by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

The Indictment Against Homosexuality

 

In our ongoing quest to untangle and clarify some of the more difficult and challenging Pauline writings, (of late making our way through the Book of Romans), I want to next tackle Romans 1:26-27.

 

Now, most of us should be somewhat familiar with this Pauline passage, of which I will later show is a clear, Torah-based indictment against those who engage in homosexuality and who are in homosexual relationships. And the apostle’s Torah-based opposition and hostility towards those who engage in such behavior is expressed from the perspective of these individual’s actions being a blatant violation of YHVH’s natural creative order and law. This being the case, homosexuals, along with a great number of other reprehensible sinful souls, the apostle Paul condemns in no uncertain terms to the Creator’s wrathful judgment (Romans 1:28-32).

 

The Brush-Off

 

Now, some who will listen to this post will brush it off thinking there’s nothing to see here beyond simply staking one’s position on the issue (I.e., either agreeing or disagreeing with Paul) and simply moving on with their day.

 

But the truth of the matter is that this issue is bigger than simply being “for” or “against” homosexuality or the LGBTQ community as it relates to one’s faith walk. For we are living in times where that which was once deemed evil is now deemed good; and that which was once deemed good, is now deemed evil (Isaiah 5:20).

 

The Influence and Pervasiveness of the LGBTQ Community

 

Folks, do not be taken unaware regarding the LGBTQ community’s influence and pervasiveness in various faith communities today. I’m here to tell you that the LGBTQ community is formidable. And they have been hard at work over the last three or so decades, systematically overturning and erasing the long-held understanding that homosexuality in all its forms is an abominable sin. The Judeo-Christian-based faith communities are supposed to be the primary source of this understanding for the whole of society. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that any faith community that remains steadfast in their rejection of homosexuality are marked targets by the LGBTQ community.

 

Thus, two primary goals of the LGBTQ community are to take away your freedom of speech (I.e., so that you will not be able to speak out against homosexuality) and your God-given right to worship YHVH, our Elohim (https://bereanresearch.org/homosexual-agenda). Why? Because the LGBTQ community clearly knows that they are spiritually on the wrong side of this issue and they refuse to be denied that which they so desperately desire for themselves and their community. And if it takes destroying you and me for them to achieve total freedom to force their abominable lifestyles upon the world and our innocent children, so be it.

 

Western Society Has Given in to the Lie About the Immorality of Homosexuality

 

In recent years western society has, for the most part, done an-about-face on the immorality of homosexuality. In most cases western society favors the LGBTQ community over the Judeo-Christian communities. Thus, people of Faith are finding themselves between “secular and spiritual rocks and hard places” as it relates to how they and their faith community should view the LGBTQ community.

 

Fear seems to be the driving force behind most faith communities’ backtracking on the immorality and sinfulness of homosexuality. And because of the virulence that generally underscores present day western sentiments regarding the LGBTQ community, many people of Faith do not wish to draw unwarranted attention to themselves. Most people of faith just want to live quiet, peaceful and prosperous lives. Many are fearful of being socially “canceled” or politically and legally “bullied” into accepting the LGBTQ community’s terms and lifestyle. So, in response to fears of reprisal from secular society, faith communities have themselves launched systematic processes of doctrinal and biblical compromise on this issue and have deemed homosexuality much less than immoral. (And we’ll touch more upon this later on in this post.)

 

Forced Interactions

 

And don’t diminish the seriousness of what I’m saying here on this topic. For there’s even more at stake than simply our Faith communities taking the path of least resistance and compromising on their doctrinal and scriptural beliefs. Because of the pervasiveness of sanctioned and encouraged, free and open homosexuality in our modern societies, most of us in one form or another are forced to interact firsthand with the LGBTQ community in either our personal, family, career, community or spiritual lives. And in so doing, many of us are forced into making tough decisions on how to deal with or respond to these forced interactions. 

 

Case-in-Point

 

Last year I received an email from a dear sister of our Faith community asking me if I, based on my understanding of the Hebrew scriptures, thought it was acceptable for her to support and attend her sibling’s same-sex wedding ceremony. And despite what she and I both knew to be the scripturally correct answer to her question, she was still struggling with that inevitable answer. She loved her sibling very much. So she did not want to damage in any way what appeared to be a very loving sibling relationship. Naturally, she found herself in what I would surmise to be a rather tortuous relational situation.

 

Now, whether or not she ended up attending her sibling’s ceremony or not, I’ll probably never know. But what that incident clearly showed me was that we are all potential candidates for a similar situation. And that situation doesn’t have to be limited to weddings mind you. It can easily fall within virtually every area of our personal and professional lives, whereby we find ourselves pressured into attending LGBTQ social events or fulfilling professional mandates that may be tied to a LGBTQ social event. And what if our refusal to participate in such an event adversely impacts, let’s say our careers or livelihoods—such as the baker who refused to create a cake for a gay-couple’s wedding a few years ago, which led to loss of business for him?

