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A common mainstream fallacy says something like this, "If Jesus didn’t say the word/topic then that means he didn’t have thoughts on, or he even condoned, it." This is purely false! This is a fallacy of thought and understanding on who Jesus is and a rejection of what Scripture as a whole tells us. No where more clearly does this show up than when discussing the topics of same-sex attraction and same-sex marriage.
Last week I wrote an article discussing how a Christian's response to the LGBTQ+ community should be one that reflects the love that Christ has shown them. I further developed that into a discussion that loving the person does not equal accepting their sin. Since it’s still early in the start of this blog I thought I'd address a common fallacy associated with Jesus and his stance towards sins he doesn’t directly discuss: mainly that of his thoughts towards sexual immorality and marriage, especially when looking at same-sex attraction and marriage.
While it's true Jesus, as recorded in the Bible, never once says the word homosexuality, any of the terms abbreviated in LGBTQ+, or same-sex marriage. We cannot nor should not take this to mean that he didn't address them or have any thoughts on them. He did!
Though he never addressed any of these directly he did speak to the root/natural state of the God-created item in which each of these are a corruption of. We cannot take his silence, in not individually naming these issues, as him condoning them, because he didn’t condone any of them.
So what did he say? Before we answer that we need to first know what each of these is a corruption of:
I want to reiterate my argument from last week, just because someone engages in any of the above (or any other, for that matter) sin doesn't mean that they cannot be called into salvation it simply means that they like all other humans are sinners.
Back to our initial question, what did Jesus say that, either indirectly or inversely, addressed these topics.
It’s clear through these verses, as well as others, that though Jesus didn’t mention these sins by name He clearly had thoughts on them.
As the New Testament continues to unfold, following Jesus’ ascension, we see His apostles and disciples continued to address these topics as they encountered false teachings and ideas related to them. The most prominent writer addressing them was Paul, primarily due to the number of letters he wrote as a part of his ministry. Throughout his major theological treatise: Romans, Paul addresses each of the above topics: sexual immorality and the nature of marriage.
To think that because Jesus didn’t speak on a topic by name that it must mean he accepts or condones an action, behavior, or lifestyle that is contrary to the fullness of the Bible is a fallacy in understanding who Jesus is and what he has said. Jesus’ choosing not to address a topic by (our modern understanding or) name is to reject who Jesus is by deeming Him in contrast with the rest of Scripture- and if He is contrast with the rest of Scripture He is not who He says He is and thus did not do what He said He came to do.
Believer do not be drawn into believing this fallacy.
If you'd like to read more on this topic check out Denny Burk's article for Crossway here entitled What did Jesus Teach about Homosexuality?
Grace and Peace,
Matt
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