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Although some scholars suggest that “unnatural” (Greek para physin) relations concerns birth control or nonprocreative heterosexual intercourse, the context suggests that Paul is talking about same-sex sexual relationships between women ( Rom 1:26). Like other Jews of the time, Paul extended this to lesbian relations ( Rom 1:26). He probably saw intense passions producing the perversion. Paul’s concern is not just pederasty but also consensual sex ( Rom 1:27). Thus, Paul argues that a perverted response to God led to people having a perverted response to each other, in particular, having passions towards their own sex. Accordingly, he condemns the action involved in same-sex relations, namely, for males, anal intercourse, but he goes behind it to what he sees as the state of being which produces it. Paul typically focuses not just on the act of sinning but on sin as a state of being. Feeling or acting otherwise is unnatural and against God’s intent, an abomination Leviticus taught was worthy of death ( Lev 18:20 Lev 20:13 see Rom 1:32). Paul’s approach to homosexuality and homosexual acts reflects the assumption he shares with other Jews of his time, that all people are heterosexual because God created humans male and female ( Gen 1:27). How did Paul understand homosexuality, and how did he view homosexual orientation and action?
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Paul would go on to suggest that their own sins were no better ( Rom 2:1), but in no way did he pull back from his condemnation.
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On this Paul knew he would have the agreement of his fellow Jews in Rome and gentile converts. It represented both to him and to his readers pagan depravity. He could have singled out various sins, but he chose to take same-sex relations as his example ( Rom 1:24-28). As typical, Paul begins with common ground: the faith they affirm together ( Rom 1:3-5) and the sin they together condemn ( Rom 1:18-32). Paul is writing to ensure that the Roman believers will welcome him and his preaching when he comes and not be put off by his critics. The only clear reference to same-sex sexual activity and same-sex orientation is to be found in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Though unable to produce children, some were notorious for sexual exploits, heterosexual and homosexual. When Jesus refers to eunuchs and eunuchs for the kingdom, did he mean gays ( Matt 19:12)? But a eunuch is not a gay person. Was the disciple whom Jesus loved an erotic lover (so John 13:23 and elsewhere)? No such indication. Matt 8:5-11)? Nothing indicates this the variant of the story in John identifies the sick person as an official’s son ( John 4:46-54). Was the centurion’s slave who was dear to him a sex slave ( Luke 7:1-11 cf. Elsewhere we look in vain or have to be satisfied with the “if”s and “but”s of speculation. References are to be found only in writings associated with Paul. There are very few references to homosexuality-that is, being sexually oriented to people of the same sex-in the New Testament.