 

Don’t be snookered my friends. The LGBTQ community is coming for all of us in some form or another. And it’s going to come down to us making the hard decision whether to stand for Truth, or to compromise on that Truth just as so many fundamental Christian Church organizations have done on this issue in recent years. In fact, don’t be surprised if this issue is not one of the driving forces behind much of the persecution that Scripture warns most of us will have to endure in the End Times. Yes, it’s that serious!

 

So I have for you here today a two-part goal for this post. One, I want to establish exegetically and contextually what Paul is saying about homosexuality in our focus-passage. And two, I want to provide you with information regarding the LGBTQ’s tactics and strategies for making Yah’s people second guess what Father’s position—what the Bible’s position is on this issue.

 

Once again, our focus passage for this post is Romans 1:26-27. It reads:

 

Romans 1:26-27-“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections (NAB/NAU-degrading passions; NLT-shameful desires): for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature NAB–natural relations for unnatural; NET–natural sexual relations for unnatural ones).And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman (…gave up natural relations with women (ESV; NAB; RSV); abandoned natural relations with women (NET); instead of having normal sexual relations with women (NLT)), burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet (receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion (CJB); receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error (ESV; NAB; NAS; NET; NRS; RSV)).

 

With respect to Torah, a companion passages to our focus passage would be the following:

 

Gen 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

 

Leviticus 18:22--Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

 

Leviticus 20:13–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.

 

Deu 23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

 

Now, the LGBTQ community has been successful in amassing unto themselves an army of Judeo-Christian Truth-deniers who support the lie that nowhere is homosexuality mentioned in any of these passages, nor in the whole of scripture. According to these, homosexuality-homosexuals-gay-lesbian-bisexuals or any associated title or descripters are expressly mentioned in the bible. And in the community’s loose defense, they are correct: neither homosexuality nor any of its offspring titles and descriptors are to be found in the whole of scripture. In fact, the term homosexual (a Greek-Latin hybrid word by the way) was first coined in 1869, found in a German pamphlet by an Austrian-born novelist, arguing against a Prussian anti-sodomy law (Wikipedia).

So this being the case, I guess we all are to simply pick up our marbles and all go home, right?

Well no. This foolishness of rejecting certain biblical truths because certain modern English words are not found in the original ancient Hebrew, Koine Greek book of writings we know as the bible today is a common ploy of the Enemy and his ilk. And unfortunately, because of the rampant and pervasive biblical illiteracy that has taken hold in our western society today, most believers and non-believers are quick to fall for such trickery and underhanded manipulation of the Word of Yah.

Of course none of our modern terms and titles for the LGBTQ community will not be found in our English translations of the bible today because they were all pretty much translated from centuries’ old Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. So the opposition’s arguments against Paul speaking out against homosexuality, and by extension the LGBTQ community is baseless and evil.

 

Can we for sure conclude that the bible in fact prohibits homosexuality as an act; a lifestyle; and a mindset? Of course we can. If we are true to our understanding of the mind of the bible’s primary author, YHVH Elohim.

In other words, the true Child of the Most High will be filled with the Holy Spirit (I.e., the Ruach haKodesh). And that being the case, we are supposed to possess the Mind of Messiah (1 Cor. 2:16; Rom. 11:34; Phi. 2:5; Isa. 40:13). In possessing the mind of Messiah, which is an exact replication of the Mind of the Eternal—the Creator—YHVH our Elohim—then we will naturally recognize Yah’s Ways and much of His established purposes.

And since Paul emphatically stated that he possessed the mind of Messiah, then his stance/position on the issue of homosexuality should not be a mystery, nor should it defy the Creator’s original creative order, design and purpose for men and women.

 

Setting a Plan to Address This Issue

In order to truly understand where Paul is coming from in Romans 1:26-27, let’s first define homosexuality, cover a little of its history, and see how it is being manifested in modern western society. Then we’ll return to our focus passage and apply biblical reasoning to this issue and make a determination as to what Paul has to say about homosexuality.

Defining Homosexuality

 

In grouping this whole LGBTQ issue into the single term or title of homosexuality, we find that the term expresses sexual interest in and attraction to members of one’s own sex. The term “gay” is frequently used as a synonym for homosexual; female homosexuality is often referred to as “lesbianism.”

 

Secular History of Homosexuality

 

Homosexuality was common to ancient Greece and Rome. Shockingly, we’re coming to understand through recent discoveries made by classical anthropologists and archaeologists that certain affluent men in these ancient nations commonly engaged in disgusting relationships with adolescent males.

 

“Prior to the rise of Christianity, certain sexual practices that we today would classify as “homosexual,” had existed among certain groups, with some degree of social acceptance in ancient Rome and Greece (e.g., pederastic relationship of an adult Greek male with a Greek youth, or of a Roman citizen with a slave).”

 

Historic Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality

 

“Christian leaders have written about homosexual male–male sexual activities since the first decades of Christianity. Female–female sexual behavior was almost entirely ignored (John Shelby Spong, 2005; “The Sins of Scripture: Harper Collins).”

