Revisionist say homosexuality natural - Scripture says no!

Objection Stated

Paul did not know about “inversion” or the allegedly “natural” occurrence of homosexuality.

Biblical Response

There are two things to be noted in response to this assertion—an assertion that is, truly, at the bottom of almost every argument on the part of revisionists. The first is the unspoken, but foundational, assumption that the Scriptures are limited in their capacity and hence authority to the knowledge and experience of the human authors by which they were delivered to us. 

The second is more overt: Paul did not know about “inversion” or the allegedly “natural” occurrence of homosexuality. Let’s begin with the second objection.

Paul came from Tarsus, a major city in the Roman empire. He was well trained, a learned man, familiar with Roman and Greek culture. He was obviously widely read in the literature of the day as well. Therefore, the assumption that he did not know of people who professed to be homosexual as their primary “orientation” is simply farfetched unless one is willing to say that in essence no one really “knew” about this until the past few decades or centuries. 

Further, it is self-evident that the full outline of the modern homosexual view of orientation was known in the ancient world, despite the oft-repeated assertion that it was not. 

Plato’s Symposium, written centuries before Paul wrote Romans, showed that the ancients were well aware of all the elements of modern homosexual behavior, even if they did not use the same exact words. Plato’s writings make reference to male homosexuality, lesbianism, the claims of some to be born as a willing mate of a man, the concept of mutuality, permanency, gay pride, pederasty, “homophobia,” motive, desire, passion, etc. One would have to assume Paul a very poor student and a very poor observer of the culture around him to be unaware of these things.

At the base of all revisionist arguments is a less-than-robust, and at times, simply non-existent, doctrine of Scripture. If the Bible is in fact theopneustos, “God-breathed,” as Paul insists (2 Timothy 3:16), then the question that must be asked is, 

“Does God’s wisdom and knowledge allow Him to clearly reveal His truth to His people despite any and all limitations of knowledge on the part of those He chooses to be His instruments in the recording of His Word?” 

Indeed, one may well ask if God could not choose someone to be used in this fashion who would not be ignorant of the very things that God wishes to address, such as the debauchery and idolatry of those who suppress the knowledge of God that is within them. 

Surely an omnipotent God who desires to communicate himself clearly is capable of accomplishing His task. Christians have always believed He fulfilled His desire in the inspiration of the Scriptures, and that they therefore can function as an infallible and sufficient rule of faith and obedience for God’s people. 

Revisionists, seeking a way around the clear revelation of God’s will in those Scriptures, seek to ameliorate the pressure brought to bear upon either their lifestyle or their unorthodox beliefs by undercutting the authority of the Word by muting the clarity of its voice.







White, J. R., & Niell, J. D. (2002). The Same Sex Controversy: Defending and Clarifying the Bible’s Message about Homosexuality (pp. 128–130). Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.