Seeking a Biblical Response

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I'm probably not the only one whose Facebook timeline and friends list went all rainbow-coloured over the last weekend. Many of my friends (and guess what, more Christians than non-Christians) changed their profile pictures to rainbows - while others posted statements like "Only God can define marriage" or those famous verses from Genesis 19 (Sodom and Gomorrah) and Romans 1:26-27. This whole business made me feel rather uncomfortable - mostly because I see myself smack-bang in the middle of both positions. On the one hand I felt unable to "like" any of those new profile pictures - on the other hand I felt a bit sickened by some of the negative reactions from my conservative friends.

Yesterday my Bible reading was Romans 1:18-32.
I've been studying theology for the past 6 years. Through my studies and through personal Bible reading, I have learnt some important things about how to understand and interpret a Bible text. Here's some important lessons:
  • Read in context: Don't pick out a verse or a few verses, but make sure you understand what it means in its context. And that means its full context - not just the next few verses surrounding it, not just the chapter, but the whole book it appears in. To understand what Romans 1:18-32 (and the much-quoted v. 26-27) means, we need to first place it in the context of the letter to the Romans. That means: read the whole book and understand the general message of the whole book, figure out its position and role in Paul's argumentation, etc.

  • There is a difference between God's word and our interpretation of it: I know people like to say "The Bible is very clear about [XX topic]." But let's admit it: there are loads and loads of interpretations out there. I see a shocking tendency among some evangelical Christians nowadays (though I guess it's a problem that goes way back) to equate their interpretation with "God's Word". But we must remember that we are fallible human beings - led by the Spirit, yes, but still fallible. We need to approach the Bible with humility. And also: we need to approach the Bible at all!! Because I see a worrying tendency of simply quoting a certain text, in a certain interpretation, as "God's word", without any understanding of what the Bible actually says. I often see people quoting a certain idea without first having grappled with the text itself (i.e. studied the text in its context, without preconclusions, not just looking up to see if the verse says what people say it does). The texts that are often quoted in fights over homosexuality are examples of this.

  • We need to come empty, ready for God to speak to us, instead of with finished conclusions: It's really easy to approach a text and already "know" what we want it to say. Of course then we'll find in it what we want to find there! But that is really dangerous. That way we don't let God speak - we just look for the Bible to confirm what we already believe, instead of letting the Bible challenge us. Sometimes the Bible does end up confirming our views - but we need to put those views aside first to let God really speak to us. 


Now to Romans 1:18-32... [Important: I recommend you open up your Bible for this part and look up the verses I mention]
What is it about? It is not about "homosexuality". It does talk about it in v.26-27 - but homosexuality is not the main topic. Paul did not write Romans 1:18-32 to talk about the sinfulness of homosexuality, but to talk about sin in general. At this point, we need to pay attention to the context. Rom 1:18-32 does not stand on its own, but is part of an argumentative bloc:

  • Rom 1:18-32 speaks about the sinfulness of those who have rejected God (v.21). It seems Paul is here speaking about the non-Jewish people who were not part of the covenant. Seems to me also that this is about the Fall, which starts with the disruption of the relationship to God.
  • Rom 2 speaks about the sinfulness of the Jews, the people of the covenant (and I believe from the p.o.v. as Christians reading this in modern-day, we need to read this part as speaking to us, since we are part of the new covenant now).
  • Rom 3 sums this up in speaking of the sinfulness of all people ("There is no one who is righteous, not even one." Rom 3:10) and of the need for grace. Paul ends up saying that we are saved not by our works (i.e. not by doing the right things / not being sinful) but by faith (i.e. trust in Jesus, restoration of the relationship with God) and through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross (Rom 3:23-30)

We need to view Rom 1:18-32 as part of this argumentative bloc that starts by building up a negative picture of both non-believers and believers, and ends with salvation through grace.

Another interesting thing I noticed was how Rom 1 relates to Rom 2. Paul first speaks of the evils of the non-believers who rejected God. He speaks about "them". Such "us-and-them" talk can be very flattering. Some of the first readers may have felt quite content to shake their heads over how terrible "those others" are, as Paul listed one sin after the other. But then in Rom 2:1 Paul pulls out the rug under their feet: he goes from "them" to "you". Suddenly those who were looking down on the sins of others are the ones under attack! And I believe we need to take this to heart. We need to realise that we are being spoken to. It's easy to cluck over what others do wrong, and to point out their sins. It's a lot harder to listen to criticism ourselves.
From 2:1 I looked back over the "sin list" of Rom 1.

  • v.24-25 seems to me to speak of a selfish life (in the sense of self-worship).
  • v.26-27 is often interpreted as speaking of homosexuality. This is the most-quoted sin from the list, but I don't see why.
  • v.28-32 lists a whole lot of other sins - which I think we all are easily guilty of. Things like gossip, slander, heartlessness (in my German Bible this is translated as "lovelessness" which I think has a slightly different nuance), rebelliousness towards elders, boastfulness...

This makes my ask:

  1. Why do we put so much weight on v.26-27 when Paul is not doing so?
  2. Why do we make such a big story about homosexuality while being the heartless gossips (or whatever sin on the list applies to you) that we are? If we are going to exclude homosexuals from our fellowships, or exclude them from ministry positions, then please kick out the haughty boastful guys too!


