To read this study in a modern English version Go Here
- To begin with, please read Romans chapter 1. I'll be using the Authorized King James Version throughout.
The context of this section begins here:
Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
Paul, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins the topic by stating that he is talking about the Gospel of Y'shua and how it must be preached and practiced, and how those who love God will accept it joyfully. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) Christians like all other sincere Believers accept the Gospel both readily and joyfully.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven upon those who hold this truth in unrighteousness. We are therefore speaking of people who hold God's spiritual Truth and salvation in unrighteousness, i.e. we are discussing abuses done in the name of religious truth. Devout Christians do not knowingly do this regardless of the sexual orientation.
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
"Because that which may be known of God..." Again, religious truth is the topic, not sexual orientation or even sexual morality. 'That which may be known' of God' is that which has been revealed in the Holy Scriptures and by the Holy Spirit. These things attest to God's righteousness and should be honored.
Romans 1:20 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:
Paul is saying that from what is visible the invisible is revealed. God, His existence, and His eternal Truth is revealed to everyone with eyes to see through ordinary human senses. We can behold the handiwork of God all around us if we but look and these things confirm God's existence, hence we have no excuse to deny God's presence and His involvement. Note that again and still the topic of this section is how we know God. This is not a section on sexual mores. We continue reading...
Romans 1:21 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.
These people being discussed knew God but they chose to submit themselves to the products of their "vain imaginations" rather than the True God. There is an interesting clue as to the meaning of these verses that I will return to below. But for now, note that rather than worshiping the One God Whose Glory is revealed all around us, these people employed their imaginations and worshiped things are were not real. We are still discussing religion here not sexuality.
Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.
The meaning of these people using their vain imaginations as described in the previous verse in their worship is now clear. These people claimed to be wise in their spiritual beliefs, and yet they were foolish. They rejected the One True God and worshiped idols.
We learn more about these acts in the Tanack (Hebrew Scriptures). Male and female temple prostitutes (Qadesh and Qadeshah respectively) acted as sexual surrogates for the Pagan worshipers at temples throughout the Romans world. The Hebrew Scriptures refer to such religious acts as abominations or tow'ebah. Several verses speak specifically about this. For instance:
Deuteronomy 23:17: "There shall be no female temple prostitutes [Qadeshah] of the daughters of Israel, nor male temple prostitutes [Qadesh] of the sons of Israel..."
For more on this see my study Note that we are still talking about religious practices and abuses, not sexuality (even though this common form of Pagan worship included sexuality. The Roman Empire of the First Century, including sections of Jewish Judea, had several centers of such worship.
"WHEREFORE..." i.e. because they rejected God and worshiped idols and followed the paths of their vain imaginations rather than worshiping the One True God... FOR THIS REASON God gave these people up to their lusts.
The CONTEXT of these lusts is the unauthorized desire-based religious practices of the Qadeshah and the Qadesh. These verses have nothing to do with modern day consensual sexual relationships, whether they be heterosexual or homosexual.
As was common throughout the very religious Roman Empire, such idol worship included the sexual 'sacrifices' and the rites of the Qadeshah and Qadesh in the guise of the Pagan deities.
"WHO..." i.e. these worshipers of the Pagan gods.
"FOR THIS REASON..." i.e. because these people exchanged the worship of the true God for idols and their sex rites, for that reason, God "gave them up" to their own carnal desires.
The natural use or purpose of sexuality according to the Bible is procreation AND building/sustaining strong marital relationships (comp. I Cor 7:2). These people however were using their sexuality "against nature" by employing it to worship the idols of false gods.
These worshipers were "working that which is unseemly." The use of the word "working" shows that there was a specific end result in mind, i.e. earning the blessings of the Pagan deities, the normal reason for all idolatry. All they received for their "work" however was venereal diseases "...and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was fitting..." The sex cults throughout the empire were hotbeds of sexual diseases and the worshipers often became infected.
THOSE WHO TWIST these scriptures by saying they refer to HIV in our contemporary culture -- and I know some of you are out there! -- need to consider that this verse is the only one in the Bible which can be TWISTED to include lesbians. And yet lesbians remain among the lowest at risk for HIV and, after years of education, the gay male community is no longer the highest at-risk group. If this dreadful illness were God's wrath against homosexuals neither would be the case, nor would children be so at risk, nor the disabled, nor those in need of blood transfusions etc..
"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge...." The subject is still religious faith; it has not changed. These people did not want to acknowledge the true God's existence. They preferred to worship idols of their own imaginings and trust in dangerous sex rites for their salvation. AGAIN AND STILL the subject matter, the context, is not homosexuality but idolatry. The sex rites included both heterosexual and homosexual unions with the Qadeshah and the Qadesh.
FOR THIS REASON, because of their spiritual harlotry, God gave them over to a "reprobate mind" and allowed them to believe that their false worship was approved by God when in reality, they were in direct opposition to God's holy will due to their pseudo-spiritual abuses.
In sharp contrast with this, LGBT Christian ministries are growing like wild fire, individual independent churches, groups like the Alliance of Christian Churches, the Gay Pentecostal Alliance, The Evangelical Network, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and so on, are now home to thousands of sincere homosexual followers of Y'shua who WANT God in their knowledge, their minds, their hearts and in their lives just as all other sincere Christians do. In addition to these ministries, more and more mainline churches and denominations are becoming "reconciling and affirming" of LGBT people. This fact alone demonstrates that these verses are not referring to gay and lesbian Christian people.
As with any other community, lesbians and gays vary as to their acceptance and understandings of the Gospel message. A very large percentage of those who are not "pro-Jesus" have had their hearts hardened by abuses which well meaning Christians have subjected them to. The Church is failing miserably at evangelizing this community and will doubtless be held accountable by the one who said "Whoever comes unto Me I will in no case reject."
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:" What resulted from their being "given over to a reprobate mind?" As a result of their religious rebellion against God, they developed the various moral weaknesses described in these verses. LGBT Christians, like all other sincere Believers, seek to avoid such traits in their lives.
"Who knowing..." i.e. the people being discussed in the previous verses, these idolatrous worshipers who are filled with all unrighteousness etc., "knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death..." That idolatry including the services of the temple prostitutes and their abominations merited the death penalty under the Mosaic Law is clear. As explained elsewhere however, despite the two verses in Leviticus which are sometimes cited, homosexuality is not a capital offense nor even negatively commented upon in the Torah.
Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here!Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 1:26 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:
27 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 recompense of their error which was meet.Romans 1:28 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 1:29-31:
Romans 1:32 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.
Just as YOU are!
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