Fornication, Pornography, and Homosexuality – Biblically Defined

     The noun pórnos (lit. a male prostitute) is employed in the New Testament of anyone engaging in illicit sex, i.e., a fornicator (1 Cor. 5:9, 10, 11; 6:9; Eph. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 12:16; 13:4; Rev. 21:8; 22:15). The noun porneía applies to any type of illicit sexual intercourse, i.e., fornication (Matt. 5:32; 15:19; 19:9; Mark 7:21; John 8:41; Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25; 1 Cor. 5:1 [x2]; 6:13, 18; 7:2; 2 Cor. 12:21; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:3; Rev. 2:21; 9:21; 14:8; 17:2, 4; 18:3; 19:2). In its singular form porneía refers to the specific sex act, and under this broad umbrella term would be various types of porneía, such as adultery, incest, homosexuality, pedophilia, bestiality, etc. Porneía is any kind of sexual intercourse that is not within the context of a divinely approved marriage (cf. Heb. 13:4).

     While the English word “pornography” is derived from this Greek term, porneía does not mean the same thing as the English word, and vice versa. The English translation “sexual immorality” is somewhat vague, thus contributing to common misunderstandings. Although pornography is not “fornication,” it is still sinful, not only because of its addictiveness and the other immoral thoughts and behaviors it inevitably leads to (Rom. 6:19; Jas. 1:14-15; 2 Pet. 2:18-19), but its inherently selfish, lustful, lewd, degrading, objectifying nature is utterly contrary to the mental and moral purity that God expects of his children (Matt. 5:28; Gal. 5:16-17; Eph. 4:17-20; 1 Thess. 5:22; 2 Tim. 2:19-22; 1 John 2:15-17). Nevertheless, while the English word “pornography” is derived from the Greek porneía, viewing pornographic images does not constitute the sexual intercourse that is required for porneía to have occurred.

     The Greek malakoí (plural of malakós) in 1 Cor. 6:9 essentially means “soft,” and precedes arsenokoítai (see also 1 Tim. 1:10), a combination of arsēn (“male”) and koitē (“bed”). These are sexual terms descriptive of homosexual behavior (ASV, ESV, ERV, HCSB, ISB, NASB, NIV, N/KJV, NRSV, etc.).¹ Malakoí describes men who submit to dominant homosexual partners, and the compound arsenokoítai applies to men who actively engage in sodomy. The words arsēn (“male”) and koitē (“bed”) appear together six times in the LXX (Greek translation of the OT, the version Paul extensively quotes in 1 Corinthians), four times referring to men lying with women (Num. 31:17, 18; Judg. 21:11, 12) and twice in reference to men lying with men (Lev. 18:22; 20:13).² Dionysius of Halicarnassus (ca. 60-7 BC), in his Roman Antiquities, describes a man named Aristodemus, who was called malakos or “effeminate,” and one reason for the nickname was the presumed effeminacy of his youth, allowing himself “to be treated as a woman” (7.2.4).

     Irrespective of how these terms and concepts might be viewed in secular societies, to understand God’s revealed will on these matters we must define biblical terms biblically and then live and teach accordingly. 

-- Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Variously rendered “homosexuals” (NKJV), “effeminate” [by perversion] (NASB), “catamites” [those submitting to homosexuals] (NKJV mg) – descriptive of passive homosexual partners; and “sodomites” [male homosexuals] (NKJV), “homosexuals” (NASB), descriptive of active homosexual partners. The ESV combines these two words: “men who practice homosexuality.”

     ² See also Lev. 15:18, 24; 18:20; 19:20; Num. 5:13, 20. 

Related Posts: Biblical Doctrine of Divorce & Remarriage Part 1; Postmodernism & Homosexual Christian Part 2 

Related Articles: Mike Benson, Does Lust Equal Adultery?. Wayne Jackson, Is Lust Fornication?, Cindy Colley, Porneia in Matt 19:9

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Is Everything We Do in Life “Worship”?

     In Paul’s letter to the saints at Rome, in the section that has been designated the 1st verse of the 12th chapter, we read: “Therefore I exhort you, brethren, by God’s mercies, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God …”¹ The next expression (tēn logikēn latreían humōn) has been variously rendered (a) “your spiritual service” (ASV); (b) “your reasonable service” (NKJV); (c) “your spiritual worship” (ESV); (d) “your spiritual service of worship” (NASB); (e) “your spiritual act of worship” (NIV 1984); and (f) “your true and proper worship” (NIV 2011). Which rendering most accurately conveys the sense of the text?

