God's Design and Purpose in the Creation of Man and the Marital Union - Heterosexuality versus Homosexuality

God’S Design and Purpose in the Creation of Man and the Marital Union
                          – Heterosexuality versus Homosexuality
                                                         by: Rebecca R. Brown


God is not haphazard in the things that He does. He acts with purpose and is detailed in His design, leaving nothing to chance. He never threw a bunch of stars or planets into the sky to see where they would go. He made certain things for specific purposes, to fulfill a plan He had before He began the creation of our world. 

What He did do is utterly amazing. Our solar system  is an incredible system created by an incredibly loving God, who saw to it that everything was in perfect order for life on planet Earth before He created man in His own image and placed him here to live in peace.

Peace = … to make an agreement …

A state of quiet or tranquillity, freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose; …

God’s divine plan for all things, is for all to work in harmony – the absence of war, for -

1. mind and will

2. body and soul

3. physical body as opposed to sickness

4. man and life

5 family

6. man and God

7. God and man

The peace that God intended for His man, would be for all things to function after His intended order or arrangement.

Man has caused himself many discomforts and problems by not following God’s plan or obeying His voice.

Consider how beautifully He set our world in order. Before man sinned against God, the atmosphere was different and the vegetation on earth did not even need rain in order to receive the moisture it needed to live and grow.

Gen. 2:5+6 … for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground. 6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

mist = (Strong’s Exhausive Con.) ( in the sense of enveloping); a fog: – mist, vapor

from = (Strong’s) prop. a part of; hence (prep.) from out of in many senses …

One can imagine that with mist, or moisture coming up out of the earth, that the roots of the plants would receive moisture even before it was seen on the surface of the land.Today farmers depend on rain to fall from the sky and hope and pray there will be enough to soak down far enough into the earth so that the plants will be able to live and grow. Imagine what a difference there would be if all things worked according to the original design of Father God!

We know that the earth receives seed, the seed receives nutrition from the soil, the sun shines upon the earth, warming it and the seed below. The seed is watered, it dies and new life  sprouts from it. It is an amazing process, designed by an amazing creator!

We know better than to expect a seed to grow if left unplanted or if planted in water alone, where it will rot. We understand that in nature, that is to say, according to God’s design, there is an order to things and a way that works for good and there is another way that will not.

All upon the earth and the things above it, were arranged for the life of God’s most glorious creation, MAN, and for his good.

Why do I say His most glorious creation? Because there is nothing more glorious than God himself and man was created to be the image of God; a reflection of Him. Scripture tells us that man is the glory of God.

Gen. 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

1 Cor. 11:7 – For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as  he is the image and glory of God: …

And so God set out to create man in His own image; man who would be the glory of God.

What is God like? In what way is man His reflection?

The word ‘God’ in Gen. 1:26 is the word elohiym; el-o-heem.’ It is the plural of the word elowahh, which means ‘God.’ Elohiym then, shows the plurality of God, who is a unit.

Deut. 6:4 Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.

If we look at the original Hebrew words that these were translated from, we can better see the plurality of the one and only, true and living God.

Lord (Strong’s) comes from the word Yehovah, which originally was without vowels and was most sacred. It means – (the) self Existent or Eternal: Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: – Jehovah, the Lord.

God here, is (Strong’s) the word Elohiym, that we have already looked at.

The word ‘one’ is (Strong’s) echad; a numeral from achad, prop. united, that is, one; or (as an ordinal) first …

Considering the meanings of the words in this verse, we might see it as saying, Hear O Israel, our self Existent, plural God, is united, is (one) Yehovah.

While such a God may be hard to fathom, can you imagine what it would be like to creat a reflection of this God? But He did so when He created man!

Gen. 1:27 So God created man (a human being [Strong’s]) in his own image, in the image of God (elohiym) created he him, male and female created he them.

created he him (Strong’s) bara; to create … – eth; in the demonstr. sense of entity …

Now go with me to look at how God did this.

Gen. 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

First God formed man out of the dust of the ground. Before He breathed into his nostrils, he was man! But he was a man without life. He was an amazing body, consisting of everything he needed but with no life with which to activate or motivate him.

Look at the awesomeness of the human body with a heart only slightly larger than a human fist that beats some 80,000 – 100,000 times a day and pumps about 2,000 gallons every day. There is a small intestine, coiled in the center of the abdominal cavity that is approx. 20 feet long, not to mention the large intestine. According to the Franklin Institute, “a single drop of blood contains millions of red blood cells which are constantly traveling through your body delivering oxygen and removing waste.”

