Christianity and homosexuality. Part 4

So far I have discussed the issue of anatomy and physiology, the commands of Scripture, and the lack of children as it relates to homosexuality. Our biological design makes it clear that heterosexuality is our purpose and that homosexuality thwarts this. The Bible clearly prohibits sodomy and catamy (1Co 6:9-11). And raising godly children is a reason for marriage.

This information grants us enough for obedience. It is clear how God designed sexuality and God has forbidden us from misuse. Though this does not directly address the question why, which was my friend's question,

I can’t see why God would have a problem with homosexuality, assuming that is was ‘good’ homosexuality. We have many, many examples of ‘bad’ heterosexuality. If we take all of what we say a monogamous, loving, ‘Godly’, heterosexual marriage should be and call that a ‘good’ relationship then I can’t see any difference if you just slotted in the word homosexual instead of heterosexual.

What I wish to do here is consider why this might be the case. A knife may not be as effective as a screwdriver but is is not immoral to use it as one.

We need to remember that we are created and God is eternal; our perspective is often anthrocentric but the universe is actually Christocentric. The Godhead is eternal and everything derives from him. As such material things are often reflections of eternal things. Jesus is the son of God but this is not a biological relationship. He did not become the son of God because he was born of Mary via the Holy Spirit, he is the son of God by virtue of his relationship to the Father, of which human sonship is a reflection. Humans are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26).

I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family [fatherhood] in heaven and on earth is named. (Ephesians 3:15)

This may mean that God names, that is defines, family/ fatherhood; or possibly that family/ fatherhood derives its name from who the Father is. Regardless of which is intended here it is clear that earthly fathers are representative of the Father (cf. Mat 7:11; Heb 12:7).

Reproduction does not require 2 genders, some species reproduce asexually and some plants have both male and female components within a single organism. Humans are in the image of God and have 2 distinct genders so it is worth considering if there is a reason for this. Are the sexes representative in some way? Paul addresses this question.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32)

When God decided to create man it was his intention to create relationship. Humans were to know and be in relationship with God. This relationship between people as a group and God is the primary reason for creation.

Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-38)

The most important command for all mankind is to love God. Our relationship to God is also primary over our other relationships between each other and this includes marriage. The vertical precedes the horizontal.

So we are created from the beginning to love God. This relationship between those who love God (the church) and God is primary, and of which marriage is a reflection. Marriage between men and women is an image of the relationship between God and man. In the same way that fathers are an image of the true Father, whom they are to imitate; so marriages are an image of the true Marriage between Christ and the church. God created the 2 sexes (at least in part) so we would have an image of our relationship with Jesus. This explains the use of the term bridegroom as applied to Jesus and bride to his followers (Joh 3:29); and this is not just an analogy (Rev 19:7; 21:2; 22:17).

We live in a fallen world, one where we have many marred reflections of Christ and his bride. God even allowed divorce in situations where continuing a marriage is worse than it ending; though that is not what God intended (Mat 19:8). As my friend has noted there are many examples of bad heterosexuality including both bad marriages and refusal to marry. Nevertheless, such bad heterosexuality is a poor reflection of Christ and the church whereas homosexuality, whether so-called "good" or "bad," is not a reflection of Christ and the church at all. Homosexual relationships at their core misrepresent our relationship with God. Created beings cannot define the world from their perspective, they must accept the intents of their creator. If the creation of the 2 sexes (male and female) and marriage between them was invented by God in order to reflect the relationship between mankind and God then we must accept his design and submit to it. Refusal to do so is an affront to God and rebellion against his plans.

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.

Persecution of the Nigerian church

Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous African country; it has a large number of Christians. There have been significant conflicts between Muslims and Christians over the years, with an insistence on Sharia law by some Muslims.

A Muslim militant recently converted to Christianity. When about to murder a Christian, he is overcome with the enormity of his intented action. The militant

was poised to slit the throat of his Christian victim... when he was suddenly struck with the weight of the evil he was about to commit.

Dropping his machete, the man ran to the nearest church, asking a pastor for help.

The pastor referred him to a CAM-supported indigenous ministry, where "native missionaries are reaching remote villages with the message of Christ....

When the call came, the ministry leader was grieving the loss of several close missionary friends who were murdered in the Yobe State slaughter. He immediately met with the confessed killer and joyfully led him to Christ. He is discipling him in a secret location because of the extreme danger.

Unfortunately the man's children were targeted by group he defected from.

