Paul & the Canal Parade

On August 4th the yearly Canal Parade took place, which is a celebration with pride of the acceptation of homo sexuality. Arrogantly one looks down upon the recent history, when homo sex was absolutely not done. Like in many parts of the world is still the case. ‘But they are not that far as we are’. One calls it ‘pride’, but I would call it arrogance. Maybe one is further… from home.

In 1 Timothy 1 Paul describes all kind of people with a behaviour, that contravenes “the evangel of the glory of the happy God”, with which he was entrusted. He writes…

… for paramours, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and if any other thing is opposing sound teaching, in accord with the evangel of the glory of the happy God, with which I/ was entrusted.

Note: Paul speaks about people who do certain things, not about ‘orientation’ or a desire to such things. That doesn’t play a role. The Greek language of the New Testament doesn’t even have a word for ‘homophily’, i.e. feel attracted to people of the same sex. The Scripture says nothing about that; neither positive nor negative. A human is male or female, thát defines (objectively!) the sexual identity. Not how one eventually can feel or experience it.

Man-lieers

In above quote is spoken of ‘paramours’, in Greek language that is called ‘pornos’: men who have sexual intercourse with others than their own wife (1 Corinthians 6: 16; 7: 2). That’s not about an inner orientation, but about a concrete act. The same applies to the word ‘man-lieers’. Also, that depicts an act. The Greek word for this is: arsenokoites. The first part of the word means ‘male’ and the second part (‘koites’) is derived from ‘to lie’. We can recognize our word ‘coitus’ (intercourse) in it. It’s about boys or men who lie with men (i.e. have sexual intercourse with them). In the Greek-Roman world of Paul’s lifetime this was widespread practice. So nowadays we cannot speak about a modern phenomenon. Paul places it in the same category as paramours, kidnapers, liars and perjurers. He does that in this quote, and in 1 Corinthians 6: 9 and 10:

Or are you not aware that the unjust shall not be enjoying the allotment of God’s kingdom? Be not deceived. Neither paramours, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor catamites, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards; no revilers, no extortioners shall be enjoying the allotment of God’s kingdom.

Christ’s reign and thereafter

God’s Kingdom refers to the time (the upcoming eons), when Christ will reign, together with those who are now called to. For that is the ‘ecclesia’ (the community), intended to reign with him. Not everyone will share in that. Only at the end of Christ’s reign, when he will abolish the last enemy, death, also the others will be made alive. Then Christ will subject the Kingdom to GOD, the Father, who will be “All in all” (1 Corinthians 15: 22- 28). “All”, i.e. all humans who all are dying in Adam (1 Corinthians 15: 22). Thus also those who didn’t share in the preceding Kingdom. No human is excluded.

Evangel and sound teaching

Paul has a wonderful evangel for all people! For GOD is not only the Creator and Judge, but also the Saviour of all people! That’s His will (1 Timothy 2: 4) and so He is (1 Timothy 4: 10). That’s “the evangel of the glory of the happy GOD”. He is happy, because all He wants, He will achieve; He succeeds! That’s “the good message”, the Evangel. But let nobody conclude that all what people do, is justified with that. To lie, adultery, blasphemy, prostitution, homo sex etcetera, it conflicts with the sound teaching of Paul. Such practices shall not be enjoying the Kingdom of Christ (see also Ephesians 5: 5).

Of course for this teaching is no place in the Canal Parade. Missed the boat…

Delen: