How can I be a Christian and affirm LGBTQ+?
I believe in God and the Bible.
I believe God loves the whole world and Jesus came to reconcile all people with God.
Did Jesus condemn a homosexual person? No.
Did Jesus condemn sexual diversity? No.
Did Paul condemn homosexuality? No. He condemned sexual immorality.
Traditionally the church understood "sexual immorality" to refer to homosexuality. Perhaps that was easier than understanding "sexual immorality" to mean things that are common struggles for heterosexuals: lust, sexual exploitation, abuse, and unfaithfulness. Today's Christians are taking a closer look at what the Bible says.
"At the heart of the claim that the Bible is clear "that homosexuality is forbidden by God" is poor biblical scholarship and a cultural bias read into the Bible." - Human Rights Campaign (a)
Let's take a look at a range of Christian positions on what the Bible says about sexual attraction, orientation, and activity.
We'll start with a few definitions:
Anti-Gay/Side X Christianity: Homosexual attraction and homosexual activity are both sins. No one is born with an alternate orientation; same-sex attraction is a sinful choice and conversion therapy is an option. All people are either male or female and there is nothing in between. LGBTQ+ cannot be Christians unless they stop being LGBTQ+. Prayer can change a gay person to match the heterosexual norm.
Welcoming LGBTQ+/Side Y Christianity: All are welcome. As a result of original sin, some people are born LGBTQ+. Both same-sex orientation and activity are sins. Homosexuals must confess and repent of same-sex orientation, attraction, activity and practice. Prayer can prevent homosexuals from acting on their orientation. Welcoming churches may acknowledge LGBTQ+ as Christians and permit them to take communion as long as they repent of same-sex attraction and activity and turn away from these sins. LGBTQ+ may not lead worship songs, preach, or teach. They are also prohibited from getting married, having children, or being a godparent.
Accepting / Side B Christianity: All are welcome; God creates some people from birth as LGBTQ+ and sexual orientation is not a sin. Since orientation is a gift from God, discrimination should be avoided. Homosexuals do not need to repent of the way God made them. However, homosexual activity is incompatible with obedience to God's will and sexual sins are worse than other sins. LGBTQ+ may be Christians, participate in Holy Communion and lead worship if they remain sexually moral, which means either heterosexual marriage or celibacy.
Affirming: All are welcome; both homosexual orientation and activity are God-given and natural. These are not sins. Obedience to God's will means being faithful to God and your partner. Both heterosexuals and homosexuals are sexually immoral if they are promiscuous, unfaithful, commit adultery, feed their lust or excessive sexual attraction with pornography, or use sex as a tool of exploitation, dominance, or power.
Does Jesus Condemn LGBTQ+?
Jesus Commended the Man for his Faith
In Capernaum, a centurion came asking Jesus to heal his dear servant who lay at home paralyzed and suffering (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10). Servant or slave is a translation from the ancient Greek word "pais", a word describing a younger same-sex male partner (1). In addition, it was rare for a military commander to care so much about an ordinary slave or servant. In contrast, it was very common at the time for elite Roman men to keep a young boy for intimate relations (2).
Jesus was willing to go to the home where the centurion and his male companion lived. The centurion, a high-ranking military authority, said he was not worthy to receive Jesus and had confidence that Jesus could just say the word and the servant would be healed. Jesus praised the centurion's faith, saying the centurion showed greater faith than the Israelites. The disciples were likely shocked that Jesus would praise a commander who enforced the Roman occupation of Israel. This centurion is often associated with the centurion at the crucifixion of Jesus, traditionally named Longinus, who stated "Truly, this man was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:45-54). Jesus healed the centurion's servant without condemning the centurion's potentially intimate relationship with the man he held dear.
Jesus Acknowledged God Created Sexual Diversity
Jesus may have been addressing sexual diversity when he discusses marriage, divorce, and the fact that some are born unsuited to heterosexual marriage. This overturned the Jewish teaching that men all must marry and bear children.
Eunuchs were men who were impotent, did not have male reproduction abilities, were not able to have heterosexual relations, or behaved like females. Eunuchs were not treated as either men or women. The Roman Empire did not give eunuchs the privileges of a male, such as inheritance rights. The Jewish Temple did not permit eunuchs to enter the male-only Court of Israelites. Eunuch could apply to what we now call sexual minorities (3) such as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transexual.
Jesus acknowledges three groups of eunuchs and does not condemn them (Matthew 19:11-12):
Those made eunuchs by others. This typically applied to either slaves or guards for female royalty or female harems.
