. Sadly, men and women who indulge in moral anarchy don't give a hoot what God thinks! Essentially they're saying to Him, "Stay out of my life!
Why would God hang around if He's not wanted?
God weeps over our indiscretions. He wept over Jerusalem because her people killed the prophets and would not turn to Him. Our disobedience also angers Him. The God who wept over Jerusalem is the same God who destroyed Sodom because most of its citizens were moral degenerates.
In Romans 1:25-28 Paul blames moral depravity on men and women who "exchange the truth of God for a lie," and those who "did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God." When you come right down to it, the immoral individuals Paul was talking about dethroned God and deified themselves! Consequently, He punished their sin by delivering them over to it.
"Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals — these are the very things that destroy them." (Jude 1:10)
It's worth noting that the Bible speaks of no "gay" role models. When homosexuality is spoken of it's always in the negative. Because the Gospels have no record of Jesus mentioning homosexuality the "gay" rights movement would have us believe that He must not have opposed it. From His silence they conclude that sodomy is "normal and healthy." First of all, sexual relations between a man and a woman exemplify normal behavior. Second, there is nothing healthy about engaging in sodomy. The sexual practices of homosexuals have serious health risks and illnesses.
Although sin shouldn't be taken lightly, it is imperative for Christians to hate the sin but love the sinner. Even if we disapprove of someone's lifestyle and/or choices we are expected to treat them with kindness and respect. Bear in mind, though, that withholding what the Bible teaches on homosexuality from someone who's indulging in risky behavior isn't loving it's cowardice, even hateful.
"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:8-9)
Recommended Reading
On Solid Rock Resources — many articles on homosexuality
© Marsha West
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(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