     The Greek adjective logikós means “reasonable,” “rational,” or “spiritual.” The noun latreía is “service or worship” (BAGD 467), with emphasis on divine service (cf. Rom. 9:4; John 16:2; Heb. 12:28). The verbal form latreúō means to “serve,” especially the carrying out of religious duties (BAGD 467). This is not the same concept as what is communicated by the verb proskunéō, which means to “worship, do obeisance to, prostrate oneself before, do reverence to …” (BAGD 716). Paul is not discussing or describing proskunéō (“worship”) in Rom. 12:1; in fact, this word does not appear anywhere in Romans.²

     Scriptural worship [proskunéō] is something that is done purposefully, involving concentration, consideration, and reverence (John 4:20-24; 12:20; Acts 8:27). The intentionality of worship is demonstrated in Acts 24:11, where Paul says he had traveled to Jerusalem “to worship” [proskunéō]. Obviously worship is something that is done on purpose; one cannot worship unintentionally or by accident.

     While we serve the Lord in all that we do (Rom. 12:1; Col. 3:17), not everything we do in life constitutes worship (e.g. reading the newspaper, sleeping, watching a movie, et al.). When we set aside time and attention for the express purpose of worshiping God, let us do so according to biblical guidelines (1 Cor. 11:17-29; 14:12-19; 16:1-2; etc.). In everything else, may we be God’s faithful servants.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

     ² The only biblical record of Paul’s use of the word proskunéō (“worship”) is Acts 24:11 and 1 Cor. 14:25.

Related Posts: Restoring True Worship, What Are You Getting Out of Worship?

Related articles: Serge Shoemaker, Making Too Much of Worship, Earl Edwards, Is All of Life Worship?

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Our Heavenly Citizenship

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).¹

     The word “citizenship” [políteuma] is cognate with the imperative politeúesthe [lit. “live like a citizen”] in Phil. 1:27, where the Philippians have been exhorted to live “worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Residing in a Roman colony like Philippi, there would be much pride in Roman citizenship (Acts 16:12, 21). While still living in the world, citizens of heaven are to conduct themselves with minds set on things above (Col. 3:2). Although the word translated “heaven” is plural [lit. “heavens”], the corresponding relative pronoun in the prepositional phrase “from it” is the singular hou [“which”].

     The natural world is not our permanent home (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10-11; Rev. 20:11). God’s faithful ones are to live with him eternally in heaven (see Matt. 5:12, 16, 34; 6:19-21; 1 Thess. 1:10). There is a rest spoken of that is yet in the future—something promised that remains to be fully realized (Heb. 3:7–4:11). When Jesus journeyed ahead to prepare a place for his disciples (John 14:2-3), he went beyond the “veil” and penetrated the holiest place to dwell in the presence of God (Heb. 6:19-20; 9:12). This is none other than “heaven itself” (Heb. 9:24). Accordingly, we now have the confident expectation of entering the very same place (Heb. 6:18-19; 10:19-20, 34). It is heaven wherein our names are registered (Heb. 12:23) and in which we have reward (Matt. 5:12), hope (Col. 1:5), and an inheritance (1 Pet. 1:3-4). And unlike Israel’s inheritance of a temporal rest, ours is everlasting (Heb. 9:15).²

     It is from heaven “we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (cf. 1 Thess. 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Thess. 1:7–2:17). The verb apekdechómetha [“we await”] is a combination of apó [“away from”] + déchomai [“welcome”], describing an intense yearning for the coming of Christ.

     He will “transform our [plural] lowly body [singular]” – perhaps a subtle allusion to the unified collectivity of believers (Phil. 1:27; 2:2) – “to be like his glorious body …” The current physical body is a temporary shell, susceptible to weakness, sin, sickness, and death (2 Cor. 4:16–5:6). But it will be replaced one day with an incorruptible, glorious body (1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 5:9-10). Whatever Jesus is now, we will be like him one day (1 John 3:2). This transformation is possible because of the divine “power” invested by the Father “that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (see 1 Cor. 15:24-28).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV.

     ² See also 1 Cor. 15:23-24, 35-54; 2 Cor. 4:14; 5:1-2; 1 Thess. 4:14-18.

Related Posts: The Rest that Remains, New Heavens and New Earth

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