Upon discovering the man's conversion to Christianity, Boko Haram members invaded his home, kidnapped his two children and informed him that they were going to execute them in retribution for his disloyalty to Islam. Clutching his phone, the man heard the sound of the guns that murdered his children.

The same group stormed a church earlier this month. John Jauro recounts,

I was leading the congregation in prayers. Our eyes were closed when some gunmen stormed the church and opened fire on the congregation. Six people were killed in the attack and 10 others were wounded.

We need to remember and pray for our brothers who are persecuted thru-out the world, and we remember Jesus' encouragement that our kingdom is of another world.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

Number of Christians by country

Interesting article from PewResearch. They give the number of Christians per country from 2010. I have a quibble about how they define Christian, thus the West may be over estimated as well as the number of Catholics in South America. The number in China is probably a little low. I don't think they should include groups that deny the deity of Christ, though this will not affect the numbers considerably.

The top 30 are

Country, Estimated Christian Population

United States 246,790,000
Brazil 175,770,000
Mexico 107,780,000
Russia 105,220,000
Philippines 86,790,000
Nigeria 80,510,000
China 67,070,000
Congo 63,150,000
Germany 58,240,000
Ethiopia 52,580,000
Italy 51,550,000
United Kingdom 45,030,000
Colombia 42,810,000
South Africa 40,560,000
France 39,560,000
Ukraine 38,080,000
Spain 36,240,000
Poland 36,090,000
Argentina 34,420,000
Kenya 34,340,000
India 31,850,000
Uganda 28,970,000
Peru 27,800,000
Tanzania 26,740,000
Venezuela 25,890,000
Canada 23,430,000
Romania 21,380,000
Indonesia 21,160,000
Ghana 18,260,000
Angola 16,820,000

God ordained cultural structures

I currently don't mind democracy, though I am not adverse to monarchy and possibly other governmental structures. Christians are called into a different kingdom and can live under any political or economic structure, although some are more pleasant than others. Nevertheless, it is good to understand the proper role of the state; and if one finds himself in a democracy then it is good to vote well (if one thinks he should vote).

How should we frame our ideas about the state? The state is a social structure where leaders oversee community. There are, however, several God ordained social structures in this world and we need to start with the central ones.

Prior to the Fall we have Adam relating to God which is the first and highest order relationship. I think that the individual relationship and the group relationship with God—Adam and Eve pre-Fall; God-worshippers, faithful Israel, righteous Gentiles, and the church post-Fall—are all part of what will become the Bride of Christ. This is the pre-eminent social/ spiritual relationship in the universe. All of this world is building toward that relationship.

Prior to the Fall we also have marriage and family:

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man....

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2)

I have included family, however children, while very important and a blessing, are not as fundamental as marriage. They are temporary; given to us to train them to love God so they can depart to form a new unit—the son leaves his parents and joins with his wife.

These 2 relationships: God and man, and man and wife, are central to social order. Note that they both pre-date the Fall. Note also that the latter is a copy of the former:

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5)

And that marriage is temporary:

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22)

The other social structures are the community and the state, the state being the power that oversees the community as mentioned above. We are first introduced to the embryo of the state some 1600 years after creation. Earlier judgments are made directly by God; note the examples of Cain and the Deluge. Men take things into their own hands such as Lamech and the mighty men of old, but there is no evidence this is sanctioned by God. I am not certain if we can infer anything from the existence of antediluvian cities. After the Flood God gives specific commands to Noah and his sons:

But you* shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And for your* lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

"Whoever sheds the blood of man,/
by man shall his blood be shed,

for God made man in his own image...." (Genesis 9)

God is the giver and owner of life, we are made in his image. Thus God gives commands concerning life: Men are to refrain from eating blood because of the life symbolism; and men are not to kill men.

The context suggests that it is murder that is forbidden here, as the murderer is to be subsequently put to death for his actions, capital punishment being commanded not condemned even though it removes life. These commands of God establish legality. Even if full government is not required, there needs be some community structure to deal with murderers; be that egalitarian, or community elders, or kingship, or some other structure.

So the state is enacted by God some centuries after the Fall and it is necessary because we are fallen creatures. If marriage is a temporary institution, how much more so then is the state! There is much the Bible teaches us about ideal government, what God intends leaders to do, what they should concern themselves with, how they should rule; but this is on the background of the above concepts. Our ideas about temporal government need to be tempered by thoughts on eternal relationship and our current fallen nature.