Homosexuality: Does the New Testament Condemn It?

Canterbury Tales ^ | April 3, 2013 | Taylor Marshall

[NYer]

St Paul speaks about homosexuality three times
Keep reading to learn what he says...

One afternoon while ministering to the homeless in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, I fell into a conversation with a stranger about religion, which eventually led to the subject of Christ. Without hesitating, he came right out and said, “I’m a gay Christian.” After he admitted to being an active homosexual, he added, “I have studied the whole Bible and nowhere does it teach that homosexuality is a sin.” 

I countered his claim, but the conversation became understandably awkward.

Since then, I’ve met others who believe that the Bible does not condemn homosexual acts as sinful. In fact, the Apostle Paul condemned homosexuality on three separate occasions. In his epistle to the Romans, Paul describes the origin of idolatry and associates it with the origins of homosexuality, among both men and women:

Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct (Rom 1:26-28).

Paul identifies homosexuality with the following terms: unnatural, shameless acts, error, base mind, and improper conduct.

Saint Paul also explains that practicing homosexuals “will not inherit the kingdom of God”:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminates {malakoi}, nor homosexuals {arsenokoitai}, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10).

The words translated as “effeminates” and “homosexuals” are often omitted in modern Bible translations and replaced with the single word “perverts,” even though two separate words appear in the Greek text of Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians.  One might understand why the man I met in Fort Worth believed that “homosexuality was not condemned in the Bible,” since many English versions actually hide the term under pretence of translation. The two Greek words used by Paul in this passage are malakoi and arsenokoitai. The word malakoi is sometimes translated effeminates and the word arsenokoitai is translated as homosexuals.

The Greek word arsenokoitai undoubtedly refers to male homosexuality. The very etymology of the word arsenokoitai reveals this. It is a compound of two words: arsen meaning “male” and koitai meaning “bed,” and specifically “marriage bed.”  Thus, arsenokoitai literally means “men in bed together.”

Lest there be any doubt about the identity of arsenokoitai with homosexuals, let us turn to the Greek Septuagint version of Leviticus 20:13, which reads, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death.”  While the Old Testament death penalty for homosexuality was abolished by Christ, this passage undoubtedly refers to homosexual practice and confirms that Paul’s use of the Greek word arsenokoitai prohibits the same behavior described in Leviticus 20:13—men having relations with men. 

The Greek Septuagint renders this passage as: kai hos an koimethe meta arsenos koiten gynaikos. We find within it the same two Greek words that compose the word arsenokoitai, which was used by Paul to condemn homosexuality. I have underlined the words above to make the connection more obvious. Here we see arsonos and koiten together describing homosexual activity in the clear language of Leviticus 20:13. Clearly, Paul’s use of the similar compound word arsenokoitai refers to homosexual men—men in bed with other men.

The word used by Saint Paul, malakoi, literally means “soft ones.” There are three interpretations as to what this term might mean. First, it may refer to those who are overly obsessed with luxury, an attribute that would have been identified with effeminacy in antiquity. 

The second interpretation is one given by the Jewish historian Josephus. Josephus identifies soft ones with men who dressed as women and sometimes even mutilated or removed their male genitals.  These men may have been the passive partners in homosexual acts in the context of pagan ritual festivals, i.e. cultic male prostitutes. However, we must grant that the term malakoi is not explicitly used in this regard. The third possible solution is the one given by Saint Thomas Aquinas, which states that the “sin of softness” is the sin of masturbation.  Incidentally, the Catholic Church considers masturbation as sin against chastity:

"Masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action. The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose."

If Paul intended to refer to masturbation in his condemnation of “soft ones,” then he stands in agreement with the Church’s condemnation of masturbation. Whatever Paul meant by soft ones, it seems to have pertained to sexual sin, since in Paul’s list it falls between adultery and homosexuality.

The third passage in which Paul condemns homosexuality is found in his First Epistle to Timothy where he identifies homosexuals as lawless and disobedient:

"The law is not made for the just man, but for the unjust and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the wicked and defiled, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, fornicators, homosexuals {arsenokoitai}, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Tim 1:9-10).

Once again, the original Greek word used here by Paul for homosexuals is the same word that he used before: arsenokoitai. Clearly, Saint Paul was opposed to homosexual acts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church conforms to Paul in this regard:

"Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved."

Nevertheless, the Catechism of the Catholic Church recognizes that,

"The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity."

Persons with homosexual inclinations are called to chastity - not matrimony. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

[Travis McGee]

An unnatural act can never be the basis of holy matrimony.

[El Cid]

I don't know what point you were trying to make in Post #5. It does not matter what the majority 'wants' as their flavor of the month.

Let God be true, and every man a liar.

