As with 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Eugene Peterson’s The Message again removes specific reference to homosexuality as a sin in 1 Timothy 1:8-11. According to The Message:
“It’s true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. It’s obvious, isn’t it, that the law code isn’t primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever! They are contemptuous of this great Message I’ve been put in charge of by this great God.” (Bold mine)
Yes, this “great Message” indeed. The Message, really, is simply a forerunner to what will be a “christless,” sinless Bible.
Here is 1 Timothy 1:8-11 (NASB): But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. (Italics Mine)
Consider how many are now using The Message as their primary teaching “Bible.” There is a Christian school using The Message in my area, and how many of these children will grow up relying upon it as if it were the Word of God?
I have heard a Christian leader call it “a great translation,” and I have heard a guest speaker at my own church gush over it. Please show The Message’s absolute removal of God’s Truth from 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:8-11 to anyone you can.
Also, please inform others what has been done to Psalm 1:1 in The Message: HERE
To Sinner,
You claim homosexuality is genetic, there is no evidence to back your claim. Not only that, the Bible proves you wrong; in Matthew 15:18-19 the Lord Jesus Christ Himself speaks out against homosexuality stating ‘”But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” ‘Fornications’ is the word I want to draw your attention to, it comes from the Greek word πορνεία which is porneia and means ‘adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc., sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18, sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman’. That pretty much covers every kind of sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage between a husband and wife. This is what comes out of the heart of men, what is the ‘heart’? In the Greek, it’s καρδία-kardia which means ‘the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours, of the understanding, the faculty and seat of the intelligence’ -from Thayer’s Greek definitions. Christ Himself taught homosexuality is birthed within our own thoughts, desires, passions, etc. This is not genetic, is is sin that starts from within our depraved minds. The Lord goes on to say homosexuality./fornication ‘defiles’ a man. Defiles means ‘to make (Levitically) unclean, render unhallowed, defile, profane, to declare or count unclean’. What happens to those who defile themselves by engaging in homosexuality? “and nothing unclean {same as defile}, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it {into God’s eternal kingdom}, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27
To accuse someone of ‘judging’ when they give truth is to misunderstand what judging actually means. Giving truth will either lead one to repentance, which is a changing of one’s mind which leads to forsaking sin, or will cause them to lash out, make false accusations and attack the messenger. To give truth does NOT make one ‘high and mighty’, it is our God given call to expose sin with God’s truth. Your problem isn’t with anyone here, your problem is you see things through human wisdom. It isn’t ‘homophobia’ to speak God’s truth, we do it so that sinners may be saved. I used to be a lesbian, by God’s grace and through the crucifixion of His own Son, I have been born again. I am free from the bondage of sin, even the sin of homosexuality. You say you are a sinner, do you understand that rebellion to God’s word is sin? Practicing sexual sin is rebellion, which will lead to God, not Christians, judging you on that final day. May He bring you to repentance, be merciful to you, and gift you with eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, as the Father poured out His wrath on His own Son for those who will believe. Jesus Christ is the ONLY hope sinners have; He commands sinners to repent or they will perish, which means ‘be destroyed’ { Luke 13:3}. God is holy and will NOT allow anything sinful into His kingdom – Rev 22:14-15 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral {from Gr. word ‘pornos’ which means ‘fornicator, whoremonger’} persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.” If you willfully practice sin, including the sin of homosexuality, you are outside His kingdom, which means you are forbidden entrance forever.
My wife and I have repented of this, and it is not pleasing to God, nor is heterosexual sex outside of marriage. We are at the point where many are trying to get us to disobey the Word of God and accept this sin. The Message is really the forerunner of perhaps a “christless,” sinless “bible” that will tickle many ears.
And I am sorry you are so angry. Getting saved is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, it is amazing to know Him.
We are all condemned until we believe in and obey Christ. So, really, repentance means turning from sin, including homosexual sin.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on Him. (John 3:36)
I appreciate you read this blog fairly regularly, and I appreciate your comments.
I don’t know what the hell makes you guys so high and mighty and enlightened, but you have no right to judge anyone. It says in your Bible that God shall be the only Judge. Try studying that book more. It’s not a book of condemnation, and it’s not a weapon. The Bible is a book made for redemption. I don’t care how well you think you follow the Bible’s rules, it gives you no right to tell every gay man or woman that they are going to burn in hell for eternity. You wanna know something? I think God doesn’t [care] whether or not you’re gay, because OUR SOULS HAVE NO GENDER. Why would our souls need something to set us all against each other? Honestly, why do you care so much? Most gay couples are happier than straight couples.
