Pro-Homosexual Re-Interpretations

“In order for churches to accept those who practice homosexual behavior,” writes counseling pastor Ben Marshall, “pastors began to reinterpret those Bible passages related to homosexuality: Genesis 19:1–11, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:18–32, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and Timothy 1:10. These passages speak either directly about the subject of homosexuality or about loving sinners.” In his insightful booklet, HELP! My Teen Is Gay, Marshall spends one chapter summarizing the ways in which these key Scripture passages have been reinterpreted by the pro-homosexual church (PHC) in order to make same-sex sin acceptable in the church, which, sadly, withholds the biblical hope of the gospel from those who are struggling, or already are in bondage.

Genesis 19:1–11 - These verses give the account of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis records that the men who came to visit Lot because of his visitors said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them” (v. 5). The pro-homosexual church (PHC) states that there is no way to know for certain what the term translated “know” means. The PHC further goes on to state that the overarching sin shown in this account is that of inhospitality. Traditionally, this passage of Scripture has viewed the men of Sodom as committing the sin of homosexuality. It is clear, because of Lot’s reaction—which was to offer up his two daughters (v. 8)—that the men who knocked on Lot’s door were looking to commit homosexual acts with the two visitors. God’s response to the sin is of great importance when it comes to correctly understanding this passage. God destroyed the city filled with men who wanted to have sexual relations with the visiting men. Nowhere else in history is the sin of inhospitality treated by God with sulfur and fire from heaven, whereas death was the prescribed judgment on the part of the Israelites when one of them was found to be involved in homosexual activity.

Leviticus 18:22 - Leviticus 18 consists of a list of sexual prohibitions from God for the Israelite nation. It addresses all forms of sexual sin, including incest, bestiality, adultery, and homosexuality. Verse 22 specifically states, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” The PHC does not reinterpret this passage but simply places it under the category of “culturally irrelevant.” It states that there were many different cultural standards that the Israelites were forced to keep, such as not eating rare steak, not eating pork, and others that are not followed today. These standards were put in place in order to keep the Israelite nation separate from the Canaanite nation. For centuries, the traditional interpretation of this passage has been literal, claiming that there are absolute morals that go beyond culture and time. Homosexuality is one of them, which is why it also shows up as a prohibition in the New Testament. Traditionally, this chapter has been interpreted as an ethical chapter defining what is acceptable to God and what is not in regards to sexual acts.  Continue at Paul Tautges