 

And so it has been that throughout most of traditional Christian history, the faith’s leaders and scholars and teachers have taught that homosexuality is immoral and sinful. However, it’s primarily been within the 20th century CE that “some prominent theologians and Christian religious groups have espoused a wide variety of beliefs and practices towards homosexuals, including the establishment of some ‘open and accepting’ congregations that actively support LGBT members, which they consider biblical in light of other rebukes in the New Testament that Christians might gloss over…”

The “Patristic Church Fathers” all supported the traditional understanding of Paul’s writing:

 

Tertullian: “When Paul asserts that males and females changed among themselves the natural use of the creature in that which is unnatural, he validates the natural way” (Roberts, A. and Donaldson, J.; 1885-6–“Ante-Nicene Fathers).

 

Ambrosiaster: “…It is clear that, because they changed the truth of God into a lie, they changed the natural use (of sexuality) into that use by which they are dishonored and condemned” (Vogels, Heinrich Joseph and Ambrosaiaster–1966).

 

And similarly John Chrysostom:

 

“In 342 AD, Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans decreed the death penalty for any male who ‘marries [a man] as a woman…[a situation in which] gender has lost its place” (Theodosian Code 9.7.3). In the year AD 390, the Christian emperors Valentinian II, Theodosius I and Arcardius denounced males ‘acting the part of a woman,’ condemning those who were guilty of such acts to be publicly burned” (Theodosian Code 9.7.6).

 

Historically, Christian churches regarded homosexual acts as sinful. This is apparently based on the Catholic understanding of the phrase “natural law” (i.e., those things intrinsic to human nature) and traditional interpretations of biblical passages. This remains the conventional position of most Christians, “including the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and some Protestant denominations, especially Evangelical churches such as the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church. Restorationist churches such as the LDS Church also view homosexuality as sinful.”

 

 

Opposing Views on Homosexuality

 

Despite what appears to have been consistent and unified historic Christian opposition to homosexuality, there are minority Christian groups today that interpret obvious anti-homosexual biblical passages such as those enumerated in this writing differently. These groups argue that homosexuality is morally acceptable. Interestingly, their pro-homosexual position has been adopted by the “United Church of Canada; the United Church of Christ; the Moravian Church; the Anglican Episcopal Church; the Anglican Church of Canada; the Liberal Catholic Church; Friends General Conference; the Presbyterian Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Many European Christian denominations have also adopted a pro-homosexual stance as well, including: the United, Reformed and Lutheran Churches.

 

Of late, the “metropolitan Community Church, boasting some 40,000 members, came into existence for the purpose of serving the so-called Christian LGBT community. Additionally, in 1989, “The Evangelical Network” –a network of churches, ministries and Christian workers–was formed with LGBT Evangelical Christians (Wikipedia).

 

Modern Judeo-Christian Perceptions on Homosexuality

 

Given all that’s been said here thus far about denominational and religious positions on homosexuality, there still remains the greater aspect of this issue that can’t easily be measured: the varying and often conflicted beliefs and feelings about homosexuality among self-proclaiming peoples of faith. As this Wikipedia article correctly states, “individual Christians maintain a variety of beliefs on this subject that may or may not correspond to their official church doctrines.”

 

Despite the general belief among Christian denominations that homosexuality is a sin that can’t be tolerated within their congregations, there seems to be a growing number of self-professing Christians who lean towards being pro-homosexual; or at the very least, these groups are tolerant of homosexuality within and without their communities. These believe and even teach that the Apostle Paul was simply condemning orgies, male slavery and prostitution in Romans 1:26-27.

 

Seemingly riding on the coat-tails of so-called people of faith who support homosexuality within the paradigm of their Faith, many sectors of modern Judeo-Christian thinking places greater emphasis on the acts of homosexuality over the individuals or the individuals’ inclination or orientation that their religions reject. And of course, a growing number of factions and sects within mainstream Protestantism and Reform Judaism have chosen to advocate the full acceptance of homosexuals and their lifestyles on theology that is completely foreign to orthodoxy and even sound biblical reasoning. Consequently, such departures from sound scriptural authority and teaching has resulted in schisms in and around certain Christian and Jewish denominations and sects (www.gaychurch.org).

 

A Rev. Justin Cannon, author of an article entitled “The Bible, Christianity and Homosexuality” contends homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle for Christians. Mr. Cannon provides his readers with the following defense to his troublesome position and I want you to pay close attention to the points of his defense. Why? Because these are well-established talking points used by some of the more liberal people of faith who tend to advocate for a wholesale acceptance of homosexuality by all Judeo-Christian sects and denominations:

 

  1. The term homosexuality is not found in scripture whatsoever.
  2. The term Sodomite refers only to the citizens of Sodom.
  3. The sins and judgment that befell Sodom was about violence and rape, not homosexuality.
  4. Paul is referring to male prostitutes and slave dealers, not homosexuals in our focus passage.
  5. Furthermore, Paul is condemning orgies, not homosexuality in our focus passage.
  6. The Creation Story in no way excludes or denounces homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. On the contrary, according to the Reverend Cannon, the Creation Story, contextually-speaking, is really a story about the heterosexuals Adam and Eve as opposed to any would-be homosexual couple. (I guess Rev. Canon is saying that the creation story could have just as much been a story about any homosexual couple as much as it was a story about a heterosexual couple.)
  7. Christ did away with the Levitical Purity Laws (as well as the whole of Torah we can safely imagine). Thus, homosexuality falls under the purity law (as well as it falls under the moral laws) that have been done away. Thus, the homosexual lifestyle is biblically acceptable. Today, the name of the game is “love.”

