It is no secret that the Bible appears to condemn homosexuality. What is more unknown is the fact that an alternate translation exists within the Scriptures that illustrate a completely different picture of these verses when focusing on the original language, context, and cultural practice of Biblical times. What emerges is a different story that condemns homosexual sex acts in connection to idol worship rituals, gang rape practices and prostitution. In this article, I will focus on new evidence that Deuteronomy and 1 Kings confirm that Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are speaking directly about males engaged in shrine prostitution. If you would like to review the evidence concerning the alternate translations of ALL the verses that appear to condemn homosexuality, please visit http://gaychristians.2freedom.com
Moses’ Last Words
Before I get to the main point, I must explain the context of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Leviticus contains the law for the Jews as given to Moses. It was a manual of rules that the Jews were to follow in order to set themselves apart from the inhabitants of the land that they were promised to inherit. Deuteronomy is the last book that Moses authored before his death. It gave a summary of the commands that the Jews were to follow and remember as they entered into the promise land of Canaan which was then named Israel. So Deuteronomy was essentially a summary of what God told Moses to relay before his death. It reads in the same format as ancient treaties as a contract between God and His people. Because it is the last book Moses authored, it has many repeated portions from the Levitical code.
The Death Penalty, Repeated
The laws that prescribed the death penalty in Leviticus are all repeated again in Deuteronomy as forbidden practices, minus one exception. As you might guess, the only law that does not seem to be repeated from Leviticus to Deuteronomy is the verse that prohibits a man lying with man (Lev. 18:22, 20:13). Although this law is the only single law that prescribes capital punishment that looks as if it is not included again in Deuteronomy, there is something else that is mentioned in Deuteronomy that appears to be a repeat after all. Deuteronomy 23:17 prohibits male shrine prostitution. “No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute (qadesh, קָדֵשׁ).” Could it be that the law of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 is repeated in Deuteronomy 23:17, only it is described in more direct terms to modern readers?
Shrine prostitution was rampant in Biblical times and was directly connected to idol worship. Male worshipers would give their semen as a sacrifice to their idols through anal intercourse with the male and female shrine prostitutes. The shrine prostitutes acted as intercessors to the gods through sexual fluid exchange. These were not gay men, but heterosexuals with families who had sex with men as an idol worship practice. Although some of the male shrine prostitutes could have been gay, many were only performing what they saw as a holy ritual to their gods. This in no way describes modern day gay people.
Shrine prostitution in Leviticus 18 and 20
If one reads Leviticus in context with this cultural knowledge, you will notice that both Leviticus 18 and 20 detail the prohibition of giving sacrifices to the idol Molech who was the main idol of Canaan. In fact, Leviticus 18:21 (right before 18:22) states that no man should offer his seed to Molech. (Note that many translations interpret this as “children,” but the original Hebrew word “zera” זָ֫רַע also means “semen” and “intercourse.”) The very next verse prohibits a man lying with a man. It is even called an abomination, but not just any abomination. There are two words for abomination in Hebrew. The type of abomination used for Leviticus 18:22 is “toevah” תּוֹעֵבָה, which is usually connected to a sin of idolatry. Furthermore, Leviticus 20 goes into even more detail about idol worship of Molech before it seems to prescribe the death penalty to “man lying with man.” It seems obvious to be speaking about shrine prostitution. Lev. 20:5 states, “Then I’ll oppose that man and his family and eliminate him from contact with his people, along with all the prostitutes who accompany him and who have committed prostitution with Molech.”
Additionally, the order of Leviticus 18 suggests that 18:22 is connected to an idol worship practice. Chapter 18 can be broken up into four topical parts: Verses 1-5 is a greeting, verses 6-20 are prohibitions of those near of kin, verses 21-24 are acts connected to idol worship of Molech, and verses 25-30 describe that the Canaanites practiced all of these customs. Focusing on verses 21-24: “You must not give any of your seed as an offering to Molech, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD! You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. You must not have sexual intercourse with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual intercourse with it; it is a perversion.” (note that “as one” is crossed out because this comparative language is not reflected in the original Hebrew text.) This clearly appears to be referring to male/male sex in the confines of idol worship, i.e. shrine prostitution. Additional proof is the verse that follows which describes bestiality which was also an idol worship sex practice. Leviticus 17:7 indicates idol worship bestiality practice: “They are no longer to slaughter their sacrifices to the goat idols, for whom they have been committing prostitution.”
