In Gay Theology Part One we considered the ways that pro-gay bible scholars are twisting Scripture to support the homosexual agenda. In this article, we will address the errors of gay revisionist theology.
And it’s not a moment too soon—churches are tripping over this topic. We must resist the homosexual agenda with courage. And we must reach out to those who are struggling with same-sex sin and attraction.
"Unless you celebrate homosexuality- you are a bigot." Friend, be prepared to face that. But we don’t face it alone. "Lord, make us able to confront error with a biblical worldview and truth & humility." He will.
We live in a personal universe. I believe, as a Christian, that truth is a property of assertions that conform to the real world. Biblical truth is the ultimate reality, and we can invite unbelievers to enter the world behind that reality. There they will find the Everlasting Gospel, the panoramic view of history (Great Controversy) and they will discover God as a personal Creator. This is ground zero for humanity. This is our mighty Message.
The Everlasting Gospel
We have good news. Before the cross, God revealed Himself as loving personal Creator. God enjoyed fellowship with the Godhead before creation, and in harmony with that affection He shares His existence with us as the Father of all creation. Since God is the Creator of all peoples, he wants to be the Redeemer of all peoples.
Distinctions
We discover early on that God is a God of distinctions for there are distinctions among the Godhead. These distinctions define our existence. God is holy because He is distinct from us. The Bible does not denigrate humans but holds them up as the great jewel of creation. God creates in order to reflect His own being. “Male and female He created them. Then God blessed them and said to them ‘Be fruitful and multiply…’” (Genesis 1:27-28). This is a boilerplate case for sexuality.
First, don't invest your identity in sinful impulses. Fallen desires are not who you are; fallen desires are immoral, defined in and rejected by the Word of God. In spite of modern scientific efforts to justify homosexuality as a biological condition, the true science of the soul is grace, redemption, and victory over brokenness.
Some scientists also say that there is a fat gene — does that mean we should have fat pride parades? Some scientists say that there is an adultery gene — should we have adultery pride parades? The truth is that Scripture has only two compatible sexual identities. Male and female.
And so there is a rising attack on the biblical position of sexuality in spite of the fact that there is no new data or scientific evidence. What changed? Perceptions have changed, after the sexual revolution of the 1960's.
Instead of saying “What does the Bible say about it”, people today are more likely to say, “I don't know for sure what the Bible says but I know I am same-sex attracted.” This has led to the Bible being interpreted through the lens of wrong attraction. They bind desire with false ‘love’ and give birth to sin (James 1:5).
Love
There are many kinds of love in the Bible. There is the genuine self-sacrificing kind that comes from God. This love is adroitly connected to self-denial and holiness.
There is a false kind of love, though. Demas ‘loved’ this present world (2 Timothy 4:10). Some people ‘love’ darkness because their deeds are evil (John 3:19). Some ‘love’ to make lies (Revelation 22:15). Some love seats of honor at Feasts.
So we must have the genuine, pure love of God, ever mindful that love does not sanctify — God does. His Word does (John 17:17).
Leviticus
Pro-gay interpreters say “Why doesn't God mention women in Leviticus? Easy. Because God speaks to men first and the rest of Scripture interprets Leviticus.
To the argument that “You can’t interpret Leviticus literally”, reading a literal book in a literal manner does not make the reader a homophobe—it makes them intellectually honest. These liberal interpreters have little problem with taking the rest of Leviticus literally — it is only chapters 18 & 20 that have to be understood non-literally. Tell them that you are reading their books and articles non-literally and they get angry with you.
Some say that Leviticus is the only Bible book that condemns homosexuality, so the book has to be socio-historically conditioned. This argument hardly deserves our attention, because there are loads of texts in the Bible that condemn homosexuality — not even counting the thousands of verses that present heterosexuality as the Sola Scriptura norming norm.
Here’s the bottom line: even if we didn’t have any Bible verses that spoke against homosexuality, the Bible would continue to be a heterosexual book. Scripture is given within the context of a worldview where the Creator placed a man and woman in the Garden together—and said it was “good.” The whole Bible then presupposes heterosexuality — in the process condemning adultery, fornication, and homosexuality.
So Leviticus isn’t the only book which condemns homosexuality; the whole Bible does so. The Scriptures condemn homosexuality, not because they are anti-gay, but because they are pro-creation, pro-distinction, pro-holiness, pro-heterosexual and pro-God.
People who oppose homosexuality are fundamentalist homophobes
This is where the conversation gets personal. We call it ad hominem. It’s when you attack the character of a person because your arguments are weak. This is happening in many discussions about homosexuality today. I will probably be called, “mean-spirited, short-sighted and homophobic” just for writing these two articles. But, no matter how ugly, short-sighted, pharisaical, mean-spirited and evil I may be, that doesn’t change what the Bible says. Let me be clear. Every positive model in Bible is heterosexual.
The Bible doesn’t condemn slavery so it can’t be trusted as a guide on sexuality
Oh come on. There are seeds of liberation planted throughout Scripture. Segregation is not supported in Scripture, save for being separated from evil. That is one of God’s meaningful distinctions, and here’s another: in Scripture is the man is the head of home and women are given a complementary and supportive role. The full nature of God is seen in this unique relationship of male and female. “Be fruitful and multiply” can only be done by heterosexuals.
(It is noteworthy that the eisogetic principles that were/are used to promote female headship in the church are being used to promote Gay Theology. They lay over each other like a template.)
God made woman as a suitable helpmeet, why? So he (man) can fulfill his mission to be fruitful and multiply, and exercise dominion over the earth. Ishshah (woman) was taken out of ish (man). The reason they can become one flesh is because they were once one flesh. There is a unique biological compatibility between male and female that is reserved for each other — in marriage. This is super important. It is the foundation for the rest of the Bible. It shows up in the fifth Commandment. It shows up in Ephesians 5: 22-33, “Husbands love your wives….”
