If you're being honest, don't you find it remarkable that, in the gospels of the 4 disciples, Jesus isn't quoted on anything pertaining to homosexuality?
Is it remarkable that Jesus said nothing about not stoning Homosexuals, pedophiles, and never said that wife-beating was wrong?
If we were to take a look at the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which contain the majority of the words of Jesus in the New Testament, we do find silence on any direct condemnation of Jesus upon Homosexuality. The method of taking what Jesus said as being superior the rest of New Testament writing has been called by many to be,
“Red Letter Christianity.” Since many modern Bibles place the words of Jesus in red, some have taken this to mean that these are the only inspired words that we must base our lives upon.
As with most arguments that endure, this one has an element of truth to it. We do not know of one time where Jesus directly attacks or condemns Homosexuality. The opposite is also evident; Jesus at no time endorses, condones, or looks at Homosexuality as normal or morally neutral. Both positions are arguments from silence, and by themselves, are a dangerous means of deriving what we know to be sin, or moral truth.
Silence never establishes doctrine.
It is not difficult to explain why Jesus did not expound upon Homosexuality as recorded in Scripture. Jesus was primarily within the Jewish community, and there was not rampant Homosexuality present in that community! The Jews were under the Law, and the Law condemned Homosexuality without the least evasion. While on earth, Jesus stated,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matt. 15:24. Homosexuality was not ever in debate in Israel, but as the Gospel was extended into heathen lands, Paul states,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16.
Paul was in no way in contradiction with Jesus on the issue of Homosexuality. To
pit Jesus against Paul because of what Jesus
did not say, is like claiming that since Jesus was not sent to the Gentiles, that the Gospel does not exist for anyone but the Jews. A policeman does not interview the person who did not see the crime committed, but the one that did!
What most Christians desire is; to know truth. What does God say?
It makes no sense to build a theology on what is never said; for who knows what is being said by that silence? Doctrine is built upon what is said, not what is not said. Yet, that does not seem to trouble those that would try to justify Homosexuality and allow it to be unquestioned and normative in the Modern Church and society.
Since Jesus does not say anything about Homosexuality directly, is this a valid argument that should silence all criticism by Christians? Some obviously believe this to be true! If Jesus said nothing; apparently Homosexuality was not an important issue to Him. That is pure assumption. Where does our Red-Letter method of creating a theology from silence lead us?
Does this method prove too much?
If silence is approval, may I observe a few things that follow logically? First, Jesus never condemned the Old Testament standard of stoning and killing Homosexuals.
He said nothing! Therefore, God does not condemn the killing of Homosexuals in our streets! Remember… you said that an argument from silence is valid! Jesus never said anything about pedophilia, so by an argument from silence, adults having sex with children is not a moral issue! Jesus preached love! And many adults love children! I am sure that “Christian” wife-beaters must be happy to hear about this expository method from silence, for Jesus never condemned anyone for beating their wives! Bestiality is never condemned by Jesus, but what of the mutual love between man and animal? If all is excused if something is done by mutual love, then why would Jesus ever condemn adultery? Fornication? But God is love! Yet the truth is, God is holy! And holiness tempers love! It is not “love” to allow your child to play with the crocodiles or to play in the middle of the freeway! You can say that it is “love” to allow your child to do what they want, but if it is detrimental to them, or leads them to eternal damnation, it is not “love” in the least!
Silence is not consent. Silence is not and endorsement or neutrality concerning certain sins. The argument from silence fails!
What the Bible teaches is not limited to what is said by Jesus. We have an entire New Testament that contains the word of God. We do not merely live by some moral code limited to what just Jesus says; or in this case, what He does not. It misses the point of Christianity to reduce everything to a New Testament equivalent of a Ten Commandments. Anyone who would do such a thing has no real concept of what Christianity and a relationship with Christ is!