1 Kings referrrence to Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13
In 1 Kings 14:24, we see a reference to the male shrine prostitutes from Canaan. It states, “and there were also male shrine prostitutes (qadesh, קָדֵשׁ) in the land. They did according to all the abominations (toevah, תּוֹעֵבָה) of the nations that the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.” Note that this verse must be giving reference to Leviticus 18, rather than Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 23 only states that Israelites are not to become shrine prostitutes. It says nothing about it being practiced by the Canaanites, which were “the ones driven out before the people of Israel.” Instead, Leviticus states that “male lying with male” was done amongst the Canaanites (Lev. 18:27) and also called it a toevah (idolatry abomination.) One could safely assert that 1 Kings 14:24 is referring directly to the Canaanite male shrine prostitutes which would conclude that the Leviticus verses are a prohibition against male shrine prostitution.
Going on, we can see many examples of male prostitution always paired with idolatry: 1 Kings 15:12, “He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.” 1 Kings 22:46, “He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa.” 2 Kings 23:7, “He tore down the houses of the male shrine prostitutes who were in the LORD’s temple, where women did weaving for Asherah.” Job 36:14, “They die while they’re young, or they live on as male prostitutes in the temples of idols.” Hosea 4:14, “For the men themselves go apart with harlots and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes.” Hosea 6:10, “I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices shrine prostitution and Judah defiles itself.”
Ironically, some translations have chosen to use “Sodomites” in place of “male shrine prostitutes” in all of the above verses. This is entirely misleading. There were no men of Sodom left to be in the land (because they were all destroyed), and they certainly were not referring to gay men, but prostitutes who practiced idol worship rituals. So anytime you read a Bible that references “sodomites,” be sure to check the context to see if it is speaking about actual people of Sodom or a misleading translation that actually means male shrine prostitutes (qadesh, קָדֵשׁ).
ALL Homosexual acts paired with idol worship in the Bible
Every example of any homosexual sex act mentioned in the Bible is always paired in the same chapter with idol worship, minus the story of Sodom which was attempted gang rape of angels. Coincidence? Although Genesis 19:1-11 may not speak directly about idol worship with male/male sex acts in these verses, there are plenty of verses that demonstrate that idolatry was practiced in Sodom, so male shrine prostitution was likely practiced there too. Romans 1 is a prime example where idol worship is described in detail followed by a supposed verse about homosexuality (Romans 1:26-28). 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:9-11 use the word “arsenokoites” which literally means “man, beds.” Long before the word “homosexual” was invented, many translations used “male prostitutes” in its place. This only leaves Leviticus which also describes idol worship in both references to supposed homosexual practice. This demonstrates that there is always the presence of idols when male/male sex acts are present in the Bible. When was the last time you saw a modern gay person practicing prostitution for an idol? The Bible does not condemn a God-centered life-long committed relationship between two members of the same gender. The only gay sex condemned in the Bible is that of shrine prostitution and rape.
Mixing the modern world with the ancient
Sometimes as Christians we can look at the Bible and attempt to apply it to our modern world to a fault. On occasion, we can mix up the ancient cultural implication and apply modern concepts that change the entire meaning of the text to such an extreme that a whole group of people become unfairly condemned. The word “homosexuality” was defined in the late 1800’s, yet now we have inserted it into the Holy Bible of God’s Word in 1946. The fact that the word “sodomites” is used is another big cultural mistake. The word “sodomy” is a modern word for anal sex. “Sodomite” in the modern sense is a word for a gay male. The word itself is derived from the story in the Bible about Sodom, but if we really want to take the story of Sodom and apply it to the meaning of a modern sodomite, than that person would be a gang rapist that attempts to assault angels. (Re-read Gen. 19 again and you will understand.) With the true definition in place, have you known any sodomites in your life, ever???
