Written by

Dr. Paul Dean  

There is yet another defection from the authority of Scripture in the evangelical communion in the form of invoking Scripture to defend homosexuality. The Archbishop of Armagh asserted not too long ago that “reason” may be applied to Scripture texts that seem to condemn homosexuality so that a different interpretation may be gleaned. Such a notion is flawed on a number of counts.

First, while reason must be applied in bible interpretation, what is meant by the Archbishop’s assertion is that human reason apart from God’s presuppositions trumps God’s word. Such is a logical impossibility if God’s word is God’s word in that it would necessarily be grounded in God’s presuppositions.

Second, the reason to be applied comes from contemporary notions of whether or not homosexuality is deemed natural or unnatural. Human reason apart from God’s revelation is fatally flawed in that it is affected by sin. Man apart from God has been given over to a darkened understanding. That does not mean that man cannot understand anything. It does mean that he cannot understand spiritual truth apart from a new nature.

Third, to say that homosexuality is natural and therefore cannot be viewed as sinful is a rejection of the moral character God Himself has ascribed to homosexuality. Human sophistry may be used to define homosexuality as natural but it cannot get around God’s moral pronouncements.

Fourth, as always, the problem lies in attempting to sit in judgment on God’s word. Attempting to find answers to moral questions apart from God is not only flawed and impossible, but essentially sinful.

Fifth, authority is the issue. What is our source of authority when it comes to the question of whether or not homosexuality is sinful? Is it God’s word or something else? Will we allow scientists who presuppose the naturalness of homosexuality to simply explain away God’s word with the imposition of their worldview upon the interpretation process? Or, will we affirm the presupposition that God’s word is true and leave it there in terms of whether or not homosexuality is sinful? Even if homosexuality were due in part to certain genetic factors, understanding that a so-called “homosexual gene” is a scientific impossibility, does that negate its sinfulness? Are not all sins and the propensities of all men affected by genetics? And yet, God holds us accountable for sin.

Sixth, certainly, the Archbishop’s argument is that those who commit homosexual acts who are not naturally homosexual are in sin but those who are naturally homosexual and commit homosexual acts are not in sin because they are not going against nature. Again, this position cannot be sustained from the text but must be imposed upon the text.

Unfortunately, the Archbishop is in spiritual danger. Bible teachers are charged to rightly divide the word of truth and are admonished to be careful in the handling of Scripture for they will receive a stricter judgment.

Let us love the homosexual enough to tell him the truth that he might be saved. And, let us do ourselves and the world a favor by not getting things backwards. It is not worldly reason that must be applied to Scripture but Scripture that must be applied to worldly reason. We don’t understand in order to believe. We believe in order to understand.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

The concept of God’s will has only two meanings in Scripture. There is the concept of God’s decretive (concealed) will which refers to that which God has ordained to come to pass. God has a plan for His universe that unfolds before us in time. His plan is secret and known only to Him (Deut. 29:29). He has revealed certain elements of that plan such as the fact that Christ is coming again. However, no one knows the future. Thus, no one can know the secret plan of God. Confusion abounds in this regard as many believers attempt to discover “God’s will for their lives” through various means including impressions, feelings, promptings, dreams, visions, voices, signs, etc. The problem is that no one can know what the future holds. In fact, such planning and prognostication is evil (Jas. 4:13-17).

        There is also the concept in Scripture of God’s prescriptive (revealed) will. In other words, God has given His word to believers that they might know His will for them. His will for the Christian is revealed in His word.

        Christians are to avail themselves of God’s means of grace that they might walk in the Spirit and bear fruit. God graciously works in their lives by the Spirit. At the same time, He uses means. As the children of God saturate their minds with God’s word, as they pray, as they worship, etc., they will gain a more intimate knowledge of God, His character, and His ways. They understand how He wants them to live their lives as the Spirit applies His word to their hearts. As Christians walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is born in their lives.

        Knowledge of God’s will, that is, what He wants His children to do, is no mere obedience to a set of rules or commands. God certainly gives commands, but He also gives principles. He desires that His children seek a closer relationship with Him, and that they seek to apply His commands and principles to their lives and decision making, so that His character might shine through them for His glory. He expects Christians to grow in knowledge and wisdom that they might be wise in their decision making. In simple terms, Christians must gain wisdom to know how to apply God’s revealed will (Scripture) to their lives. As they do so, they can be confident they are fulfilling God’s will for their lives.

        God’s decretive will cannot be changed. He has a plan that will come to pass. Christians cannot miss that will as God has ordained it and brings it about through His providential control of all things. The Christian need not try and figure out what that plan is. The Christian must simply glean wisdom to walk in God’s ways. That is precisely why Paul prays the way he does in this text.

        The apostle Paul prays that the Colossians “may be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] (revealed) will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” “Wisdom” refers to an ability to take one’s spiritual understanding and apply it to one’s particular life or a particular situation. “Spiritual understanding” refers to insight into God’s character, commands, and ways as revealed in His word. As the unbeliever cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14), the believer can understand such things. The believer grows in such understanding as he/she is progressively sanctified. That sanctification process is increased as one avails himself of the means of grace (worship, fellowship, the word, and prayer). This individual grows in his understanding of the things of God.

        Thus, a person who has spiritual understanding must then have wisdom to apply that understanding to his life. If a person has wisdom, he can walk confident that he is pleasing God because with spiritual understanding and wisdom he is now being filled with the knowledge of God’s (revealed) will. As he is filled with that knowledge, he has the ability to apply it to his life. As he does so, he is filled with joy and God is glorified