Written from a heterosexual Christian perspective (Bible quotes taken from the NIV) sure to anger people on both sides.
She's... goin' to the chapel and she's... gonna get married. Today, my youngest cousin is getting married. She seems excited, hopefully committed, and "in love." The ceremony will take place in a small church in a fairly quiet southern city. The same church she and her girlfriend have been attending for a few years now. None of her family will attend (I would actually but can't). In fact, no one in her family approves of this marriage. This is the Bible Belt after all and marriage is clearly defined as a sacred union between a man and a woman right? Or a man and several women? Many of the passages in the Bible that are used for our modern Christian definition of marriage have been taken from the Old Testament where some of the biggest heroes also come packing multiple wives (no need for divorce, just marry someone else and put the old wife on kitchen duty). I'm not saying that I, personally, don't believe marriage should be between one man and one woman but you can bet my wife does! What I am saying is that it's possible to try applying verses in situations where they don't quite fit. Like the one that says we should throw rocks at a woman caught cheating on her husband until she's dead.
Will The Real Judge Please Stand Up! A few thousand years ago a woman was dragged to the temple (the center of worship and law in Jerusalem) where Jesus was teaching. Those that brought her were the religious leaders of the day- beyond rebuke and full of authority. Her's was an open and shut case: she was caught in the act of adultery! She had no excuse and the penalty was clear and precise: death by stoning. Of course, these religious hypocrites were just using this woman's situation to trap Jesus into denying the law of Moses (I think they knew he would never stomach the cruel death of a wayward woman) but I also think they came fully prepared to carry the death sentence out. Finally, Jesus spoke. He told the angry crowd that the one without sin should cast the first stone. And only Jesus qualified. Only Jesus ever does. One by one they dropped their stones and walked away. Not surprisingly, the older men left first. When they were all gone he asked the woman where her accusers were. He asked her who, after examining their own hearts, still had the gall to claim a pure and sinless life to throw that first stone. She replied "No one, sir." Now, Jesus didn't excuse adultery. He didn't say adultery was natural and should be celebrated. But he did say "Then neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." True to form, his words are both merciful and righteous. He had nothing positive to say about her actions- he didn't celebrate adultery- but the only thing he threw at this guilty woman was mercy. It's interesting to note that the only execution Jesus openly approved of was his own.
Sin Or Not Sin? This is where the discussion gets offensive to many people. Even though I am convinced that it isn't some "super sin" towering above many others that we tolerate (gluttony, greed, laziness, lying, coveting, lust, wrath, etc.), it is still a sin according to the Bible. I've read some pretty deep commentaries trying to spin it the other way but nothing convincing. You may as well use the Bible to argue that lust and greed aren't sins as well. And, like every sin, it comes with its own peculiar set of consequences and challenges. I will say this though- I think it's a lot more complicated than I was ever taught in Sunday school!
But Isn't Homosexuality A Unique Sin? Sin is a curious snake. When it points to something in my life, especially something I have little-to-no control over, then I think of it in different terms. Words like: struggle, shortcoming, personality, bad habit, flaw, imperfection, quirk, addiction, etc. All words that put sin against God in a softer light. Some even shifting the blame from my shoulders entirely! When it points to something that I don't understand and have no sympathy for or temptation with, then it becomes black and white: SIN. Homosexuality might seem unique to me but to God it just gets in line on the sin list and waits, like the rest, to be wiped out one day. In fact, here's a couple of lists (including homosexuality) that will damn you to hell. "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Rev 21:8) "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. 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 6:9-11). The best sin list, in my opinion, is the one Jesus makes us assume with a simple and impossible command: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:48). I might be able to duck, dodge and dive my way out of Paul & John's lists but Jesus leaves no wiggle room. We are all sinful and our only hope is for a perfect savior to miraculously take our sins away and give us a righteousness that we had no power to earn. A washing we can't do, a sanctification we can't comprehend and a justification we don't deserve. Paul penned another sin list in his first letter to Timothy. It included all the usual things (including sexual immorality) and ended on, what would seem at first glance, an odd note for the holy apostle used to communicate almost half of the new testament: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." (1 Tim 1:15-16). Is homosexuality a unique sin? Only if all other sins are unique as well. Does it seem weird to me? Yes... but only because I don't struggle (there's that soft word) with it like I do many other sins. What I'm trying to say might become more clear when compared with another sexual sin... say, adultery.
Adultery Vs. Homosexuality: Cage Match! Just to put things in perspective, try doing a quick search over at BibleGateway for the two words. Different translations slightly skew the results but even the anti-gay picketers would have to admit that the Bible has a lot more to say about adultery than it does homosexuality. It strikes me as odd that the church should come down so hard on this type of illegitimate union when 2nd, 3rd, and even 14th marriages just get a head-shaking sigh. After all, it was adultery (not homosexuality) that made it in the big ten chiseled on stone at Mt. Sinai... coming in at number seven. And, before we start looking down on these horrible adulterers, we should hear what Jesus (the one whose judgement counts) considers to be adultery: "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." And if that doesn't seem bleak enough for you: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mark 5)This face off between adultery & homosexuality was just a gimmick to try illustrating the fact that we're all on the same sinking ship of sin. If adultery doesn't hit your heart, replace it with the biggest thorn in your flesh. Anyone who claims any merit outside of Christ is on dangerous ground. And really, only those who believe they have no sin should worry (but those "holy people" won't read this far anyway).
Born That Way? A large number of people believe homosexuals chose their sexual disposition (maybe a subconscious act of immoral rebellion?). And a large number of people believe homosexuals were born that way (a side-effect of the fall... maybe genetic confusion?). This is anecdotal but, I was born heterosexual. I never chose to be straight (I just am) and I sure wouldn't choose to be gay. And I think I am both natural and normal in that respect. I'm definitely not perfect- I sin everyday- and I don't feel better than any of the homosexuals I've known but it's just not my particular weakness. I would hope most gays and lesbians could admit that the heterosexual model is natural- what we were designed for and what brought them life. And, to be blunt, the Bible does refer to homosexuality as unnatural (Rev 1:26-27). No homosexual would be alive today were it not for the natural union between a man and a woman. But back to the question of choice... There's an odd passage in Romans that has always puzzled me: "...God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another." (Rom 1:26-27) My question comes at the beginning: "God gave them over..." Does that mean they were already leaning toward homosexuality and God just threw up His hands or does it mean that God caused this sexual confusion as a form of punishment? If we use that passage alone, it looks like these "shameful lusts" were not explicitly chosen. The first chapter of Romans is pretty dark. I'm glad it has a few more chapters! I should also add that it's not really our place to judge whether or not someone was born gay. It's enough to know we are all sinful. Here's another relevant passage: "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." (Rom 2:1)
So What's A Homosexual To Do? I guess the same thing the rest of us sinners do... put all their chips down on Christ and what He accomplished on the cross. Trust God. If you keep reading Romans, if you can make it through the harsh state of things at the beginning, there is a bright light of hope for all us sinners. "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." (Romans 4:4-5) Does that mean we can just keep on sinning because God will save us regardless as long as we put our faith in Jesus? No, it doesn't. But we will and God knows our hearts- He knew the only way to save us sinners was to provide both our forgiveness (through Christ's sacrifice) and our righteousness (through Christ's perfect life) until the day all sin is destroyed. This world and all the sinfulness in it will pass away and those with faith in Jesus Christ will be cleansed and renewed in holiness, no longer sinful by nature but as they were meant to be in the beginning: innocent and pure. Until then, we're all sinners in need of grace and love.
Nathan is currently exploring grace at http://www.AnotherSinner.com.
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