Those who choose to live like eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:11-12). This applies to a person of any sexual orientation who chooses to live a celibate life to better serve God. Paul also acknowledges that believers may either marry or remain single or widowed (1 Corinthians 7:8-9). Some are gifted with celibacy; it's not a mandate.
Those who are born eunuchs. Researcher John J. McNeill stated that a eunuch who has been so from birth describes what today we understand as a homosexual (4). In acknowledging some eunuchs are born that way, Jesus acknowledges that God creates some people from birth to be neither fully male nor female, and he rejects a binary paradigm (5). Jesus condemns unfaithfulness in marriage and sexual immorality while at the same time acknowledging that some are naturally heterosexual while others are naturally homosexual. While eunuchs were excluded from the Covenant of Moses (Deut 23:1), Jesus includes them in the New Covenant (Acts 8:26-39).
In my fiction, Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold Book 1 set in the era of the Gospels, Jesus helps a mother learn how to accept her son, even after she realizes he is not made to marry a woman as she had hoped or expected. Jesus accepts him as God made him and calls him to build God's kingdom, regardless of his sexual orientation. His mother follows Jesus's example and loves and affirms her son.
Acts: Did the Early Church accept LGBTQ+?
The Spirit of God told Philip the Evangelist to go down a deserted road towards Gaza. On the desert road, Philip encountered a eunuch who was a foreigner from Ethiopia returning home. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship but was considered blemished and not permitted in the Court of the Israelites. He told Philip no one would explain to him the meaning of what he was reading in Isaiah. Philip explained the good news about Jesus to the eunuch. When they saw water, the eunuch asked if anything was standing in the way of him being baptized. Philip could have replied it was not possible for people of uncertain gender, but he did not. Philip baptized the eunuch because whosoever believes in Jesus will be saved and receive eternal life (Acts 8:26-40). Pastor Zach Lambert uses the eunuch's baptism as an example of God authorizing all people, regardless of gender, to be adopted as full members of the family of God(6).
In Because She Was Called: From Broken to Bold Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church, Philip the Evangelist baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch (based on Acts 8), even though he is uncircumcised and not a Jew, and even though the eunuch is not fully male or female. The Holy Spirit directed Philip to evangelize and baptize this eunuch into God's family, even though a eunuch was detested by Jewish society, considered blemished, and excluded from the Temple.
In addition, Peter has a dream where God tells him not to call unclean that which God has called clean. Peter understands this to mean to stop calling Gentiles unclean. Peter preaches this message to Gentiles at the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. It is possible that some of the military friends present were homosexual, so I included Longinus and Griffin in the crowd. Acts 10 says that the Holy Spirit came on all who heard Peter's message, baptizing them with the Spirit, so they could not argue against the apostles baptizing the Gentiles, including the gay believers, with water.
Representing LGBTQ+ persons adopted into God's family with the full rights of sons provides a model for how today's church may adopt all people into God's family.
Hebrews: Does Godless = Homosexuality?
The unknown writer of Hebrews warns about not obtaining the grace of God because of a root of bitterness in you, becoming defiled, immoral, or godless, like Esau. Was Esau condemned for sexual immorality and homosexuality? No.
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled. See to it that no one becomes like Esau, an immoral and godless person, who sold his birthright for a single meal (Hebrews 12:15-16 NRSVUE).
Why was Esau called immoral and godless? The King James Version calls Esau a fornicator or profane person.
Fornication relates to unfaithfulness or sex outside of marriage. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation but with unfaithfulness in a relationship, and likely refers to Esau's unfaithful relationship with God. It is founded on Old Testament references to God comparing the spiritual unfaithfulness of Israel to a woman unfaithful to her husband (Jeremiah 3:20, Ezekiel 16:32). While it could relate to being faithful in monogamous physical relations, it likely relates to spiritual unfaithfulness (7). Esau is condemned for being unfaithful to God.
Profanity means irreverent and disrespectful, dismissive of spiritual things. Esau does not realize the value of spiritual things, placing earthly food and drink above the blessing or birthright from his father. Esau is condemned for despising his birthright. He did not value it; he scorned it as being of no good to him, worth no more than a bowl of stew. He is condemned for having no respect for spiritual things.
Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom. Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”[f] So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:29-34 NRSVUE)
Did Paul Address LGBTQ+?
While many Christians believe Paul is Anti-Gay, the traditional view of Paul's writing is that Paul was condemning unrestrained lust and abuse of youth or exploitation of boys as prostitutes.