There is the brain, that is like a magnificent computer.  There are all of the organs and so much more. Yet we understand that none of the internal organs would have operated without the breath of God bringing Adam’s body to life and setting it in motion.

When God breathed His very own breath, the breath of life, into Adam, this man became a living soul. Notice it does not say that he was not a man before God breathed into him. It does not say that the soul was the real person and the body just a house for him to live in. It does not say that there was a soul waiting for a body to live in. Though many such ideas have been considered and some believed, it is not what the Word of God says. We are told here in Gen. that when God breathed into the man’s nostrils, he became a living soul.

living = (Strong’s) chay; alive, hence raw (flesh; flesh …)

soul = (Strong’s) nephesh; prop. a breathing creature

The man that God had created became a living, breathing creature, the moment he received God’s breath of life! His flesh came to life as well as his mind. This was the the man, created in the image of Father God, in that he was created with the ability to ‘father’. But the image of Elohiym was not yet complete.

The Word of God went on to say “male and female created he them.”

God, being a plural unit, His image would also require the same.

Now let’s look at how this took place.

Gen. 2:20 … but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him.

There has been great misunderstanding based on this word ‘found’. It was translated from the Hebrew – matsa; mean. prop. to come forth to, that is, appear or exist …

It is not suggesting that God and Adam looked all over the place and just couldn’t find a help meet that was suitable or that would please and satisfy Adam. It is telling us that a help mate for Adam did not yet exist. She had not yet ‘come forth’, for God had a plan to create her from Adam’s own body. God already knew what He had planned to do, before He ever began and in fact, before He ever began creating the Earth.

Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Heb. 4:3 … although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Keep in mind that God’s intention was to create His own image. So He began the process which He had planned from the beginning; to create His image that would be a reflection of Him on the earth.

Gen. 2:21 – 25 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and He slept: and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman, and brought her to the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother. and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The first thing we are told that God did, was to put the man to sleep. So Adam had to submit himself into the hands of God, trusting himself and his life to God, in order to receive his bride.

One day, in the future, Jesus would submit himself into the hands of His Father and be put to death, in order to receive His bride. Interestingly, in the New Testament, Christians who died were referred to as being asleep; those who sleep in Christ. When a child of God dies, it is known that he will get up again, so sleep is a good description of their condition. I think we can see many representations of the work of our Lord and Savior, in the process of creating the woman, including Adam’s sleep, as representative of the death Christ would suffer in order to receive a bride.

While Adam slept, God opened his side and took out a rib. It does not say a piece of a rib, but a rib. While Jesus was on the cross, His side was opened and he shed blood. Not one of His bones were broken. As far as we know, not one of Adam’s bones were broken on the process of the creation of his bride, but one was removed.

Adam would say, after he was awakened, that the woman was both bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. Apparently some of Adam’s flesh was taken to be used in making the woman. Verse 21 tells us that God “closed up the flesh instead thereof.”

In Hebrew the words ‘closed up” is the word – ‘cagar’, meaning to shut up; figuratively – to surrender: close up, deliver (up) … The meaning suggests that God actually opened Adam’s flesh. He did not supernaturally remove it, without an operation. Rather He put him to sleep and opened him up.

If we took the meaning “to surrender up or to deliver up” He might then be saying that Adam surrenderd a piece of his flesh to the Lord to be used in creating his bride.

The blood is in the flesh. The life of the flesh is in the blood. (Lev. 17:14) So Adam shed blood in order to receive a bride that would truly be a part of himself. He gave lifeblood, or flesh with life in it.

Jesus would one day shed His blood in order to receive a bride for himself. I believe this was a serious blood covenant. Adam first shed blood. After this, women would shed blood when the hymen was broken in intercourse. Intercourse was never to happen without the covenant of marriage.

flesh 1320 basar; flesh (from it’s freshness); by exten. body, person; also (by euphemism) the pudenda of a man: – …

Pudenda n. pl. ["., from pudendus that which one ought to be ashamed.] (Anat.) The external organs of generation. [1913 Webster]

instead 8478 – tachath; the bottom (as depressed); only adv. below (often with prep. pref.  underneath), in lieu of, etc:- as, beneath, …

(Just a thought – If God took flesh from beneath, and since one of the meanings for ‘flesh’ can be a euphemism, for the pudenda, or the genitals of man, could the flesh God took have been the foreskin? If it was, then Adam would have shed blood from that which would be joined to his wife, as woman  later would shed blood when first receiving her husband. This could also be a clue as to why circumcision was chosen as the sign of the covenant between God and His people, Israel. This could be a symbol of two becoming one flesh. –  Something to consider!)