Another issue we have a problem with is seeing prostitution in the Bible as either like modern prostitutes and/or viewing it as purely symbolic. When seen through modern lenses, we view prostitutes as people who exchange sex for money. There are 2 forms of prostitution mentioned in the Bible. The one that may be connected to more of a modern definition is zanah (זָנָה ). This is a woman who exchanges sex for money, but sometimes refers to having sex outside of marriage or a promiscuous woman. So if you have had any sexual involvement with anyone unmarried, than you could be called a zanah (prostitute) yourself. The other form of prostitution mentioned in the Bible is the shrine or temple prostitute named qadesh (קָדֵשׁ ). This is always connected to idol worship in some way. Although this was clearly practiced in ancient times, modern Christians sometimes view these verses as “symbolic prostitution.” They believe that the idol worshipers were symbolically “prostituting themselves with other gods.” History shows actual prostitution within idol worship.
Reviewing the facts
So all together it seems that Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are referring to male shrine prostitutes. Summarized is the evidence. 1) The death penalty laws are all repeated in Deuteronomy and Deut. 23:17 is the only suitable replacement to Leviticus 20:13. 2) 1 Kings 14:24 gives reference to male shrine prostitutes in Canaan and only Leviticus 18 mentions that the custom was practiced in Canaan (when reading in context). 3) The order of Leviticus 18 shows that “a man lying with a man” was connected to idol worship. 4) The type of abomination that “a man lying with a man” is called is associated with an idolatry abomination. 5) All Bible verses descriptive of male/male sexual acts are paired with condemnation of idol worship, indicating male shrine prostitution.
For reference purposes, here are the sexual sins that are prescribed the death penalty in Leviticus and repeated again in Deuteronomy. Note that some of them repeat the death sentence in Deuteronomy, and others only mention it as a forbidden practice.
– Incest Lev.20:17, Deut. 27:22.
– Adultery Lev. 20:10-12, Deut. 22:22
– Bestiality Lev. 20:15-16, Deut. 27:21
– Sex with father’s wife Lev. 20:11, Deut. 27:20
– Daughter prostitute Lev. 21:9, Deut. 22:21
– Sex or marriage to mother-in-law Lev. 20:14, Deut. 27:23
– Shrine prostitution Lev 20:13, 18:22, Duet 23:17 (Note that female prostitution was previously forbidden in Lev. 19:29)
*There are other death penalty crimes in Leviticus that are repeated in Deuteronomy, but I have chosen to reference those of a relevant sexual nature.
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DOMA and Prop 8 is ruled unconditional
I know, I just saw this on the news and I am speechless.
I was wondering if what about the fact that Zera can mean children and offspring many would not accept Zera to mean semen. What is the most used in the bible for children?
Great question Angela! I am assuming you are referring to the controversy of Leviticus 18:21 that most translations say you shouldn’t sacrifice your “children” or “offspring” (zera – זָ֫רַע) to Molech. This is controversy because it comes directly before Leviticus 18:22 which appears to condemn gay sex, but in fact could be referring to shrine prostitution (which would point this being directly associated to the Canaanites shrine prostitution to Molech, rather than ALL gay sex.) So the answer to your question is that the overwhelmingly most common Hebrew word for “children” in Scripture is “ben” (בֵּן) which is used 3,654 times with obvious context to actual children. However, “zera” is mentioned 205 times with only 3 direct links to “children.” Most all other context could be associated with actual semen or “seed.” It often talks about seeds from plants which shows the context that it is speaking about the seed, not what has grown from the seed (the plant.) Looking at it in a human way, it is talking about the semen, not what has grown from the semen (the children themselves.) There is even some context that associates zera directly with intercourse. So it could be accepted that Leviticus 18:21 and Leviticus 20 is talking about men giving their seed (semen) as a sacrifice to the idol Molech. Although there are still connections to zera meaning children, there is a genuine possible translation to it meaning semen. On a side note, most translations of the Bible would not want such a graphic word used as semen, so this could be the reason why it is often replaced as “seed” or “offspring.” Please let me know if you’d like me to elaborate or have any more questions.
I find that interesting seeing has how much of the time a verse is linked to the something and not something else entirely, so to go to children to two men lying in bed seems a big gap if you ask me.
Hello again Angela!