Romans
In the ancient world, it was thought that only insatiable lust would lead to same-sex behaviour. There was no understanding that a person may be born with a same-sex orientation; it was assumed that same-sex activity resulted from excessive sexual desires that could not be satisfied by heterosexual activity. With this understanding, Paul is not opposing homosexuality vs heterosexuality; he speaks against lust and greed vs moderation and self-control.
Lust:
Regarding Romans 1:26-27, the 5th-century theologian Chrysostom associated same-sex relations with greed, lust, and exploitation.
“You see that the whole of desire comes from an excess which cannot contain itself within its proper limits.” - John Chrysostom (8)
Ancient views are that this passage does not address sexual orientation or a monogamous, consenting same-sex partnership.
Dominance:
In the Roman Empire, a man was free to choose either male or female sexual partners but he had to remain the active or dominant partner in the relationship. In first-century Roman men were commended for dominating women and men of lesser power or lower status. It showed their wealth and power to keep a boy as a bed warmer or sex slave. It gave the feeling of a charge of power to be the dominant, proactive partner over a young, passive, or effeminate boy. On the flip side, Roman men were condemned for taking the female role, being submissive or effeminate.
Effeminate refers to (9) a male being passive in a same-sex encounter, being dominated or used like a female. Sodomy is connected to violent rape and gang rape of boys or men (Genesis 19:4-7, Judges 19:22-23). The Roman Emperor Hadrian (10) was a well-known example of how married, heterosexual men had same-sex relations with younger, passive men. Marriage was for legal sons to inherit. Same-sex relations were for a show of power and dominance. Hadrian took on Antinous, a younger man known for his beauty, to accompany him as a constant companion. It was common knowledge that Achilles affectionately partnered with Patrocles in Greek mythology.
Paul condemns the common Roman practices of sexual exploitation of young boys, pederasty, and abusive activity with youths; Paul does not address the uncommon practice of two consenting adults in a same-sex relationship.
Natural:
The letter to the Romans discusses the "natural" use of the female to fulfil a man's sexual desires as a way of demonstrating that they were filled with ungodliness, prostitution, slandering, insulting, boasting, disrespect, mercilessness, and unfaithfulness.
Because of this did God give them up to dishonourable affections, for even their females did change the natural use into that against nature; and in like manner also the males having left the natural use of the female, did burn in their longing toward one another; males with males working shame, and the recompense of their error that was fit, in themselves receiving. And, according as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mind, to do the things not seemly; having been filled with all unrighteousness, whoredom, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions; whisperers, evil-speakers, God-haters, insulting, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful... Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man -- every one who is judging -- for in that in which thou dost judge the other, thyself thou dost condemn, for the same things thou dost practise who art judging... Romans 1:26-31, 2:1 Young's Literal Translation
Paul discusses what is 'natural' using the same language he uses in 1 Corinthians 11. When Paul contrasts short and long hair as 'natural' and 'disgraceful' in 1 Corinthians 11, we understand that the description of natural hair length relates to what was customary in the first-century culture, not a universal rule for Christians about hair length today. Paul contrasts abusive and appropriate couplings using the same culturally specific 'natural' and 'disgraceful' (11).
In the first century, it was natural and expected that all people were right-handed; the left hand was unclean. There was no acceptance for being left-handed. Left-handed people were forced to act as if they were right-handed. We know today that being left-handed is not an abomination and those who are created to be left-handed thrive when they use their left hand. We don't know if a child is naturally left or right-handed until they are old enough to discover it as they learn to draw or write.
Similarly, we now know that it is natural that some people are heterosexual and some are homosexual. We know that it is natural for a percent of the population to be same-sex-oriented (12). We don't know a child's sexual orientation until they are old enough to discover it. Orientation is not an abomination and those who are created with a same-sex orientation thrive when they do not have to act as if they are heterosexual.
1 Corinthians
Christians will point to 1 Corinthians to indicate that homosexual activity will prevent you from inheriting God's kingdom. It is worth noting that they do not give the same condemnation to those who steal, cheat, insult, slander, are greedy, covetous, jealous, drunken, or abusive. But is Paul even talking about homosexual behaviour?
English translations of the Bible did not use the word homosexual until 1946 (13). At that time, the ideas of whoremonger and sodomite were combined and the word homosexual was introduced to English translations of 1 Corinthians. The literal translation of 1 Corinthians 6:13 condemns men who are whoremongers, (men who take the active role in using a woman or young boy as a prostitute), or effeminate (men or boys who take the passive role, being exploited by dominant men with promiscuous lust).
