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#18 The Facts on Homosexuality
18. What does 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 teach about
the homosexual lifestyle?
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the
greedy nor drunkards nor slanders nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Homosexuals have maintained that this passage is
either mistranslated or culturally restricted. Some have claimed the word
malakos (translated "male prostitutes") refers only to a general moral
weakness with no specific reference to homosexuality and that arsenokoitai
(translated "homosexual offenders") refers to male prostitutes-and thus once
again these verses are not condemning modern "loving" homosexual unions.
But malakoi and arsenokoitai have specific meanings. The
former literally means "soft to the touch." In Greek culture it was used
metaphorically for males who partook of the passive role in the homosexual act.
The second term, arsenokoitai, also clearly refers to homosexual
relationships-specially, to the person who took the active role in the
homosexual act.
In arsenokoitai, arsen refers to a "male" and koitai to
"bed"-a word with clear sexual connotations (cf. Hebrews 13:4). In other words,
this term refers to males who go to bed with other males. Or in the words of
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, "One who lies with a male as with a female."
Further, the entire section of 1 Corinthians 6:9ff. is highlighted by
the word adiaoi-"the unrighteous." The terms referring to homosexuality
are found in connection with additional sexual sins-fornicators (pornoi)
and adulterers (moichoin). In other words, the meaning of the words
themselves and their context argue for relevance to homosexual practices today.
Unrepentant homosexuality, fornication, and adultery all exclude one from
the kingdom of God.
Taken from The Facts On Homosexuality, by John Ankerberg and
John Weldon, Published by Harvest House Publishers.
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