 

Now, I could do a two-hour post rebutting of each of Mr. Canon’s defense points. But for now, we can simply leave our rebuttal at none of what Mr. Canon writes above is true by any stretch of the imagination.

 

 

Christians React to the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage: 9-Key Findings–Barna.com–July1, 2015 and January 29, 2019

 

In a study conducted in 2015 by the Barna Group (a traditional/orthodox/fundamental/evangelical Christian Think-tank and research organization), one’s Christian identity is recognized through the practicing of one’s faith as opposed to the traditional self-profession of one’s faith. In other words, those that practice their faith (I.e., read their bibles on a regular basis; pray on a frequent basis; and those who attend church services on a frequent basis; such as those who are observant of the tenets of their faith) differ from those who are so-called “legacy” or “cultural” believers (I.e., those who verbally or who in writing identify themselves as Christian; who because they were raised Christian or who have officially affiliated with some Christian group or organization). All that said, Barna concluded that practicing or observant Christians tend to be far less likely to agree with same-sex unions than their identity, legacy counterparts–28% versus 43%. Furthermore, Evangelicals, more than any other Christian denominational segment, continues to strongly oppose same-sex marriages.

 

Strangely, adds Barna’s David Kinnaman, “many Christians, including evangelicals, are coming to the conclusion that it’s possible to support legal same-sex marriage and also affirm the church’s traditional definition of marriage.”

 

Here’s something else Mr. Kinnaman wrote on this issue that I found to be interesting: “Some have speculated that many young people have left the church because of the church’s traditional stance on LGBTQ issues. And while this study does not confirm such a contention, it certainly shows that inactive Christians are skeptical about a great deal of the Church’s authority on these kinds of matters.”Thus is seems that Mr. Kinnaman is insinuating that those who hold a pro-homosexual position in Christianity tend to be the ones who are either willfully or unwittingly ignorant of the “church’s” authority to lead and rule on this issue.

 

The problem I have with Mr. Kinnaman’s statement is the same problem I have with our cousins in Churchianity: all authority—period—rest with the Almighty and His eternal Word; not the Church. And I would submit the reason issues such as homosexuality being an acceptable Christian-lifestyle even exists is because the so-called church usurped YHVH’s authority over all things faith related. And when man decides to shove the Almighty to the side and take control of things of the faith, every sin known to Yah and man is in one form or another is allowed to manifest. Why? Because those who have stolen the authority Yah has over people and things of the faith refashion the Faith to reflect man’s sinful nature. Abba was clear that man’s ways are not His Ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts (Isa. 55:8).

 

And then, a 2019 Barna survey reported that 37% of Christian pastors feel pressured to speak out against issues related to the LGBT Community; and 32% same-sex marriage/gay rights. The report suggests that these pastors are afraid of offending some of their congregation, but they feel pressured by the mainstreamers in their congregations to speak up on those very same topics. Barna concluded that these pastors are having to deal with the disparities that exist between the popular laws of the land and God’s Laws. The distinction between these two sides seem clear to these affected pastors. Yet, in other areas, the lines of distinction are blurred. Thus Barna counseled that “when spiritual leaders consider which political issues to speak out on, it is important to be certain those issues are a universal good for human flourishing and not a matter of personal discipline, spiritual transformation or church community.”

 

 

The article goes on to say that “the pressure for faith leaders to satisfy everyone on all sides and to avoid offense, is very real today, especially in the digital era.” And clearly social media increases the stakes. Consequently, the very issues these pastors are feeling pressured to address, are those that they feel limited to address. Thus the article further counsels that pastors “must work to cultivate humility, discernment and courage in the midst of a divided culture…and these must be committed for the long haul, educating their people to respond with love and conviction, in word and deed. For this is the essence of discipleship.”

 

Liberal Judaism’s Strange Detour Towards Favoring Homosexuality

 

 

Judaism and Homosexuality: A Brief History–Haaretz–Zen Read ( https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium.MAGAZINE-judaism-and-homosexuality-a-brief-history-1.5390687)

 

Believe it or not, liberal Jews have over the last several decades on various platforms have cast suspicions that King David was gay or at least bisexual. Now, this so-called suspicion that David was gay or bisexual is supposedly based upon two verses in the first and second Samuel that they say speaks to an alleged relationship David had with Jonathan, King Saul’s son. This relationship is depicted as running deeper than the average friendship that two Hebrew males would generally share (1 Sam. 18:1; 2 Sam. 1:26).

 

Conservative commentators in general reject this line of thinking, citing the fact that such behavior was prohibited by Torah. And my response to that is simply this: I certainly don’t need a commentator, be they conservative or liberal, neither matters to me, to tell me that David would not have engaged or participated in any such homosexual relationship or lifestyle; Jonathan not withstanding.

