HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE BIBLE
BIBLE STUDY 8
Romans 1:18-32 (Part 2)
In the previous section we attempted to demonstrate that what Paul condemned in these verses were the same or similar pagan religious practices incorrectly identified at homosexuality in the Hebrew Scriptures. But can we prove that Paul’s theme throughout this section is idolatry from the text itself? I believe we can.
We have a term in the United States and elsewhere for what is considered sound business and legal practice. It is called “leaving a paper trail.” Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines paper trail as "documents (as financial records or published materials) from which a person’s actions may be traced or opinions learned.” We will take a minor, yet grammatically correct, liberty with the term to investigate what I call a paper trail of pronouns to prove that what Paul was discussing in this section was idolatrous pagan practice and not homosexuality.
English grammar books define pronoun as a word that takes the place of a noun; a single-word noun substitute that refers to an actual or logical antecedent. Personal pronouns (such as I, you, he, she, it, we, you, who, they and them) observe number, gender and case as they refer to particular people or things. Antecedent, a Latin term meaning what has gone before, is defined as a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun. Our English lesson in place, let us see how this applies to what Paul wrote in the captioned verses.
Notice in both the KJV and NIV translations of verses 18 to 28 shown below, the repeated use of pronouns, which have been underlined for your convenience. They begin in verse 18 and carry on right through to the end of the chapter and beyond. When you trace the pronouns from the antecedents it should be very clear to you, the reader, that God’s anger is against people who deny the reality of God, who change the truth of God for a lie and worship and serve created things rather than the Creator. In a word: idolators. Idolatry clearly is the theme of this section. Therefore, idolator(s) is the grammatically correct antecedent for all of the pronouns which follow. Thus it is idolators who, not only failed to glorify God, but who dishonored their own bodies, who worshipped and serve the creature, whose women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, whose men burned in their lust for one another, etc.
Romans 1:18-28 (KJV)
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men (and women), who hold the truth in
unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;
for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of God from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even God’s eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse. Because that, when they knew God they glorified God not as
God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an
image made like to corruptible man (and woman), and to birds, and
four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up
to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour
their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of
God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,
who is blessed for ever. Amen.
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
toward one another; men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in
themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave
them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Romans 1:18-28 (NIV)
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness
and wickedness of men (and women) who suppress the truth by
their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them,
because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s
invisible qualities–God’s eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly
seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men (and women)
are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither
glorified God as God nor gave thanks to God, but their thinking became
futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they
claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the
immortal God for images made to look like mortals, and birds and animals and
reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their
hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one
another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and
served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their
women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men
also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one
another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in
themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
If the paper trail of pronouns weren’t enough to convince you that the theme for this entire section is about idolatry and not homosexuality, verse 28 ties it all in:
Romans 1:28 (KJV)
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Romans 1:28 (NIV)
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
Paul goes on to say that when people do not have God in their lives, their spirits are open to every kind of evil.
Romans 1:29-32 (KJV)
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful; who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Romans 1:29-32 (NIV)
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
After having said all that, Paul turns to the Roman Jews and equates any judgmental attitudes that they might attain against the idolators with idolatry itself: There was a prevalent attitude in the Jewish community that the fact that they were the chosen people made them superior to Gentiles. Paul wanted to quash that attitude, and likened it to gentile idolatry.
Romans 2:1(KJV)
Therefore, thou are inexcusable, O man (or woman), whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Romans 2:1(NIV)
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
How does this passage relate to the previous section? I believe that Paul is saying that people who become judgmental usurp God’s prerogative. Only God may judge human beings. We are not allowed to judge one another. When we judge, we ascend to the throne of (false) godliness, and this arrogant, superior attitude is tantamount to idolatry. We have set ourselves above our peers, with the expectation that we have a right to dictate how they are to live. We have become gods in our own minds, and that is idolatry.
There are churches who, while agreeing that Verses 18 to 25 discuss idolatry, believe that verses 26 to 32 are all condemnations of homosexuality, and that the "depravity" of homosexuality manifests itself in the condemnations expressed in verses 29 to 32. Of course, they have to ignore the first three words of verse 26 to do so, as well as verses 28 and 2:1. Otherwise, verse 2:1 would be saying that anyone who passes judgment on others engages in homosexual behavior, which, of course, doesn’t make sense. That Paul would equate being judgmental with idolatry does.
In the final analysis, it should be evident that the first chapter of Romans, from verse 18 onward, is a diatribe against the evils of idolatry. Homosexuality is not addressed. Only the practices of shrine or temple prostitutes who engage in same-gender sexual activity as part of idol worship is mentioned.
As demonstrated above, the only way one can make the subject verses a diatribe against homosexuality is to take the verses out of context, to make the congruent, incongruent, and to deliberately twist Paul's words to make them fit a homophobic agenda. In my estimation, my friends, to do that is to exchange the truth of God for a lie, and serve a created thing...Amen.
This ends our study for today. Next week: 1 Corinthians 6:9.