I was intending to edit my comment below with a bit more additional information, but you replied so quickly that I will just tell you here… So before I reply to what you just said, here is a bit more info about zera:
Note that this does not nearly encompass all of examples of zera meaning semen, but I wanted to bring up a few examples… Leviticus 15:16 and 15:18 speaks about zera in an obvious sexual way because it says that one must bathe after a man has a “seed (zera) of copulation.” Even Leviticus 15:32 and 22:4 says that a zera emmision is “unclean,” so if this can only mean children or offspring, than that means that all children are unclean! Also interesting is that Leviticus 18:20 (right before 18:21 about Molech and 18:22 about “gay sex”) uses the word zera to actually mean intercourse! So this obviously sexual term would be strange to use right before talking about sacrificing “children” (zera) to Molech. If the context is sexual there, why not in the next sentence (verse)?
Speaking of what you referred to in this comment, I agree that talking about children is a big gap to then talking about two men lying in a bed… Another big gap is talking about incestuous sex for 15 verses to suddenly talking about sacrificing to idols. So here’s an interesting observation about the format of Leviticus 18. Verses 28:1-5 is simply a greeting. Then in verses 6-20 it talks about having sex with those near of kin. Then all of a sudden in verse 21, it switches to taking about sacrificing seed (zera) to Molech. Verses 22-24 are things associated with idol worship (shrine prostitution rather than gay sex, and then bestiality which was also practiced at the alter of cultic sacrifice.) Verses 25-30 simply talk about how these things were the customs of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan before the Israelites came into the land. So if we look at Leviticus 18 in this format, it is clear that 18:22 is connected directly to sexual rituals in idol worship practice. The fact that we have made the Bible “easer to read” by making chapters and verses has worked against us in being able to decipher context. One must look at the verses in groups to really understand the topic changes…
On a last note, another common word for zera is “descendant.” But many of the times this word is used, it could STILL mean semen. There are a lot of examples of God promising Abraham (and others) that their “zera” will be multiplied to be more numerous than the stars in the sky or the sands of the earth. We already know that there are millions (perhaps billions) of sperm released in one emission. So the product of multiplying any mans’ sperm WOULD also increase his descendants. For a man to have a lot of descendants, the men would have to be really fertile and have a lot of sperm to increase the possibility of childbearing. So in this case, it could have a double meaning. But to say that it only means “children” would not make a bit of sense because we know that not one man who has ever lived has had millions or billions of children (himself.) Descendants, yes, but not his own biological children. Either way, the fact that zera is mentioned in an overtly sexual way so many times gives the possibility of 18:21 meaning semen rather than children.
Thank you for your help/ I was wondering I see this used toevah can’t be for idolatry for that would mean an and all things okay to do. Any reactions to this?
Hello again Angela. 🙂 I may be confused as to what you are asking. Please clarify if I am wrong. Are you refering more to the comments made on my other post about toevah and its connection to cultic practices? Are you asking my reaction about how some people think that to’evah can’t be “idolatrous abomination” because then it would make everything listed outside of idolterous context “okay” to do? Please correct me if I am wrong…But I will go ahead and answer the question in this way because it deserves some attention.
This is a pretty complex question because it has a lot of different categories to it. I have heard people say “so if Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are just talking about homosexual sex as idolatrous (because of its connection to idolatry), then does it mean that murder is okay to do outside of idol sacrifice?” Remember before I mentioned that there seems to be 3 different types of to’evah:
1) to’evah’s of association with idolatrous practices (the most common)
2) to’evah’s regarding ritual and sacrifice for Jews under the Old Covenant (including dietary restrictions, unclean practices, animals forbidden from sacrifice, etc.)