The same sex relationship doesn't fit. There’s something wrong here. It is contrary to created order. That brings us to the next topic.
Sodom
What is the function of the Sodom story in the Bible? It is there to manifest the sin of the city, and provide a prototype for the final eradication of sin.
As to the argument that Sodom’s sin was just attempted gang rape, or inhospitality and unbridled capitalism with no social justice outreach, Ezekiel tells us that Sodom committed detestable things (Eze. 16:50). Ezekiel was a priest and he used the same word as Leviticus 18:22 to describe the sexual abomination of Sodom. It was homosexuality. Jude tells us that the sin of Sodom was “going after strange flesh” (other men). The Church has understood this rightly over the years.
By the way, Ezekiel 16 is going on now in America. Detestable things are on the rise. There is a growing movement to remove the taboo against incest. People are saying “You can't have the government telling you what to do” and that is a half-truth according to Romans 13. Government has a role in enforcing the last six Commandments equally among the citizens it serves. It reminds me of my grandfather, who said “Never take a fence down until you know why it was put up.”
Jonathan and David
This is a bizarre attempt to justify homosexuality. David is describing his acute sorrow over the loss of a friend. David gets in trouble because of heterosexual lust. He’s not gay. Jonathan is married with children. And, David’s statement in 2 Samuel 1:17-27 is spoken in public and taught openly to the men of Judah as “The Song of the Bow.” Claiming that this song is describing homosexuality and—by extension—teaching it throughout Israel is a futile argument. No such thing happened.
Jesus
Some people claim that homosexuality is ok because Jesus didn’t condemn it. It’s comparable to saying “I was at the GC Session in Texas and they obviously believe Elvis is alive. Because not one person denied it.” This is an argument from silence.
Others try to make Jesus into a pro-gay advocate with profane perversions of Scripture. One argument (as mentioned in part 1) is that Jesus healed a ‘boy toy’ servant of the homosexual Roman centurion in Matthew 8. This is both morally and theologically perverted. The word for servant in Greek is “pais.” It just means servant (typically young male). Jesus is called the “pais” of God (Luke 2:43; Acts 3:13; 4:27).
Jesus tells a woman caught in adultery to “Go and sin no more.” He wouldn't tell the centurion “Go ahead, I'll heal your ‘boy toy, so you and him can sin.’” Jesus knows the thoughts and hearts of people.
Gay theology revisionists say “Jesus wasn’t around loving same-sex couples so he couldn't address it.” Wrong. Jesus was around all manner of sinners (Matthew 9; Mark 2). He was there to “Save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Homosexuality is ultimately a form of idolatry—people hold onto their opinions instead of accepting the Bible and freedom from sin. Speaking of idolatry . . .
Romans 1
Gay Theology says Romans 1 is just talking about idolatry, and homosexual sex is only wrong in idolatrous settings.
First, Romans 1 is not exclusively related to idolatry. The whole chapter is an incredible theological analysis of our sinful cultural paradigm. Second, promiscuity is wrong always. Romans 1 is also related to Genesis 1—there are seven different connections. “Men with men” is contrary to how God created them. It is rebellion against the created order. This modern revisionism came about after the sexual revolution of the 1960’s. That perverted fruit is now ripened.
It is a gross misnomer to say that Jesus and Paul were supportive of gay sex. Their teachings refute this. The Bible was counterculture then just as it is now.
The effects of Gay Theology on the church
In the United States, the churches that are bleeding rapidly (losing membership) are those that are going liberal. I hear people say “We have to be accepting of homosexual people.” Listen friend, that order will ruin your church. Merely “accepting people” is the outgrowth of a weak theology. When people attempt to love suffering individuals without loving God first they are violating the Two great Commandments of Jesus (Mark 12:29-31). They are turned around in their devotion. This will take the church into paganism. As we love God intensely that will help us love others rightly.
Gay Weddings
I am occasionally asked for my advice on gay weddings. My answer is this. When we go to a wedding we are bearing witness to the goodness of what is happening. As believers, we can't bear witness to false reality. Gay marriage is entering into a defiling covenant, and why would a Christian want to support that kind of decision? Those are my convictions—you’ll have to decide for yourself.
Holiness
“You shall be holy for I am holy”. We are created to reflect God’s holiness. We do this by submitting to the world God has made. We are stakeholders in the plan God has made, and sin is refusing to submit to the structure God has created. This includes the creational structure of sexuality. We are created to be holy, even in sexuality.
You see, holiness is not a moral concept, but a cosmological concept arising from God’s existence. The utensils on the tabernacle table were holy but had done nothing moral in their lives (Ezra 8:28; 1 Kings 8:4). They were distinct from ordinary utensils — a silent expression of God’s will for us. “Be ye holy for I am holy.’
The Great Controversy
The holiness of God is under tremendous attack in our world. The enemy is doing all he can to destroy the creational distinctions of God. Satan is — in this culture — blurring the lines of distinction between Creation and Creator; between humanity and divinity; between good and evil, and between male and female. This is the outworking of evil in the Great Controversy, and every man must choose whose side he is on. The enemy is behind all modern efforts to create a genderless society and he is behind the current state crackdown on all who disagree. Should the pendulum swing the other direction, we will be watching that as well.
So what do we do when we’re insulted and called mean-spirited vengeful homophobes? Well, we can hit back, saying that our accusers are Biblephobes, Leviticusphobes or mean-spirited holinessphobes.
Or we can speak the truth in love.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).