The whims of the world's majority does not matter as long as we understand that God is in charge and we serve Him with all our hearts.

[DBeers]

If the Republican party want to rule the Bedroom then Obamas will rule the country.

ROTFLMAO!!!!

Where you been? The depraved, diseased, and disorder came out of the closet long ago -they are not in their bedrooms -they are in the streets -they want you to subsidize their sickness pay for the treatment of their diseases fund their sex change operations teach people that sickness is normal and self destructive choices are healthy. They want you to subsidize their sex partners and they want to donate their blood to YOU by force.

They left their bedrooms long ago and they are now imposed upon our schools working on imposing themselves upon churches and knocking on your front door with big daddy government backing them.

Get a clue.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***..arsenokoitai is translated as homosexuals.****

arse-nokoitai.

There is a joke here but I’m not going to touch it!

[Bigg Red]

If people practice homosexuality in private, I pray for them. I pray they repent, and I pray they ask for forgiveness and strength as well as guidance. I do not accept what they do as ‘moral’ because it isn’t, just like drug addiction.
Now, when they start trying to teach it to kids across the country, and flaunt it in the streets, then I have a problem.

***
You have outlined my opinions on this matter, as well.

[Secret Agent Man]

yes, and instead of asking dumb questions, just read it.

[DouglasKC]

Excellent analysis....

[hadaclueonce]

I am just saying that if you want the Rats to run the ship, hold on to your past attitudes.

Are the attitudes wrong? NO!

Are your beliefs right, YES!

In my humble opinion, we need to fight them at their game.
Say what ever it takes to get elected and then turn.

Honesty is the conservatives biggest liability.

We may only have one more shot. If 2014 is a wash for Rats, then all is lost.

Then I will saying where is my phone.

[El Cid]

In my humble opinion, we need to fight them at their game. Say what ever it takes to get elected and then turn. Honesty is the conservatives biggest liability.

Hah! Ok, I get it - and thanks for the explanation.
Sure, I understand the logic, but you have to remember that Nations and Empires come and go, but eternity is for ever. The ends do not justify the means.

Thessalonians 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

[sassy steel magnolia]

I like your approach...praying for ourselves and others is always the best and should be the first action!

Totally agreed with everything you said...

Easter blessings to you!

[Viennacon]

Easter blessings to you, my friend. With less and less people praying today in our godless society, He will hear your words all the more loudly.

[hadaclueonce]

Glad your got my point.

those who did not, prove my post was not in vain.

[annalex]

Say what ever it takes to get elected and then turn

You mean after we win that magical election, we won't need to win others?

[Politicalmom]

How the heck have you escaped detection for so many years?

They need to keep their “bedroom” antics off the streets, and out of MY FACE and MY CHILDREN’S schools!!

[hecticskeptic]

Well here’s something for you to consider…..I don’t expect folks to all agree with me but this is what I believe. People will define ‘marriage’ in all sorts of strange ways but the reality is there is only one thing unique about it. In fact, here is a definition of marriage that draws a number of scriptural concepts together…. “Marriage is the institution created by God that allows men and women the means to experience the sexual characteristics that are innate to their humanity in the only environment that He approves of.” Marriage doesn’t start when the wedding ceremony is over and the documents are signed…. Marriage starts with the act of sex between the man and the woman and fact, sex is the only defining aspect about the relationship that sets it apart from all others. Thus your statement is flawed….. there really is no such thing as sex before marriage since a marriage starts simultaneously with sex. Here’s the implication of this…. a single person may go out for the night and have sex with a person they met. The individuals may not even treat the encounter with very much seriousness…. but in God’s eyes, they just married each other.

[Sergio]

bkmk

[Deacon Augustine]

“No, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed b/c the people were very inhospitable to outsiders; a grave faux pas back in those days.”

As I’m sure you are aware, this is a popular misinterpretation of Scripture amongst sodomites, but the New Testament also debunks that myth:

Jude 7 : “As Sodom and Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, in like manner having given themselves over to fornication, and going after other flesh, were made an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.”

The Bible is clear that it was their perverse desires which led to their destruction - it had nothing to do with “hospitality”

[Mrs. Don-o]

`

[ScubieNuc]

The word that gets translated to fornication in the Bible is the Greek word “porneia” which means ANY sex that isn’t between a married man and wife.

The other thing about people who pose their sin state as “final and deal with it” or like this person who says, “I’m a gay-Christian” completely miss the point where Jesus forgives us our sins when we face the fact that they are wrong, but then tells us to “go and sin no more.” Not even trying to repent or turn away from sin is wrong and leads to more problems.

[mtg]

Marriage starts with the act of sex between the man and the woman

Now you're talking about bigamy and polygamy as well. How many marriages can an adulterer have? Are you suggesting that God approves of that?