3) to’evah’s to The Lord regarding ethical standards for worshipers of Yahweh
I suppose if you look at these restrictions individually, some would overlap into restrictions that are not only idolatrous, but ethical commands because they are outside of love. They are usually repeated time and time again as restrictions throughout the Bible which do not always use the word “to’evah” attached to it. These would be such things as murder and lying. But we already know these things are forbidden because they are made clear by a multitude of other verses…
On the contrary, following the context of homosexual sex acts mentioned in Scripture is different. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 seem to forbid it like other things forbidden to the Jews under the Law. But as we know, under the New Covenant, we are not under this Law. When we fast forward to Romans 1, there is no command forbidding same-gender sex. Instead, it only historically accounts for the Roman idol worshipers choosing idols over God and performing sexual rituals. The only command against male-male sex was under the Old Covenant Law in Leviticus, not because it was wrong in and of itself, but because of its association to other gods. Similar to ones hair being grown out on the sides, the Jews were to be set apart as different from the others. But these things are no longer restrictions. The New Covenant centers on accepting both the Jew and the Gentile. We are no longer male nor female, slave nor free, but one in Jesus Christ. These differences between us are celebrated rather than separated. We are melded together as one under Jesus. There is no restriction of same-gender sex under the New Covenant, only mention of people performing male-male sex in the idol worship ceremonies as they had already done for centuries.
But perhaps I am getting a bit off track here. I think what you asked is how to respond to a question like “well if gay sex is okay outside of idol worship, than what about bestiality?” (I only give this as an example because it has also been in association with idol ritual.) To test any restriction, we must see how it applies in the New Covenant. Under the New Covenant, sins are forgiven by the grace of Jesus’ blood. We do not earn Salvation, but it is given as a gift. In return, we are commanded to love God with all of our heart and love our fellow neighbor as ourself. A good way to test any restriction is to use this verse (which I repeat several times on my website):
“Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the law demands. In the law there are many commandments such as ‘be faithful in marriage,’ ‘do not murder,’ ‘do not steal,’ ‘do not want what belongs to others.’ But all these are summed up in the commandment that says ‘love others as much as you love yourself.’ no one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the law demands.” – Romans 13:8-12
So if we apply the Law of love and not to harm, we can see restrictions properly. So going back to bestiality. Is bestiality loving or harming outside of the context of idol worship? It is of course harming because it is taking advantage of a sweet little animal who would otherwise not be violated by a human. Now is male-male sex loving or harming outside of idol worship? Well, that depends on the context of the relationship. If it is a mutual relationship based on life-long commitment, it is loving. But if its focus is only on sex (like promiscuity or prostitution), it is harming.
I think you could take every restriction and place it against this law of love or harm and see what is okay and not okay to do, (both within or outside of idol worship.) Either way, we must really keep remembering that under the New Covenant, we have the grace of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. So if we stumble, God is faithful to forgive us. We must always focus on this grace of forgiveness and realize that it is not our works that get us to Heaven, but a gift that exercises the most love that anyone could ever give, which is the Grace of Christ to forgive us even in our fallen state.
Given the above example, we can see that each act that was forbidden could be argued differently. So we really must look at each thing on an individual level and see if it is loving or harming. Please let me know if this adequately answered your question.
-Moanti
Sorry for the confusing. It’s just a heard about that toevah can be idolatry than it would be we can freely do it.
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Beware of false teachings!!
Wolves in sheep’s clothing.
I agree dear Calvin. One must watch out for false teachers. Our Savior Yeshua proclaims this as well and has shown us how to recognize them…
Matthew 7:15-20
“15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
“By their fruits you will recognize them.” So now let me ask, which teaching bears the bad fruit? The traditional view that pushes an entire group of potential believers (gays/lesbians) away from Christianity due to its seclusions? Or the alternate view (based on original context and language) which brings this group of potential believers to Christ due to its loving redemption? The first one secludes the “whosoever” in John 3:16, and the second includes all in the “whosoever.” Praise Yahweh, the one and only Creator of all, who sent His one and only Son to be the sacrifice for all of our sins! With this good fruit, we must multiply fruitfulness upon all the earth by sharing the Good News to ALL. Any doctrine which produces bad fruit by excluding a believer from receiving the freely offered redemption (through the grace of the sacrifice of Yeshua) should be re-examined. Be forever in awe of His gracious sacrifice! “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy” (reference Acts 10:15.) For none of us deserve it, yet He gives us His sanctification to ALL who believe. He did not do it so that His believers could keep the gift to themselves and push others away from believing. Be not like the Pharisees: “4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them…You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matthew 23:4,13). But instead, be guided by the teachings of the Messiah, “28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
We must remember “The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that ALL people have. But you can trust God, he will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13.) Based on this last verse, how can we consider the minority sexual orientation a sinful temptation when we see no way of escaping it? After an exhaustive study of all of the sexual orientation change efforts, it has been concluded that there is no documented evidence of ANY exclusive homosexual transforming into an exclusive heterosexual (only those with bisexuality who have chosen to pair with the opposite sex while still having same-gender attractions, which proves no true orientation change.) There are those with the gift of celibacy who do not engage in homosexual pairing, but they have not lost their attraction to the same-gender, therefore they are still “gay” despite their rejection of the label. Many of those who were not naturally given the gift of celibacy, but have felt forced to be alone for the rest of their lives to avoid judgment, have ended up committing suicide. Hundreds if not thousands of gays have ended their lives due to their inability to change their orientation. Such is a production of bad fruit inspired by traditional teachings on the sinfulness of homosexuality. Millions of prayers for sexual orientation change have gone up to God, yet to be answered in the affirmative. Why has He not provided a way of escape if this is simply a sinful temptation common to man?