 

Zen Read, author of an article published in Haaretz entitled, “Judaism and Homosexuality: A Brief History, wrote concerning homosexuality as a lifestyle in Judaism: “Various verses in the Book of Kings and elsewhere in the Bible seem to indicate that not only was homosexuality tolerated during the First Temple period, it was typical cultic behavior among the ancient Israelites at the time.”

 

To support this shocking claim, Read cites 1 Kings 14:24, which reads: “And there were also sodomites in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which YHVH cast out before the children of Israel” (KJV). The author contends that the “sodomites” as mentioned in this passage were actually male and female sacred prostitutes: men and women who resided in pagan temples and had sex with patrons as a form of deity worship. Read goes on to establish that pagan prostitution (NOT SACRED prostitution) was practiced in ancient Israel 2,700-years ago. Furthermore, such practices appear to have been ubiquitous in the Canaanite and Mesopotamia cultures of the ANE.

 

Continuing, the author contends that the pagan practice of pagan prostitution was brought to an end when a copy of Torah was discovered in the Temple under King Josiah. The author extrapolates that it was probably an early version of Deuteronomy that was discovered as opposed to the whole of Torah. And the portion of Deuteronomy that addressed the profane practice of pagan prostitution is Deuteronomy 23:17 which reads: “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.” Interestingly, the author claims that this translation is inaccurate and that the words rendered as “whore” and “sodomite” are the female and male versions of the Hebrew word for sacred prostitute (qedasha and qedosh).And thus, supposedly, it was this verse that led King Josiah to “break down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of YHVH” (2 Kings 23:7). Some suggest, as does this author, that certain men of ancient Judah not only engaged in homosexual acts, but likely practiced these profane acts in the Temple proper. And so the author decides to go full disclosure and contend that such practices would make allegations against David and Jonathan legitimate. (Oh Boy!)

 

And so! The Author now having outed himself emphatically states that the Deutoronomic passage cited above is not a ban on homosexuality, but a ban on pagan (what he calls sacred) prostitution. (Reference Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13) And again we run into someone else making outrageous claims that these prohibitive passages were written not by Moses, but by unnamed individuals during the Babylonian Exile or during the early Second Temple period (between the 6th and 4 centuries BCE).

 

Folks, do you not see what liberal Jews such as Mr. Read are doing to legitimize homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle in all Hebrew connected Faiths? These are launching a multi-front assault on the Peoples of Faith’s: (1) belief that Torah was passed down to Moshe by YHVH; (2) belief that scripture is Truth; and (3) belief and knowledge that homosexuality is condemned by YHVH through His Word. These are desperately trying to create a zest-pool environment of doubt in the minds of People of Faith. And that’s a terrible shame on these such liars and manipulators of Yah’s Word.

 

Concerning folks like Mr. Read, Yochanan the Revelator reported: “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

 

These still have time to repent from their wicked ways before that which is prophesied of in Revelation 21:8 takes place. The same Yochanan wrote in his first epistle that if any would “confess their sins, He (Yah) is faithful and just to forgive them of sins, and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness” (1 Joh. 1:9).

Believe it or not, there’s more: Read goes on to state that the Talmud does not condemn homosexuality. In making such a contention, Read provides the following Talmudic references: Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 13:3; Niddah 13b; Talmud, Yevamot 51b; Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, Binah 1:14. Now, I attempted to verify whether or not Read’s contentions were true by looking up his references. I was not able to find any such support for homosexuality as Read suggests. And even if I were able to find support for homosexuality in the Talmud, it wouldn’t matter one bit. Torah is the only authority on such matters, not the whims and foolish thoughts of a handful of ancient Rabbis on matters of Torah.

 

The one thing that should be common knowledge to all, regardless whichever side one stands on this issue is the fact that Hebrew has no dedicated word for homosexuality; just the words to describe homosexual acts. And the tragedy that we’ve seen played out in our discussion here today is that the pro-homosexuality side of the argument uses the absence of the term homosexual and homosexuality in scripture to support their claims that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle for God’s people. Very disturbing indeed.

 

The Inclusion of Pedophilia Into the Discussion

 

We cannot do just to the subject of homosexuality/LGBTQ in relation to Torah and Paul’s writings without mentioning the abominable, disgusting subject of pedophilia. Recently, abhorrent practice of pedophilia has found a home in the LGBTQ Community. Think I’m lying? Well, just recently California passed what has been labeled as SB (California Senate Bill) 145. SB 145 is a bill that would decriminalize the sexual abuse of children (children under the age of 18-years) and legalize pedophilia in the state. Of course, the authors of this bill vehemently deny this is the case. But the truth of the matter is that this law would make sexual abuse of a minor, in this case ages 14 to 17, by an adult who is within 10-years of age of the minor in question. And the reason this bill was written and introduced in the California Senate in the first place is that members of the LGBTQ community complained that the existing laws that require judges to classify the convicted pedophiles as sex offenders was “more inclusive for the LGBTQ community” (Associated Press; “Bill would not legalize pedophilia in California; 9/10/20). Of course, as you can see in this example, it appears that the mainstream press is supportive of this bill specifically because the LGBTQ Community is in large part behind it.

