in 1 Cor 6, Paul speaks
of the separation between the World and the church, a dividing wall of
those sanctified by the blood of the lamb Jesus Christ. We are not of
the world, and church cannot also make the world become the church or
heaven on earth. The world and church is separate and mutually
exclusive.
However, the supremacy
of Rome meant that the church and the world became one, and the church
has either been trying to escape from the world ever since, or condeming
the world for not being like the church essentially trying to make
heaven on earth. We are however in the world, being the salt to reflect
God's truth, love and grace in Christ Jesus.
We are called to be
exclusive, not inclusive - the separation of state and religion, the
separation of the church (the sanctified), and the world and her
religious faiths.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Young's Literal Translation (YLT) 9 have ye not
known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not
led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor effeminate, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, the reign of God shall
inherit. 11 And certain of you were these! but ye were washed, but ye
were sanctified, but ye were declared righteous, in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
In the 21st century we
live differently from the 1st century city of Corinth making a direct
translation awkard. In 1 Cor 6:9, how can the effeminate, and those have
sex with men become lumped with the unrighteous outside the church! when
it was a straight men having sexual orgies outside the church walls. Why
not banned heterosexuality?
What was outside the
church? not outside St Andrew's Cathedral in Singapore where we have the
Parliament, but outside the walls of the 1st century church in Conrinth.
Corinth was a port city
with a very large following of the goddess Aphrodites. There were
thousands of prostitutes serving the temples, and many more sailors
visiting the port city who sought after their services. Hence, we begin
to see what Paul meant by "Whoremongers","idolaters", and "adulterors".
Paul was defintely not progressive nor a universalist embracing all
faiths as that of God.
The next two words
"effeminate", and "Sodomites" were translated from "malakos" and
"arsenokoital", as the best" fit rather reflect the true meaning.
Mat 11:7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the
crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A
reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see?
A man dressed in fine clothes? No,
those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then
what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a
prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my
messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
The term "malakos" was
used by Jesus in Mat 11:7-8 when He asked what they were seeking in
the desert, what kind of religious experience, and then alluded to a man
dressed in fine clothing which He said can only be found in King's
palaces.
Who were the softies or effeminates in the King's palace? they
were the Eunuchs! in light of the religious practices then where the
priests of the cults would castrate themselves and be penetrated by men.
Jesus was obviously
dishing other faiths especially the cult of Cybele. Jesus was
saying to John's disciples to see the power and miracles of God
performed through Jesus on the contrary to the prevailing religious
practices of Cybele. You can't find the worshippers of Cybele in the
purity of the desert but in the cities.
Hence, we now
understand that "Malakos" was a degrading term used by Paul to described
the pagan priests, the worshippers of other faiths. Hence, they were
defintely not of the Kingdom of God not because they were Gay but
because they did not worship Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
What was Paul referring
to in the term "Arsenokoital"? The word "Arsenokoital" is a word of
Paul's own creation, a word which combines two Greek words.
"Koites" generally
denotes licentious sexual activities, and corresponds to the active
person in intercourse. The prefix "Arsen", simply means "male". It is
impossible with good conscience to translate the text to refer to "men
who have sex with men" as this was not their particular sin, because the
word "Arsenoloitai" has a deep religious connotation.
It all goes back to the
days of the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth which were very similar in
practices because the same demonic beings were involved.
The word used by Paul -
Arsenokoites” was mis-translated as “Sodomites” (NKJV), and
“Homosexual Offenders” (NIV) even though there was no such usage in
Greek literature. The term appears to have been created by Paul from the
Septuagint’s Greek translation of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.
Leviticus 18:22 - “kai meta arsenos ou koimethese koiten gynaikos”
Leviticus 20:13 - “kai hos an koimethe meta arsenos koiten gynaikos”
With this reference to
Leviticus relating to abomination of idol worship, it becomes clear that
1 Cor 6:9 was emphasizing the unrighteousness of those who worship other
gods having no part in the kingdom of God (ie part of the church) rather
than about same sex orientation.
Paul message was loud
and clear for the Corinthian Christians not to be engaged in the
partying, dancing, and mass sexual orgies in commemoration of these
gods.
We go back to Jesus in the desert in Mat 11:7-11. Jesus was actually
asking the question in modern terms:-
If you want to find the effeminate cultist priests like the Eunuchs, you
would not find them in the desert but in the Palace. But you would find
John, a prophet, the greatest prophet for he would proclaim the Messiah.
The men in the church were doing all these pagan activities as Paul
alluded as some of them were in 1 Cor 6:11 because they were of
religious faith but in the wrong god who offered them these carnal
enjoyment so that the demonic spirit of the god can enter into their
body through sex.
They were not gays, and because of the Blood of Jesus, they were now
sanctified by the blood of Christ from the deep demonic infestation.
Therefore in the context of 1 Cor 6 where they were committing sins
within the church hence having legal battles and were to be judged by
outside courts, weren't they any different from the carnal orgies to
worship Cybele outside the church walls.? Even the world being so sinful
as it is, sees the church as being equally sinful based on the common
law.
So Paul had a clear distinction of the World and the church. We are not
to be of the world and her religious faith practices and cults to
worship the various gods, and that the church within must be different
lest we end up being judged by a carnal world. Then we will be no
different than the world.
But
in modern 21st century, we have a totally misread the bible and applied
it in the contrary. Instead of looking within the church to see and make
sure that there is no unrighteousness that even the world (being so
sinful) would themselves condemn, we go outside the church walls to hunt
after the weakness group who could not defend themselves and called them
sinners.
When we look outward to selectively condemn gays, we will fail to look
inside the church until there is so much unrighteousness that even the
world looking in will condemn us as sinners according to their laws.
This is what is happening in Singapore where "Love SIngapore" is in a
crusade against gays, whilsts the world look into the church and see the
corruption perpetrated in the name of God such as the ongoing cases in
the courts involving City Harvest Church.
1 Cor 6:9-11 is a reminder that the church is separate, and holy unto
God, and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are to look at our
hands today whether we are having the blood of the innocent gentle gay
lambs! When we eat the gentle lambs, we are becoming more and more like
the world.
Hence, the effeminates and the Sodomites in 1 Cor 6:9-11 becomes the
images of the church of the weak who dare only to persecute the weakest
in society and who has no qualms of screwing the gay community of all
the basic rights.
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