Remember that not every believer has the same function. We each have our part to fulfill according to the Will of God in our own lives: “3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many parts, and the parts do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts one of another.” (Romans 12:3-5). Neither does every believer have the same convictions: “14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.” (Romans 14).
So how can we be sure we are following the commands of God? “8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:8-10.
If sin is harming, and goodness of God is loving, than one must ask which causes harm and which causes love. Is the exclusion of gay Christians the harming act or the loving act? Is the embracing of all believers (including those with a homosexual orientation) the harming or loving act? We know that in the first Creation that led to the fall, God created Eve for Adam as his perfect suitable partner. We know that under the Old Covenant laws (before Christ died), procreation was mandatory to fill the earth. But we also know that under the New Covenant of Christ, procreation is no longer mandatory. Furthermore, we are told “we are no longer male and female, but one in Jesus Christ” (reference Galatians 3:28) and in the New Creation, people will not be married or be given into marriage (reference Matthew 22:30). So if gender is not a focus in the new perfect eternal creation, than what harm is there in following the blueprint for Biblical marriage (as a Christ-centered monogamous lifelong covenant before God) for same-gender couples? It is not a surprise that same-gender marriage is not mentioned in the Bible (unless David and Jonathan’s covenant was in fact a marriage), as we are a minuscule part of the population. Even more minuscule are hermaphrodites (those born with both male and female sex organs.) Who are they allowed to marry according to Scripture? This lack of mention for both does not mean automatic condemnation. I believe that just as the Word came “first to the Jew [God-believing majority at the time], then to the Gentile [God-believing minority at the time]” the blueprint for marriage (as a Christ-centered monogamous lifelong covenant before God) came first to the heterosexual (majority), then to the homosexual (minority). We may be a variation of genetics due to intentional creation OR due to the fall, but I firmly believe that regardless of the reason, God has sanctified His believers through the grace of His Holy sacrifice. If one keeps their union God-centered (edifying one another by studying the Word together and praying together and building each other up through Spiritual growth), then great Spiritual fruit can be conceived through this union (both for the couple and for those who witness it.) When good Spiritual fruit is seen amongst these unions, we can know that Christ has won the battle against the consequence of sin which is death. As He proclaims, “My grace is sufficient for you. For My power is made perfect in your weakness.” ( reference 2 Corinthians 12:9). Praise Yahweh always for His redemption for ALL who believe! Yeshua is our perfect sacrifice and the power of His blood should NEVER be underestimated! May Yahweh, the One and only God, continue to bless you in the knowledge of His Holy Word!
Your sister in Christ,
Moanti
P.S. There is truly an alternate way to translate these “gay Passages” WITHIN the Scriptures that show only condemnation of the harmful acts associated with the homosexual act (such as the attempted gang-rape of angels in Sodom, homosexual sex rituals in idol worship, homosexual lust and promiscuity, homosexual male prostitution, etc.) simply by studying the cultural and linguistic context. One can see that it is the harmful acts attached to the mention of homosexuality that is the target of its condemnation. It does not condemn homosexuality as a whole nor does it condemn monogamous, committed life-long unions. For more study into this topic, please read my extensive research at http://www.gaychristians.2freedom.com
hey I look at ben and only I see is son
Hey quick question Zimah is only used for sinful things and in fact isn’t it used in things like Incest and Murder?