 

So, if that fact that homosexuality is viewed by the Almighty as abominable sin punishable by death weren’t enough (Lev. 20:13), the LGBTQ Community has of late associated herself with pedophilia. It would appear that there simply are no limits to this community’s depravity. And when the subject of homosexuality being an acceptable lifestyle within and without our Faith Community comes up (and it does come up from time to time), we must be ready to give “every person an answer that asks us why we believe what we believe with meekness and fear; having a good conscience; whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversations in Messiah” (1 Pet. 3:15-16).

 

So now let’s look at the true biblical understanding of homosexuality.

 

 

The Biblical Understanding of Homosexuality

 

Beginning with verse 18 of our focus passage Romans 1:18:

 

 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 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. (Rom 1:18-25 KJV)

 

 

The Anger/Wrath of Yah:

 

We learn from this passage that the wrath (I.e., the “anger”) of Yah is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The wrath of God refers to his personal anger against sin. God’s anger is neither selfish or arbitrary. However, Yah’s wrath does in fact represent His holy and loving response to human wickedness. (I know this sounds ludicrous to those who are unfamiliar with the Ways of Yah, but Yah’s wrath is a loving response to human wickedness because He loves His human creation and His human creation’s evil ways provokes Yah to wrath. How so? Yah cannot tolerate sin nor does He tolerate seeing His human creation suffer under the scourge and deleterious effects of sin. Thus, it should be somewhat easy to rationalize that if Yah did nothing to address evil, it would prove that He did not love His human creation. And because He loves His human creation so much, He hates to see anything evil overtaking them. Thus one can say that “love cares” (Amy K. Hall; “God’s Wrath is His Love Reacting to Evil; 2/7/2018). Love cannot be indifferent to evil. And this must be the mind that we, YHVH’s elect and children must have towards sin. We’ve all heard it said that we should love the sinner but hate the sin. And biblically this is a correct position for all of us in the Faith to have. However, the child of Yah must also separate themselves from those who practice sin and petition the Almighty to free their friends and family members from the sins that beset them so that they do not endure Father’s impending wrath.)

 

 

What does scripture tell us about the anger or wrath of the Almighty?

 

  • Averted by Messiah’s blood—Romans 5:9; Joh. 3:14-18; Rom. 5:1.
  • That wrath is averted simply through confession of sin and repentance— 106:43-45; Jer. 3:12,13 18:7,8; Joe. 2:12-14; the parable of the prodigal son: Luk.15:18-20.
  • Yah’s wrath is manifested in terrors—(confusion) 14:24 (earthquakes) Jer. 10:10; (the enemy of the nations kill and destroy) Lam. 2:20-22. Yah’s wrath is manifested in judgments and afflictions—(death angel) Psa. 78:49-51; (by famine) Isa. 9:19; (natural disasters) Jer. 7:20; (life becomes of no value) Eze. 7:19; (wandering in the wilderness) Heb. 3:17.
  • Yah’s wrath is aggravated by continual provocation— 32:14.
  • Yah’s wrath is especially reserved for the Great Tribulation— 1:14-18; Mat. 25:41; Rom. 2:5-9’ 2 The. 1:8; Rev. 6:17; 11:18; 19:15.
  • Yah’s wrath is against:
    • The wicked— 7:11; 21:8,9; Isa. 3:8; 13:9; Nah. 1:2,3; Rom. 1:18; 2:8; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6.
    • Those who forsake Him— 8:22; Isa. 1:4.
    • Those who do not have a trusting Faith in Him— 3:36.
    • The impenitent— 2:5.
    • Continued willful sins— 10:26, 27.
    • Idolatry— 29:20, 27, 28; 32:19-22; Jos. 23:16; 2 Kin. 22:17; Psa. 78:58,59; Jer. 44:3. 

 

It should come as no surprise that homosexuality, along with a host of other sins garner the wrath of Yah. Shaul, in teaching the Assembly Members of Colossae about personal sin, wrote:

 

“We are to be dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, greed/idolatry. Such things are common to the children of disobedience. And because these things are common to the children of disobedience, they will receive the wrath of Yah” (Col. 3:5-6).

 

Immorality, impurity, passions, evil desires, greed and idolatry, according to Shaul, will receive Yah’s Wrath. And because these perversions and sins are common to the “children of disobedience” (disobedience to what? Disobedience to Torah and the teachings of Yeshua our Mashiyach), all punishable by the wrath of YHVH, man has sought to cover-up or suppress Yah’s Truths. In fact, mankind’s natural propensity is to “suppress the Truth” of Yah in order to justify–promote–protect their own godless lifestyles. Haven’t we seen explicit examples of this by those advocating for the acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle within and without Judeo-Christian Communities in our discussion here today? Of course we have.