...have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, the reign of God shall inherit (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Young's Literal Translation) [bold emphasis added]
Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, men who engage in illicit sex, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, swindlers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NRSVUE) [bold emphasis added]
Paul condemns dominant males who were abusing boys (14). It is translators who have removed the condemnation of men who use people as prostitutes and men who passively accept being exploited for sex, which are sins common to the general population including heterosexuals. In its place is the condemnation of sexual immorality, defined as homosexuality.
It has only been in the most recent one hundred years that Bible translations have used the word homosexual on this list. Paul criticizes lasciviousness, lechery, and debauchery, which refer to excessive sexual desire (Galatians 5:19-21). The writer seems to be calling out lustful men who lack self-control and sexually abuse (15) or exploit boys or prostitutes. Paul condemns exploitive, abusive relations, and not faithful, monogamous homosexuality.
1 Timothy
The writer of 1 Timothy cites a list of wrongs including whoremongers, sodomites, men-stealers (1 Timothy 1:9-10 Young's Literal Translation of 1898 (16).
The letter seems to copy from Paul's authentic letter to Corinth, which lists whoremongers, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, sodomites, thieves, and covetousness (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Young's Literal Translation. Many scholars believe 1 Timothy is not an authentic letter of Paul but was written by a follower of Paul.
Let's look at why it may be incorrect to say that homosexuality should be on the list of unrighteous actions. This letter to Timothy condemns exploitive, abusive behaviour as immoral - whether by heterosexuals or homosexuals.
Whoremonger is a term meaning an adult male sexually exploiting an adolescent boy (17), or the dominant partner in using a prostitute.
Sodomites is a general term that may include sex that does not result in procreation, anal sex (whether by homosexuals or heterosexuals) or sexuality between a human and an animal.
Men-stealers is a term that likely refers to sex traffickers or those who manage prostitutes. The writer lists men-stealers, which likely refers to the kidnapping or human trafficking of adolescent boys as slaves for prostitution.
Idolators likely refers to worshippers of Aphrodite treating temple prostitutes as idols or it can apply today to treating sex as an idol. At the temple of the goddess Artemis (18) in Ephesus, there is no evidence of women temple prostitutes, but it was common to enslave young boys at brothels.
The writer does not place blame on the prostitutes, who were likely minors or women (not legal persons). Instead, the writer criticizes people who kidnap, steal people, take charge of prostitutes, or use prostitutes. Paul condemns putting the worship of other humans or idolizing sexual activity above the worship of God. Paul condemns taking advantage of young boys and men exploiting men and boys for sex. This isn't to condemn homosexuality but to condemn the rape of a man. Historically it was unrighteous to rape a male but acceptable to take advantage of females (Genesis 19:8, Judges 19:24).
Application for Today
When I have had conversations about this topic with fellow Christians, I believe the crux of the issue is the assumption that same-sex orientation, attraction, and activities are sins and Christians are required to repent and turn away from sins or sinful desires. A person who continues being same-sex-oriented is told they are making themselves lord of their own life instead of obeying God's commands. Conservative Christians believe it is loving to tell homosexuals to repent, to go and sin no more, to act as if they are heterosexual. Being moral is equated with being heterosexual or being celibate. There is typically no discussion of the sexual immorality of heterosexuals, which persists to this day, including the exploitation of minors, lust, pornography, adultery, sex trafficking, and the use of prostitutes.
What if homosexuality is not a sin? Perhaps the Bible is not condemning a minority for being the way God made them, but condemning all people for immorality. Perhaps these passages do not warn Christians to exclude LGBTQ+ but warn heterosexuals to be morally upright. Perhaps Paul's condemnation is directed at adultery and exploitation. Perhaps the Bible condemns both heterosexuals and homosexuals who are promiscuous, sexually abusive, or involved in child prostitution, child abuse, or pornography. What if the Bible exhorts both homosexuals and heterosexuals to be faithful?
In the fall of 2023, evangelical pastor Andy Stanley came under fire when he put it this way:
"The Faith of the Next Generation is worth leading our churches to acknowledge there are gay people, not just straight people with a sin problem."
His church website has removed this sermon from its archive. This quote is taken from an image on the video of the sermon prior to its removal.
An affirming church believes it is loving to accept a homosexual person as God made them, to include them in the body of Christ, and to encourage them to be faithful to God without acting like a heterosexual. Both heterosexual and homosexual believers must repent of sin, obey the commands, and be faithful in marriage.
