-Caveat Lector-
Homosexuality
by W.E.Best
Homosexuality is unnatural. It is a
menace to society. It has not only become an accepted lifestyle but
threatens the health of many. Homosexuals have come out of their closets and are
becoming a political power. Furthermore, they have invaded many religious
institutions, claiming there is no Scripture that says homosexuality is a sin.
Thus, homosexuals and many religionists alike are blind to Biblical history and
Scriptural instruction. Apart from a spiritually circumcised ear, all Scriptural
teaching on the subject will be like the seed that was sown by the “way side”
(greek text - hodon, accusative of
hiodos, which means a way or road)
(Matt.13:19).
Among the unrighteous people who shall not
inherit the kingdom of God, the inspired apostle mentioned “fornicators” (plural
of pornos, a fornicator),
“idolaters” (plural of eidololatres,
an idolater or worshipper of idols), “adulterers” (plural of moichos, an adulterous person),
“effeminate” (plural of malakos, a
male who submits his body to unnatural lust), and “abusers of themselves with
mankind” (plural of arsenokoires,
one who lies with a male as a female) (I Cor. 6:9).
The Greek word arsenokoites is used here and in I Timothy
1:10 — “For whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind This Greek word is a
compound word composed of arsen,
which means male, and koite, which means a bed. Hence, the reference is to male
homosexuals. Although the Greek word arsenokoites is not used in Romans
1:26-27, homosexuals of both sexes are described:
“For this cause God gave them up
unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that
which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of
the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that
which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error
which was meet.”
Homosexuality is not new, but its acceptance
by heterosexuals as another lifestyle is new. How can that which is unnatural
become an accepted lifestyle with so many? It could not apart from a corrupted
society. One must understand that Christians constitute a “little flock” (Luke
12:32) in a world system that is
dominated by the spirit ofthe age:
“AND you hath he quickened, who were
dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all
had our conversation in times past in the lusts ofour flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath,
even as others” (Eph. 2:1-3).
There was a time when sodomites were
restricted to certain places. For example, the
Sodom of history was known for its
ones set apart for unholy purposes (Gen. 19). However, in today’s society,
homosexuals are unrestricted. Modern day
Sodom has enlarged her borders.
Christians, like Abraham of old, see by faith that this amoral society is under
the judgment of God.
Homosexuality was not only exposed but
punished in the Old Testament:
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as
with womankind; it is abomination” (Lev. 18:22).
“If a man also lie with mankind, as
he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Lev. 20:13).
(See Deut. 23:17, 18; Judges 19:2,24; I
Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46;
Isa 3:9.) The revelation of God’s wrath against sin, which includes
homosexuality, is described by Paul in Romans 1:18-3:20. God’s wrath is the
counterpart of His righteousness. It is not a passion but a principle. His wrath
is the reaction of holy love in the presence of sin. To the nature of God, wrath
against sin is as natural as love for holiness. As God cannot be holy without
being jealous for His holiness, He cannot be holy without manifesting His wrath
against sin. Therefore, God gave sinners over to their evil passions as
punishment for their sins.
Concerning sinners, three references to God
“gave them over” are recorded in the first chapter of Romans
(vv. 24, 26, 28). The Greek word for “gave them over” is an
aorist active indicative of paradidomi, which means to give over into
the power of another or to abandon one to his own sinful lusts for the
manifestation of the depths of human depravity. Each of the times Paul said that
God “gave them over” must be viewed in the light of what preceded God’s
abandonment. The ones abandoned by God in verse 24 were those who:
held
down truth (v. 18),
ignored general revelation (vv. 19, 20),
devaluated God (v. 21),
professed superior wisdom (v. 22), and
exchanged God’s glory for man-made idols (v. 23):
1. Holding down truth in unrighteousness is
a heinous crime. The Greek participle, katechonton (present active part