 

And I of course would be most remiss if I did not point out that each of us is deserving of Yah’s wrath. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of YHVH according to Shaul (Rom. 3:23). The difference is that those of us who profess Yahoshua as our Messiah have repented from our evil ways and we have stopped being children of disobedience. We have instead taken up Yah’s way of life. And because of our Master’s sacrifice and our turning away from sin and turning to Yah and His ways, we are no longer “children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). Instead, we have become children of light (Joh. 12:36).  

 

Many spiritual social justice warriors operating in our world today might argue that we cannot know the Almighty’s ways and position on various social issues. Why? Because according to these, not everything is covered in the Bible, including homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. And the handful of passages in scripture that we may traditionally think or have been taught as being condemnatory towards homosexuality is really not condemnatory at all, but are in fact mistranslations and misinterpretations. (”The droids you’re looking for are not here.”) And the fact that the bible does not condemn homosexuality verbatim is a clear signal that it is an acceptable lifestyle both within and without our Faith Community. Yeah. Good try.

 

But the Apostle Shaul takes a different perspective on those spiritual social justice warriors’ foolish ideas regarding such sinful lifestyles. In verse 19, Shaul argues that the existence of Yah is evident to His human creation. Furthermore, Yah’s attributes, power and divine nature is clearly seen in His creation. And if that’s not enough, scripture teaches that Yah’s breath inhabits every living human being. Therefore, each person has a natural, automated inner sense of Yah’s Person and character. Yet people purposely suppress that internal witness/Truth about Yah that dwells within them in order that they may live lives on their own evil terms. They will thus justify the evil they’re living in order to cover-up and hide that internal, spiritual testimony that every human being naturally possesses.

 

But this covering-up that the workers of iniquity are accustomed to doing will not save them from Yah’s wrath. For no human has an excuse. Each person inherently knows the Truth. We know that at an early age, children naturally know when they’re doing wrong. Regardless, those who refuse to repent and turn from their wicked ways will experience Yah’s wrath.

 

We learn from verse 22 that those who reject Yah’s natural revelation and internal witness turn themselves over to futile reasonings (1:22) which include:

 

  1. Idolatry (1:23)
  2. Sexual immorality (1:24)
  3. Service to the enemy (1:25).

 

And when a person reaches this level of depravity, they’ve fallen outside the authority of Yah in their lives. And the only way some of them can be delivered from this damnable state is by them experiencing Yah’s love and wrath. Ultimately, faith in Messiah is the only solution to this hopeless situation.

 

 

Those who refuse to be convinced otherwise, Yah gives them over (in the lust of their hearts) to impurity and a reprobate mind so that their bodies are dishonored among them (verses 24 and 28).

 

Unfortunately in our day, we see that those who willfully persist on maintaining such ungodly lives receive reinforcement of their perverse lifestyles (verse 25). The media/entertainment industry shove these perverse ideals down the throats of every human being within earshot and eye-shot of their filthy dribble. And they do this on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute basis. And we are told by these evil operators that homosexuality and other perverse lifestyles are indeed honorable and respectful lifestyles that we all must openly embrace, or else…you’re a bigot; you’re not a true believer; you’re the evil one. These then, exchanged the Truth of Yah for the lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator.

 

No truer words have been written: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20)!

 

 

According to Messianic Jewish scholar and commentator J.K. McKee, idolatry is an integral element of the sin of fornication. McKee cites Wisdom 14:12 as a support passage for this contention:

 

”For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them was the corruption of life.”

 

We know this to be a true statement. For the enemy has throughout human history enticed men to worship false gods by employing fornication into pagan temple worship rites. We touched briefly on this earlier when we discussed how certain faith-based homosexual advocates falsely claim scripture does not condemn homosexuality, but instead condemns pagan temple prostitution and the practice of abusing male children as was common among the Greeks and Romans. Another way of looking at this thing is that those who engage in such perverseness and lifestyle are making the conscious decision to worship themselves and their bodies over that of worshiping the Creator of the Universe. The human body becomes the idol to be worshiped through perverse acts and lifestyle.  

 

Although homosexuality as a stand alone term is nowhere to be found in scripture, the sinful act is in fact given a title which is, in the Greek, “para phusin,” which simply means “contrary to nature” (ESV) or “unnatural” (RSV/NASU). Thus, homosexuality is a sin against Yah’s natural creative order and the original intent/purpose for Yah’s human creation. It is perversion against the marital, heterosexual union and act of procreation (Gen. 1:28). It is contrary to nature.

 

 

And let me be clear here: fornication and adultery are also capital sins (I.e., sins punishable by death). So those who get on their high horses and condemn those who are caught in the sinful snare of homosexuality, but they themselves are caught in the sinful snare of fornication and adultery; including pornography; womanizing; spouse swapping; and other such sinful behavior are also destined to received Yah’s wrath. Nevertheless, homosexuality falls within that troublesome class of sins that Abba refers to as abominable. 

