This will be an in-depth series of articles. I hope you will take the time to follow up with them all. I take this topic very seriously and want to do justice to the thousands of people who are confused about these topics. I hope the tone and depth with show that I take these conversations seriously.

There are several passages in the Bible that directly reference homosexuality.  In most modern translations they clearly forbid same sex behavior.   Sometimes, these are referred to as “clobber” passages; the message often is that Christians use these passages to “clobber” the LGBT+ community.  A common complaint is that Christians talk about this topic too much.

I do think this last critique is unfair.  Christians do not and have not talked about them all of the time.  As this current sexual revolution has been growing in influence since the late 1870’s in the post Victorian morality (the term has been used since the 1920’s).

Ironically, there was something of a sexual revolution as Christian morality replaced Roman (Helenist) sexuality.  That Christian model held sway in the West until these recent changes.

The truth is that for 100 years, the progressive movement pushed the boundaries of sexual norms.  Boundaries that had been in place, unchanging, in the Judeo-Christian ethic for 2-3000 years.

So, at some point, the progressive movement pushed public sex education.  Christians said that sex ed should happen in the home.  The progressives said “your views on this for thousands of years are wrong.”  The Christians say “no they aren’t.”  And the progressives say “why are you talking about this all of the time?”

Consider how these issues have come up (or soon will) as the progressives push them in a liberal direction:

Pornography

Prostitution

Polygamy

Birth control

Sex education

No fault divorces

Sex before marriage

Single parent families

Abortion

Homosexuality

Same sex marriage

Age of consent

In case after case, including today, the conversation goes:

Progressive: “What you have believed about (homosexuality, abortion, polyamory, etc) for 3000 years is wrong.”

Christian/Jew: “No it isn’t”

Progressive: “Why are you always talking about this!?”

So, the stage we are at now is the Christians need to either accept that the Bible isn’t authoritative or, failing that, come to the conclusion that these “clobber passages” don’t actually forbid homosexuality.

Are all gay people going to hell?

The other critique for Christians is that these are clobber verses that we use to say that “Gay people are going to hell.”

I have no doubt that there are some “Christians” that say such things, but not this one.  All that I am evaluating in this article and the other one is that I believe that Bible presents homosexual behavior as sin.

The Bible teaches (read through Ephesians 2:1-10) that ALL humans are, by nature, dead in our sins.  Heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, etc… we are all going to Hell in our sins unless someone rescues us.  BUT GOD… provides a way of rescue in Jesus Christ.

This rescue is for anyone who will accept the free gift of adoption to the Father through Jesus Christ.  “Born Again” is the term Jesus uses.  Those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).  Which sins we are actively practicing will not keep us from so great a salvation.

Sin or crime

Some of these trend from the Progressive thought in the 18th century, which began to create a distinction between “crime” and “sin”, and to connect morality to “crime” rather than “sin.”

Crime assumes there is a human victim to be offended.

Sin assumes that there is a God who would be offended.

Of course, humanistic and post-modern thought lends itself toward “crime” since there is a basic belief that there is no personal God.  Of course, Christianity (and other authentic religions (especially monotheistic ones) look at morality in terms of “sin”.

There is another article waiting to be written in this distinction between “sin” and “crime” – I will try to get that done soon.  This is a huge ethical step and it is why I began to predict 15 years ago that once same-sex marriage was made legal and once the only sexual ethic was “consent” – that nothing was sexually immoral except “sex without consent” that any legal boundaries in regards to sexuality would begin to fall like dominoes.  Who is the government to tell us what is right or wrong?  I agree with the answer that progressives give – the government does not have that power.  The government can recognize and protect God-given rights (“nature and nature’s God”) or not, but the government is incapable of creating actual rights.

It can only create laws which can be legitimately changed by another government or administration.  Live by the government, you will die by it.

I am working on an article entitled “Citizens of Heaven and America” that will delve into some of this soon.

In the meantime, for some reason, it is still important to many progressives within the Church to make the case that these biblical passages do not call out homosexual behavior as sin.  I appreciate their motives.  At least they are coming to the right tree to find truth.  It is not possible for me to know, but I wonder… if they knew for sure that the Bible DID forbid homosexual behavior, would they immediately repent of it and try to change?  That is between them and God – but that is the stance of any true Christ follower.  If I am convinced that God’s word is giving me an instruction in my life, I repent and try to follow it.  Like all of the rest of us, I stink at holy living – there are no Behaviorally perfect Christians – but it is my heart and soul to live in obedience to what I believe I am being taught. 

I know I may be wrong, and I know that I am frail in my efforts.  Help me, Lord.

Head to part II