"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (ουτε μαλακοι), nor homosexuals (ουτε αρσενοκοιται), nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Figuratively, μαλακοι means "effeminate" (having feminine qualities untypical of a man), such as transvestites (men who dress up like women), transsexual women (men who make themselves out to be women, even going so far as to have sex changes), or a person who allows himself to be sexually abused contrary to nature (the passive partner in a gay relationship). There are those who argue that μαλακοι means "soft" (
Matt. 11:8; Luke 7:25), but this is without warrant or justification. The former verses join μαλακοις to the word ιματιοις (clothing) in order to modify it. In 1 Corinthians 6:9, the phrase appears as ουτε μαλακοι. The word μαλακοι is not joined to any other word, which is what would be required in order to translate it as "soft". The question would arise, "Soft what?" Ergo, we must translate it according to its other meanings:
- soft, soft to the touch
- metaph. in a bad sense
- effeminate
- of a catamite, a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man
- of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness
- of a male prostitute
The compound Greek word αρσενοκοιται comes from its root or stem words, αρσεν (a male) and κοιτε (a bed), and means "a male bed partner" or "a man who lies in bed with another male as one lies in bed with a female—a homosexual, a bugger, a Sodomite, one who defiles himself with men."
"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women (θηλειαι) exchanged the natural function (χρησιν) for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men (αρσενες) abandoned the natural function (χρησιν) of the woman (θηλειας) and burned in their desire (ορεξει) toward one another, men with men (αρσενες εν αρσεσι) committing indecent acts (ασχημοσυνην) and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." (Romans 1:26-27)
θηλειαι = "female, woman"
αρσενες, αρσεσι = "male, man"
χρησιν = "employment, i.e. (specially), sexual intercourse (as an occupation of the body)"
ορεξει = "excitement of the mind, i.e. longing after: lust"
αρσενες εν αρσεσι = "men with men, i.e. homosexuals"
ασχημοσυνην = "an indecency; by implication, the pudenda: shame"
This passage addresses
all individuals who exchange the
natural function (intercourse) between a man and a woman for that which is
unnatural and
perverse. It includes
every form of homosexuality: pederasty, bisexuality (and all its variant forms: pansexuality, polysexuality, omnisexuality, ambisexuality. etc.), transsexuality, etc. Anything outside of God's original intended sexuality—one man and one woman—is included and addressed with this passage. Heterosexuality is God's
only acceptable form of sexuality.
"And [Jesus] answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."" (Matthew 19:4-6)
The rest of the 1 Corinthians 6 passage continues thus:
"Such were (ην; IT) some of you; but you were washed (AIM), but you were sanctified (AIM), but you were justified (AIM) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)
IT = Imperfect Tense, used in the indicative mood referring to continuous action in past time.
AIM = Aorist Indicative Middle, conceives of an action in past time as simply having taken place, without further defining it.
In other words, even during Jesus and Paul's era, people had been guilty of committing these same sins. But when they came to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, they stopped having anything to do with these sins and began to walk in righteousness and holiness. They used to practice these sins habitually, as many individuals do today, but once they had truly encountered the Saviour, their life changed forever and they forsook their sins and began practicing righteousness. "
...now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"" (
1 Cor. 6:2). There is no guarantee of tomorrow. You can be free from your sin. Stop embracing it and trying to identify with it. Jesus said, "
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (
Matt. 11:28). If you are tired of trying to silence your conscience, if you are tired of making excuses for and embracing your sin, if you are tired of struggling against the sin that besets you, all you need to do it come to Jesus in repentance (agree with God and what He says about your condition) and faith (trust Jesus as your only means to salvation) and He will give you rest. He will grant you salvation. But you must come to Him on
His terms—
not your own.