 

Sexual relationships that are conducted within the confines of marriage honor Yah. For it is consistent with the original intent of marriage. Yet when man or angelic creatures go about distorting and destroying the natural order of Yah on this earth, these bring dishonor to Yah and His sacred institution of marriage. The writer of Hebrews penned: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers Yah will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

 

Messianic scholar and commentator Tim Hegg notes that “there are passions which honor God and there are those which do not. Here, then, is an important truth, that when our passions align with God’s creative purpose, they are honorable. But when they do not, they are ‘dishonorable’ or ‘degrading.’ They not only dishonor God, but they also dishonor mankind who were created in His image.”

 

The apostle places a great deal of emphasis upon the maintenance of Yah’s natural creative order. And it is within this natural creative order that we may find our eternal purpose. Creation is simply an expression or revelation of its Creator. That being said, every component of creation has a divine purpose. Therefore, when people or angelic beings set out to disrupt the natural creative order (in whatever way their evil minds and hearts devise, in this case through homosexuality let’s say), they have robbed Yah of His brilliance and glory and design.

 

Bottom line, homosexuality is a sin against both Yah and mankind. Yah designed man and woman in such a way that the institution of marriage provides the married couple the wonderful gift of intimacy. This gift is an expression of Yah’s love for his human creation. And although marriage was originally intended, primarily, to bring the man and woman into a single unit for service and worship of Yah, it also provided the means by which children would be brought into this world and increase the imaging of Yah on this planet. Is it not reasonable to conclude, then, that homosexuality is a direct assault on the Creator’s eternal, holy purpose of reflecting His image on this planet? For when homosexuality is practiced physically and within the degraded hearts and minds of the homosexual, the sanctity of marriage is undermined; the physical purpose of man and women are undermined; the commandments of the Almighty are violently transgressed. Consequently, Yah’s image is systematically erased from creation. Is this not then the baseline plan of the enemy—to undermine the Almighty physically and spiritually through every iteration of Yah’s creation?

 

Consequently, those that practice homosexuality and who engage in willful sin of every sort will not enter the Kingdom of Yah. Of this the Apostle Shaul wrote:

 

 

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.(1Co 6:9-10 KJV) 

 

 Call to Action

 

How do we treat the LGBTQ Community as Yah’s elect? Well, we must view homosexuality from YHVH’s holy and righteous perspective and Yah’s perspective is captured in His Torah. Yah sees homosexuality as an abomination. But from a Yeshua-focused Torah-living perspective, we must also view homosexuality as a perversion of Yah’s creative order and Yah’s intended way of life for His human creation. Therefore, homosexuality must be dealt with like any other sin. It must be eliminated.

 

The gospel, as with any other sin and perverted lifestyle, offers a solution to the sin which is homosexuality. The solution to homosexuality is the adoption of a lifestyle that Yah has ordained for those whom He chooses as His children. But it requires one turn over their life to YHVH and abandon their former life of sin for a holy and righteous lifestyle that He has created exclusively for those whom He loves (Deu. 5:33; 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 30:16; 2 Chr. 7:14). Which means after repenting from the sin of homosexuality, the converted one must stop sinning and obey Yah’s Torah and the teachings of Yeshua, His Mashiyach. This change in lifestyle results in freedom, forgiveness, and healing (Luk. 4:18). The thoughts and heart that are behind the homosexual lifestyle must also be dealt with, just as with all heterosexual sins that are associated with lust (Mat. 5:28). The sinner must be shown the error of their ways and be encouraged to confess their sins to Yah and seek Yah’s forgiveness; seek Yah’s transformative Spirit to change them from the inside out. We must be available to provide the counsel and direction the LGBTQ community members need in order to establish a true and substantive relationship with the Almighty so that they may escape the wrath to come. Of this James, the half-brother of our Master Yahoshua wrote:

 

“…he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death (that’s love my friend); and shall hide a multitude of sins (5:20).

 

But we cannot compromise Torah’s stance on this critical issue. In other words, there’s no covering up this sin by the twisting of scripture in favor of a homosexual lifestyle. There’s no turning a blind eye to this sin (or for that matter any ongoing sins) in our midst. The apostle Shaul counseled that we not associate with the LGBTQ community just like we must not associate with those who live pervasively sinful lifestyles (1 Cor.5:11; 2 Cor. 6:14 Psm. 1:1; 1 Cor. 15:33).

 

As I mentioned earlier in this discussion, at some point in our walk with Mashiyach, we will be faced with an LGBTQ situation: be it within our families; our circle of friends; our community; and our jobs. And we’re going to be forced to take a side. And the side we as the elect of Yah must take on the LGBTQ question is definitely not a popular one in 2020. In fact, the side we are required to take as Yah’s beloved may get us in trouble in one form or another: loss of job; loss of freedom (I.e., incarceration); loss of family and friends; loss of respect in the community; and even loss of our life. But we can take Yah’s side in a way that brings glory and honor to Him and that at least (hopefully so) plants the seed for those involved to come into Truth someday and become a true Child of Yah. We just need to do everything we do in love:

 

“Be holy and without blame before Him in love…” (Eph. 1:4).

 

“Speak the truth in love…” (Eph. 4:15).

 

“Walk in love as Messiah also hath loved us…” (Eph. 5:2).

 

Shalom.