Here’s a bit of a reality check. None of you are the Father, or the Holy Spirit, or the Son, so you have no right to tell people who they are. Accept that you’re just like me: a sinner. Are we all on the same page? Good. All you guys are doing with your homophobia is making your life and the life of the people you criticize much, much harder. There’s more to life then trying to find reasons to kill each other off.
You are speaking bluntly, as I do, and it can sound kind of hard–because we are at the point where anything challenging garners outrage.
So here is my question: Should the Lord open a door for you to minister to a homosexual, how will you approach this?
Donns,
We have to have love, we have to go to war for sinners in prayer. I am tired of people negating or justifying this sin–which my wife and I have both repented of–but these folks need to hear truth in love. Right? I also would find it amazing if people got as upset over non-married heterosexual couples living together, especially the ones who go to church as if this is okay with God.
David, you are on your way to becoming whole and free from the slavery of homosexuality.
God is provoked by unrepentant sinners, so don’t go back to that way of life, no matter what anybody says to you.
One day we all will have a new body and we will be rid of the sin that dwells in us that torments us so much.
I am not a homosexual, but I used to drink, and God delivered me in an instant, that was 11 years ago.
homosexuality is debauchery of the worst kind, read what God did to the homos in Genesis.
Homosexuality is an assault on the nature of God, he created us male and female in his image.
Homos will not inherit the Kingdom of God anymore than a drunk or an adulterer will. Guaranteed, unrepentant homos will suffer the wrath of God just like Sodom and Gommorah did.
Hell will be too late to repent.
You shouldn’t worry about them living in sin or not, regardless of sexual orientation. I believe that all things in the Bible, with all due respect, that condemn anyone for any reason is wrong. In fact, the Bible itself says that Satan is the only one to be thrown into the lake of fire, correct? Frankly, I don’t care if you believe something is wrong or not. Just don’t go around using a name that implies you have a God complex and condemn people for something they can’t change. I used to think that homosexuality would damn a person as well, but my little brother was born. Lo and behold, years later, he’s gay. He was not abused, he was raised by straight parents, and, hell, my uncle and grandmother are both preachers. He couldn’t help but be gay, so I decided to look deeper into the matter. I suggest you study the holy texts that their respective religions claim them to be written by God. You just might find some conflicts. There are many religions that follow the same one God, he or she, depending on the religion, is just portrayed in different ways.
As my wife and I have both repented for this, you may be “judging” my motivation incorrectly. We live according to the Bible. We do not jerryrig Scripture. We certainly do not delete it, as The Message does.
Nor do we or should we go by a double standard, where we say nothing about heterosexual couples living in sin, but tee off on homosexuals.
Why do so many people claim to follow the Bible but then proceed to live their lives in hate? Homosexuality is not a sin.Those of you who are homosexual are not damned. Homosexuality is a genetic trait. It is hard-coded into your very being. If God hates gays so much, why would He create a trait of humanity that you can’t do anything to stop? Why would He do this and call himself a God of love?
Look at the flaws inside yourself instead of criticizing others. Worry not about the speck of dust in your neighbors eye when you have a length of timber in your own.
Thanks for making me know that there are at least 7000 God’s children in US who have not kissed and will not kiss baal, this homo thing makes me cry, knowing that it is totaly against God’s will and worse still, some churches are aligning themselves into this hellfire road, please, keep preaching righteousness, like Noah, the Holy Spirit by you will save some, no, many. Remain blessed. Okipet, Nigeria.
Bob,
Do you also take such a stand against unmarried heterosexual couples who live together? I hope so. Do you feel outrage when unmarried heterosexual couples who live together come to church over and over again? I hope so. Do you reach out to homosexuals and speak the Truth in love? I hope so.