Another thing I think is important to note from the text is that all these sins come from somewhere. If you check the "introduction" to each of the three "sections" in the sin-list, you'll find the recurring phrase "God gave them up". Go further back and we have Rom 1:18-23 speaking about God showing Himself in His creation, being knowable - but being rejected by mankind. Out of that rejection of God come all those sins. As I said above: I believe that is because forsaking God is what the "Fall" is about. Forsaking God is the beginning of all other sins, because it is the first and greatest. And God "giving them up", I believe, means God letting go and letting the consequences come. As in: if we turn our backs on God, He won't force us to stay. He'll let us go through with our ideas, do what we like, and reap the consequences. I believe what this shows us is that if we want to "fix" this sin problem, we need to go back to its root... which is the break in relationship to God. Before we can change people's sinful lives, we need to lead them back to God.


I'll be honest, I can't say that I don't believe homosexuality is a sin. But I can't say that homosexuals deserve the treatment they are getting at the hands of the church. In fact I believe the behaviour of some Christians is more un-Christian than the life my gay/lesbian Christian friends are leading. Look at this text you love to quote. I believe it is a challenge to us all - not a challenge to queers to change their way of living. If you go on reading Romans, you'll see Paul nowhere says the solution to homosexuality (or all those other sins) is to pressure these people to change. The solution is GRACE. It's JESUS.

I believe we need to turn to Jesus first and then He will change our lives. But as I'm sure all of us will admit: we're still liable to failure (just check Romans 7). I believe we are called into discipleship - which means: living with Jesus day by day and listening to His teaching and learning from His example, entering a process that I believe is a life-long one. Peter failed big-time when he denied Jesus. All the disciples, actually, failed big-time at the crucifixion (they ran away and abandoned Jesus when He most needed love and support). But Jesus never rejected them for it. He let them get up and try again (John 21: "feed my lambs").

I have a handful of gay and lesbian friends; all of them I met in my theological studies. It's people studying to be pastors. I don't want to make judgements over whether they're suited to be pastors at all. I'm glad it's not my decision. I just know them as people: nice, fun people who appreciate my opinion in theological discussions, and who have been hurt by other Christians and still bear the scars. I don't tell them I'm "all cool" with their orientation (because to be honest I'm not). But I don't attack them either. I know that the best I can do is be who I am in Jesus, live my faith authentically, love them as they are, and pray for them. If I pass all my exams, I'll be ordained next year. That means people may start asking me to do their weddings. I don't know whether I'll ever be asked by a homosexual couple. Last night I considered what I might do, and my conclusion was: no matter what my opinion is, even if I wouldn't "officiate" a wedding (I'd pass them on to my gay/lesbian pastor friends, I guess, haha), I'd still be prepared to pray for them and their relationship. Because I believe we can always pray, and people always appreciate prayer. And I would pray that Jesus would lead them His way. Might not be their way. Might not be my way. But really: God is sovereign. People are saying only God defines marriage. So yes: let's let Him define it then. Not by touting a favourite interpretation of ours, but through prayer and serious study of His word.


[Note: I'm not from or in the U.S., so this is not meant as a comment on the legalisation of same-sex marriage. This is written mainly as my response to the kind of reactions from the Christian right that, as a theologian, have been driving me up the walls - i.e. mistreatment of Bible texts.]

[To preclude any misunderstandings: I have never so far been able to full-out support LGBT. I still don't. But I have good friends who do, and I have good friends who are LGBT. And an ex who is gay, so yes, I have been hurt by this issue before. I don't view homosexuality as a good thing that is to be affirmed, but as a Christian I simply cannot stand for the oppression or exclusion of others (and I'm speaking about people being excluded from fellowship, or bullied, or pressured to change), and I believe many of the responses of the more conservative crowd are completely off the mark. I'm not saying legalise gay marriage (we might have to vote about it in Switz next year). I'm saying rethink the way we treat LGBT people. Starting from really seeking God in this, and not first pushing our agenda and then finding proof-texts for it.]


Some poetic thoughts on the matter:
Zacchaeus: EmbraceSome
would give me dirty looks,
scoff at me,
call me names,
say I deserve hell,
preach at me,
show me hate
at every turn.
Worse
were those ignoring me,
so I felt small,
smaller even than I am;
they'd move away
when I was near,
speak of me
like I wasn't there.
Some
would come and pity me,
which felt degrading,
or tell me what I did was fine,
which could not heal me.
For deep, deep down
I think I knew
that this was wrong.
Others
claimed they cared for me,
but said that I should change,
not seeing just how hard it is,
that my livelihood is on the line,
that they are hypocrites
for not accepting me
just as I am.
Then
you came.
You
looked for me
and saw me,
small and insignificant me,
although I was hiding.
You
came to me,
put yourself into my hands,
ate from my table
- my unclean table.
You
asked no questions.
You
passed no judgement.
You
accepted me
just as I am
And that
has changed me.
Because you love me
I want to love you.
Because I love you
I suddenly see:
I want to please you
and if

© 2015 - 2024 deng-li-xin32
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Rogue-Ranger's avatar
You make excellent points! It's very easy to believe our interpretation is the only correct one. Though, wouldn't that be arrogance or the sin of pride? We also tend to hold ourselves to different standards than others but get around thinking we do by targeting those whose sins are ones we've never even been tempted by. Maybe that's why targeting homosexuality is easy. Heterosexuals don't experience exclusive same-sex attractions. But it's easy to point fingers and harder to walk a mile in someone's shoes.

You also make a good point about context. Every verse used to condemn anyone for any specific reason, has context and, more often than not, it could just as easily be used to condemn the one doing the condemning.

I see a lot in here not just for others, but for myself too. I've been guilty of sometimes looking for something in the Bible to back up what I already think the gospel message is, when I should be open to the fact that, given I'm a limited human being, there are undoubtedly pieces I'm missing. So, thank you very much for writing this. I found it very enlightening and edifying. :)