Romans 1:26-27 “26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 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.”
Homosexuals challenge the view of condemnation against homosexuality from this passage by understanding that this passage is not about condemnation of homosexual behavior but rather it only disapproves of sexual behavior that is against a person's basic nature or sexual orientation.
According to their understanding, Paul criticized the people because they were engaged in sexual activity which was unnatural for them, not homosexual behavior. For a person with a heterosexual orientation (men with women and vice versa) , homosexual behavior (men with men or women with women) is "shameful," "unnatural," "indecent," and a "perversion." But for a person with a homosexual orientation, homosexual behavior would be natural for them thus this passage doesn’t apply condemnation to them as they are only involve in sexual relation which was natural to their homosexual orientation.
In simply term, a straight man should not have homosexual behavior while a “gay” or “lesbian” can because it is natural for them. Thus, Paul didn’t condemn homosexual behavior but sexual behavior that is against a person's natural sexual orientation (i.e. homosexual behaviors by people whose orientation is heterosexual).
As C. Ann Shepherd writes: "When the scripture is understood correctly, it seems to imply that it would be unnatural for heterosexuals to live as homosexuals, and for homosexuals to live as heterosexuals.”
BUT we need to understand this passage correctly by clearly understanding without twisting what the word “natural” and “unnatural” was actually referring to as this is where the above mentioned homosexual view is incorrectly based upon.
The Scripture didn’t speak of natural or unnatural sexual orientation but natural and unnatural functions. The homosexual view is based out of context upon how they feel (sexual orientation) but not their behavior in the sexual functions thus it is interpreted incorrectly. This passage in Romans was referring to what they did (behavior in sexual functions), not how they feel (sexual orientation). Thus this passage is indeed condemnation of homosexual behavior as unnatural function and nothing to do with sexual orientation.
Though one may say that “inflamed with lust for one another” was referring to sexual orientation but as we carefully read the passage, the unnatural orientation or desire is a result of one abandoning of the natural sexual functions and not the other way around. Thus one cannot say biblically that they abandon heterosexual functions because of their homosexual orientation.
Therefore, the homosexual challenge of this correct view is false based on inaccurate interpretation and out of biblical context without clear understanding of the Scripture.
My personal stand is against one who practice homosexual behavior, not one with homosexual orientation because it is a sin only when a person succumb to its sinful nature and act against the Bible’s teaching and value, not before or when a person struggles to break free from it. When a person study and understand homosexuality, one would discover the many factors which give birth to the homosexual orientation and at times it isn’t the person’s “fault” but genetics, hormones, environment and other factors. This does not mean God created them with homosexual orientation but it is sin that corrupts God’s original design and creates much sinful desire in human, just like any other human sinful desires which God did not create but was inherited through generations of sinful humans.
Yet I stand firm to also say that one must never make this as an excuse to act out the sin but to overcome it to improve as a person. Just like all of us who may not need to deal with homosexual orientation, but we do deal with other sinful desires such as lust, anger, selfishness, pride, envy, haughtiness and others. We deal with it by overcoming it, not acting it out and satisfactory accepting it as part of our personality. We seek help from others, even self-help to improve as a person so why should one who has homosexual orientation succumb to it and practice this sinful lifestyle which enslaves? When one is in wrong, one need to admit and recognise the wrong before able to change or else, one would be able to find 1001 reasons to justify the wrong as right.
I plead with Christians to show understanding and concern out of love, not prejudice or fear, to help and lead practicing homosexuals to God to set them free, like you would with every other people who are in sin. Remember each one of us is struggling with sin and we need compassion and Truth to set us free. Christians are no different as we too fight against sinful temptations and desires as we are being sanctified every day. This is what it means by new life in Christ where we no longer need to obey sin but able to freely obey Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. Thus let us not add pain to those who are trapped in sin, but extend our loving hand to give hope and truth of freedom in Christ Jesus. But do this also without compromising the truth and faith in God’s Word against homosexual practices.