Fake Christian homosexuals try to justify their actions and cover up the sky with their hand. They try to justify their sick actions and still think that they are going straight to heaven. It is a lifestyle that mocks God’s word and homosezuals are living in sin. We all sin, but homosexuals live in sin everysingle day. You don’t make the mistake of being homosexual and say: “oops” you actually live it everyday and to call yourself a christian. That’s ridiculous. All of these liberal gays/church goers, are mocking God and trying to live their own way and not God’s way. ITS CALLED READING THE BIBLE: SODOM AND GOMORAH, WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM??? MARRIAGE WAS CREATED FOR A MAN AND A WOMAN ONLY. GET A REAL LIFE AND STOP MOCKING GOD.
The Message is an affront to God, a means of pointing people away from Him, and these twisted “translations” will continue. Thank you for reading the article and weighing in.
David,
Fight. Honor God. And He is with you. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
I am a believer who struggles with this very sin. It is not helpful for pastors/ leaders, to call homosexuality anything but sin. I am not one of those who was delievered from this desire at the time of my salvation. However, I believe I have to fight. The alleged pastor is not leading anyone to the cross, nor is he leading anyone towards repentance. The most helpful thing a believer can do is to point out sin, promote reprentance and not acceptance. I accept my sin, as sin. Not anything more. Others diagree with me, but it is what it is. I just know that one day I will have a new body and my flesh will no longer be at war with my spirit. What is wrong with that view? It leads to freedom from bondage and makes us into true contenders for the Faith.
I am wondering if the nay sayers really understand Peterson’s intent. The Message is a paraphrase to make the Word easier for those who cannot get past the thees thys and thous of a 1911 translation. Because you know that the majority of unsaved think that the Bible is just mans word and not Gods. Do you fault a fellow believer for trying to make the Word easier to understand and to hopefully lead them to desiring a deeper understanding of what is meant… I think so, but that is me.
As for the removal of homosexuality – it goes with the method of authorship. For anyone that cannot include homosexuality in the sex group missed the word sex in the middle of the sinful act. You know as well as I do – you say the word sex in today’s society and immediately the mind swims with every commercialized act that can be televised or talked about.
I know what you mean and intended. I do not contest what you mean in the conviction – but if Peterson’s ‘The Message’ can get one person to read and study God’s Word then isn’t it worth the ink He (God) allowed to be wasted to tickle the question in someones spirit to seek the living God? A person who reads The Message and stops there – is merely seed cast on rocky soil and never was meant to set roots and grow. The Word says it is so. Howm many times have you heard some man of god read a passage from God’s Word and twist it or leave context out to benefit his perspective… ? More than you will admit.
Sorry if i seem brass about this but it concerns me when folk huddle up together and beat up on someones attempt to make The Word more accessible and rather than seeing the attempt as a baby step (milk) to a genuine understanding (meat) they browbeat the meaning and intent to benefit their perspective.
Stopping now before I anger someone. Thank you for the match. I have been sitting on my haunches for a while and I was just reminded that there are lots of sheep out there that need knowledge, wisdom and understanding rather than a kick in the mouth with old english rantings. Jesus was, is and will be the WORD and yet He loved the sinner – dare we to do the same.
Spencer
Patrick,
Do you think there is any possibility we can open the eyes of at least a few pastors, and get this…thing…out of churches?
I love the way Peterson tells us that we have been “cleaned up and given a fresh start” by Jesus. As though we were somehow basically okay and just needed a little dusting off to get us going again. This is the root of the fallacy of the message. Peterson obviously has rejected the stark reality that God can’t use us the way we are because we are defiled by sin. The only way we can be accepted by God in Christ is to submit our old man to the same death of the cross that Jesus suffered. (Gal. 2:20) God then makes a “kainos anthropos”, a brand new man to replace the old one. We’re not cleaned up and given a fresh start, we’re killed and then born again. Kainos means “of a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of”, and that’s what we become, a new creation – not just a reworked version of the old man.
This so called “Message”..is purely false, Totally New Age, Very embarrassing to true Christians, which means, Followers of our God..Jesus Christ only. Burn the copies, like they did in the Book of Acts.. Amen..
Think about it–we have a generation now raised on The Message…this explains in part what is happening to the Faith.
The last sentence from the Message you quoted which says “They are contemptuous of this great Message I’ve been put in charge of by this great God” really ought to be with a lower-case “g” for God since Mr. Peterson is obviously governed by the god of this world, and not the by the One true God. I wouldn’t be surprised if he sees himself as a modern-day Paul, perhaps even considering negative reviews as persecution, his “cross to bear” (if he considers them at all).