My fiction helps us imagine the early church embracing people of faith while condemning exploitative behaviour in Rome. Readers see the difference between the sexual immorality that Paul condemns and the faithfulness of a homosexual partnership.
I created this image of the fish and rainbow design to indicate an LGBTQ+ affirming Christian, Queer Christian, or ally. Click the image for your free download and use it to indicate your status on your profile, book, affirming church, or organization.
Conclusion
The church today is divided on its views of homosexuality. As I have talked about my affirming Christian fiction, I have personally experienced what a gay person told me long ago: if they're not publicly affirming, chances are pretty good that they believe homosexuality is a sin or that there should be restrictions on LGBTQ+ people that don't apply to heterosexuals.
Today we can recognize that LGBTQ+ love and companionship (19) is different from what is condemned in Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, and 1 Timothy 1. Affirming Christians are not turning a blind eye to sin or immorality; sin requires repentance. However, sexual orientation is not a sin but a gift God gives in creation. Homosexual activity with a monogamous partner is a way to be faithful to God.
All who believe in Jesus are called to follow his commands, and the foremost command is to love God and love one another. The fruit of the Spirit is good fruit. The fruit of excluding LGBTQ+ (20) from full participation in the body of Christ is hurting the LGBTQ+ community as well as the reputation of Christ and the church. The Bible makes many references to equality, unity, and God showing no favouritism or partiality based on our characteristics. (See Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11, Ephesians 2:19, 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 1 Corinthians 12:13, Acts 10:34-35 Romans 2:11, Romans 3:22, John 3:16-17). There is no equality where one person has the authority to limit, restrict, or control what another person says or does. When one group has freedoms that another group does not, it means favouritism, inequality, and divisions. When we love one another as we love ourselves, we show others the same respect and freedoms we give to ourselves.
It is easy to find passages used to clobber homosexuality (21) but these passages may not say what they appear to at first glance. We can look more closely at the biblical texts, discuss ideas, and respectfully disagree. Understanding one another allows us to love one another. The lists of sins in these passages (Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, Galatians 5) include attitudes and activities of which many of us are guilty: being unjust, wicked, greedy, jealous, fighting, deceiving, doing evil, gossipping, slandering, being rude, proud, bragging, disobeying parents, disloyal, or being without mercy. Paul says that any of these sins show you are not living in God's kingdom. Paul states that everyone who judges is condemning themselves. Followers of Christ are called to welcome and love everyone and leave the judgment and condemnation to God.
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
The Sword A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role
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
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience
Sources:
(a) Human Rights Campaign: https://www.hrc.org/resources/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality
Qspirit, https://qspirit.net/gay-centurion/
Whosoever. https://whosoever.org/maybe-jesus-actually-did-say-something-about-homosexuality-after-all/
Rev. Joseph H. Gilbert, Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-18-me-47121-story.html
Mark Brustman quoting John J. McNeil, The Church and the Homosexual, https://people.well.com/user/aquarius/thesis.htm
J. David Hester, Journal for the Study of the New Testament https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0142064X05057772
Restore Austin, Pastor Zach W. Lambert, https://youtu.be/k3d_mhbTwL4?si=zJPzJYSbNUwBMLbY
Verse By Verse Commentary, Grant C. Richison, https://versebyversecommentary.com/2019/11/24/hebrew-1216/
The Reformation Project, https://reformationproject.org/case/romans/
"Was there a mistranslation that shifted culture", https://christianpublishinghouse.co/2021/04/28/homosexual-1946-was-there-a-mistranslation-that-shifted-culture/
National Museums of Liverpool https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/antinous-and-hadrian
The Reformation Project, https://reformationproject.org/case/romans/
Drew Downs, https://drewdowns.net/2016/06/21/romans-bible-gay-lgbt/
1946 The Movie, https://www.1946themovie.com/
Rev. Adam Ericksen, Clackamas United Church of Christ https://c-ucc.org/open-and-affirming-part-2-the-misuse-of-paul-1-corinthians-69-10-and-the-heterosexual-agenda/
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+1&version=YLT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_ancient_Greece
The Reformation Project https://youtu.be/rdfxPDZEO5k
The Reformation Project https://reformationproject.org/case/1-corinthians-and-1-timothy/
The Reformation Project https://reformationproject.org/biblical-case/
Wyatt Houtz, Post Barthian, https://postbarthian.com/2017/10/11/clobber-verses-six-scriptures-cited-gays-lesbians-sex-relationships-lgbtq/
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