It was wonderful to hear theologian N. T. (Tom) Wright say Paul's theology of love is more important than what Paul writes about obeying the Jewish laws and rules of behaviour. N. T. Wright spoke about laws vs love in Romans all on the Slow Theology Podcast, also available on YouTube.
Romans 8 acknowledges our present suffering, our groaning, creation groaning, and the Holy Spirit groaning. N. T. Wright relates this to the Israelites groaning in slavery in Egypt as they waited to be freed.
I relate this groaning to the labour of childbirth (Romans 8:22). As a mother, the Holy Spirit groans in giving birth to our new life (John 6:63). Paul talks about the groaning and pains of childbirth as we wait to be born as children of God, freed as heirs with the rights of sons.
The inheritance is not all about going to heaven; it is about being a renewed creation. The story of the Bible is how God comes to dwell on earth to rescue, redeem and renew all creation.
N. T. Wright says that Paul is discussing how we will groan, labour, and lament in this life. Lament is a form of worship, a way to bring our mess to God. God laments in the heart of this world by coming as the Spirit to live in us.
Our focus should be reading the Gospels, which remind us that God loved us enough to come into our world. If you see Jesus, you have seen the Father. Jesus is the way to know the Father. N. T. Wright says we should put a priority on reading the Gospels because it is through Jesus that we know God. We should not start with a concept of God and squeeze Jesus into our framework. We need to understand Paul's letters through the Gospel message, instead of bending the Gospels to fit into a narrow view of Paul's letters.
Jesus broke the barriers between us (Ephesians 2:14). We can only dissolve barriers between us by being completely saturated in God's love. Intellectuals and theologians often neglect love or put it as a small piece of ethical Christian living. N. T. Wright says that the love of God is poured into our hearts through the Spirit (Rom. 5:5).
N. T. Wright states that love is over, under, and through all of Paul's letters and by being completely filled with God's love we are able to be united in Christ and break down the barriers between male/female, slave/citizen, and Jew/Gentile (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11, 1 Corinthians 12:13).
N. T. Wright explains that Romans 8:28 is often misunderstood. What it actually says is that God works with those who love him, those who allow the Spirit to work in their hearts, to produce the good fruit that the Spirit desires. This passage is not about salvation; it's about calling humans to groan, lament and labour with the Spirit dwelling in us to give birth to our new life. If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, you will have a new life, be a new creation (Rom. 8:9-11) and the love of God makes us more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37-39).
Reflections on LGBTQ+ Affirmation
Unfortunately, N. T. Wright has not followed his theology to its own conclusion and he continues to deny gay equality. His theology would lead to the conclusion of affirming LGBTQ+.
When we are saturated in God's love and put a priority on love, that love can break the barriers between heterosexual/ homosexual just as it breaks dividing walls between other people groups. Seeing God through Jesus leads us to see all people with God's love. While Romans 1 discusses the behaviours of Gentiles, Romans 2 says if you condemn the Gentiles of Romans 1, you condemn yourself.
God does not make us conquerors of our homosexuality; Homosexuality does not separate you from God's love. God created you as you are and loves you. LGBTQ+ people can know that this passage is written for you:
"You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth." Psalm 139:13-15
Natural: Culturally
In Romans 1, Paul discusses how the Gentiles in Rome "exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural". In Romans, Paul discusses what is 'natural' using the same language he uses in discussing hair length (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). Paul says it is 'natural' for a man to have short hair or a shaved head but 'disgraceful' for a woman to have short hair or a shaved head. We understand that was true in the first century but does not apply today as a rule that women must have long hair and men must have short hair. Paul was using "natural" to mean a cultural standard as it existed at the time. Paul contrasts abusive and appropriate couplings using the same culturally specific 'natural' and 'disgraceful'.
Natural: Biologically
Ancient philosophers felt that any sexual act not aimed at procreation is unnatural, including masturbation, anal or oral sex, the use of contraception, or sex after menopause. These acts that don't result in procreation may be moral but called unnatural because they don't propagate the species. Biologists have found a percentage of over 450 species engage in same-gender sexual activity, including rams, black swans, penguins, giraffes, and primates.
We know that it is natural for a percent of the population to be same-sex-oriented. Homosexuality is a natural and normal part of God's creation. We know now that some humans are naturally attracted to members of the same gender. Sexual orientation is not chosen but is discovered as a child matures into a sexual being. For a homosexual, it would be unnatural to go against their God-given nature to be with someone of the opposite gender.
Natural: Selfishly
Human nature often drives us to greed and selfish fulfillment of needs and desires. Matthew Vines, author of God and the Gay Christian and founder of The Reformation Project, says that in Romans 1, Paul is addressing unrestrained lust, not sexual orientation. Paul argues in Romans 1 that Gentiles are condemned for violating the laws of nature they know through God's creation and in Romans 2, Jews are condemned for violating the Laws of Moses. First-century society thought that heterosexual relations would satisfy a normal appetite, and only insatiable lust would lead to same-sex relations. Paul says people put their salvation at risk if they steal, kidnap, take charge of prostitutes, or use prostitutes. Paul calls out heterosexual and homosexual men who lack self-control and sexually abuse or exploit a weaker partner, a vulnerable woman, or a young boy. He calls out anyone who is promiscuous, abusive, exploitative, or involved in child prostitution or pornography. Exploitive, abusive behaviour is immoral - whether by heterosexuals or homosexuals.
Conclusion
Paul is writing about love. LGBTQ people are affirmed knowing that the Bible is for all people.
"Nothing can separate us from the love of God" (Romans 8:38-39)
God is neither male nor female and uses the plural pronoun "our":
God said, "Let us make humans in our image" (Genesis 1:26)
Queer Christian Hannah Grace Melia sees the rainbow as both a symbol of God's promise to offer protection and a symbol for the LGBTQ community. Queer and cisgender are both under the protection of God's love.
Elaine Ricker Kelly Author is empowering women with historical fiction about women in the Bible and early church and Christian blogs about women in leadership, church history and doctrine. Her books include:
Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold, Book 1 (2022)
The Sword A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role (2023)
Because She Was Called: from Broken to Bold, Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church, imagines Mary Magdalene's trip to testify before the emperor (2024)
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience (2024)
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