Paul, Culture, and the Unchanging Gospel

Today's Reading

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Then read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

Reflection

First Corinthians 6:9-11 is one of the most debated passages in the New Testament. The debate centers on two Greek words: malakoi (translated variously as "effeminate," "passive partners," or "male prostitutes") and arsenokoitai (translated as "men who practice homosexuality," "sodomites," or "sexual perverts"). Progressive scholars argue these terms refer to exploitative practices — pederasty, prostitution, or sexual abuse — not to consensual same-sex relationships as we understand them today. Traditional scholars argue the terms are broader.

The linguistic evidence matters. Tim Keller pointed out that "Paul coined the term arsenokoitai directly from the Septuagint translation of Leviticus 18:22, combining arsenos (male) and koiten (bed). The connection to the Levitical prohibition is linguistically undeniable." The compound word appears to be Paul's own coinage, drawn directly from the Greek text of Leviticus. This makes it difficult to restrict its meaning to only exploitative forms of same-sex sexual conduct.

But the progressive scholars raise legitimate questions. Corinth was a city rife with sexual exploitation, temple prostitution, and pederasty. Paul would have known these realities. The question is whether his prohibition extends beyond these abuses to encompass all same-sex sexual relationships — and honest Christians can acknowledge that the question is more linguistically complex than either side often admits.

What is not debatable is what Paul says next: "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Vaughan Roberts reflected on this phrase with great care: "The most remarkable phrase is 'such were some of you.' It assumes transformation is possible — but it is transformation wrought by grace, not by willpower."

This is both good news and a warning against false promises. The church has caused enormous harm through "conversion therapy" programs that promised to change sexual orientation through prayer and effort. Many Christians who underwent such programs experienced not healing but shame, despair, and suicidal ideation. The Bible promises transformation by the Spirit — but it does not promise that every disordered desire will be removed in this life. Paul himself pleaded three times for the removal of his "thorn in the flesh" and was told: "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Paul's second point — "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit" — grounds sexual ethics not in cultural convention but in the reality of union with Christ. This is not a rule imposed from outside but a consequence of belonging to God. It applies to every sexual choice, not just same-sex ones.

Going Deeper

The phrase "such were some of you" stands as both a promise and a mystery. It promises that no one is defined by their past. It does not promise that the struggle disappears. How can the church hold out genuine hope for transformation without falling into the cruelty of demanding a change that God has not guaranteed?