When Adam saw his wife for the first time, he was looking at his own rib, his own flesh. His own blood likely flowed through that flesh, because of the blood that was in the flesh God had used in creating her. While woman was indeed an individual, yet at the same time, she was a very real part of her husband. They truly were one flesh. Now Adam, being created by God, had never seen a marriage before. He had never seen a human father and mother together, nor witnessed human birth. Yet with knowledge and understanding, he made this statement, upon seeing the woman.

” … This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

When Adam first saw Eve, he knew what had taken place while he slept. He also knew that after this, God would not be putting every individual male to sleep to perform the same operation on them in order for him to have a wife. He knew that children would come by means of the marital union of man and wife and that in due time a man should leave his parents and, by choice, join himself to one woman. He was to cleave to his wife and the two of them were to be considered literally one flesh.

To cleave, according to the Hebrew, is to – impinge, that is, cling or adhere …

There was a reason for this. Adam said  ”… Therefore shall a man …”

Therefore or because of the way God had created Eve of Adam’s own bone and flesh, that is to say, because God made the two of them to be one, which is in the likeness and image of God, every man after this, is to view himself and his wife in the same manner.

It had not been good for the man to be alone, or that is, incomplete.

Alone = (Greek, Strong’s) – bad; prop. separation; by impl. a part of the body …

So, since it was not good for Adam to be only a part of the body, but not yet completed -

Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

In the creation of Adam is the evidence that God knew before he created him, that he would be creating a help that was suitable for him, who would complete him and the image of God. Adam was in the image of Father God, in that he was made with the ability to ‘father.’ He had all of his reproduction organs and was wired to respond to a woman, before he had even laid eyes on one. How do we know that it was woman he was meant to respond to? Because it was specifically a woman who God created to be his help meet and receive his seed.

Adam had the ability to give seed, but there was no one to receive it and no garden for it to be planted in. He had all of his reproduction organs. The muscles, nerves and blood vessels were all in working order to produce penile erection and the giving of seeds, capable of beginning new life when absorbed by a female ovum. All this was a part of Adam before his help mate appeared on the scene, because God had His plan set, before he made Adam. He had known the end from the beginning.

When Adam did see the mate that God had created for him, out of his own body, he saw the vessel for which these things were created; the vessel to carry his seed; the garden for it to be planted in; the incubator to hold it and the vessel to nurture and protect it until it came forth as new life!

1 Thes. 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.

1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife … that your prayers be not hindered.

God prepared this vessel perfectly, including every minute detail. Even the entrance to man’s garden was prepared with specific care and honor for both the man and the woman, who were one. The woman was created with a vagina that is self cleansing, which will self lubricate during sexual arousal, in order to reduce friction, when she reseives the male penis. It cleanses itself to receive the man and his seed.

According to www.atihealth.net.com – “During sexual excitement, droplets of fluid appear along the vaginal walls and eventually cover the sides of the vagina completely. The vaginal tissue does not contain any secretory glands itself, but is loaded with blood vessels, which when engorged as a result of sexual arousal, press against the tissue, forcing natural tissue fluids through the walls of the vagina.”

What amazing design by a loving and perfect God!

Yes every detail was planned and set in order for the union of the male and female, when God created man! Adam’s help mate was created perfectly to receive and unite with him! Nothing was left to chance!

When Adam woke from sleep and saw his help mate, he knew what God had done, the purpose of what had been done and what it was to mean in the future.

Gen. 2:23+24 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Notice that there was no question in Adam’s mind as to what was to take place from that time on. He stated as fact, that after this a man ‘shall’  - not might want to, or might make the choice to, or might like the idea of, but ‘SHALL’ leave his father and mother and cleave, or that is, glue to or attach himself to his wife and the two; the man and his wife, the male and the female, would be one flesh.

It was not necessary for God to tell us that He does not mean for animal and man, male and male or female and female to become one flesh, for He clearly stated what was to be. He was very clear when he stated that a man and his wife were to be joined together and become one flesh. If He has said how it is to be, it is enough!

Matt. 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.


                              What did God join together?

                            Male and female, man and wife!

Notice it says “no more” and these are not hard words to understand –not ever again.

Do you notice that the union of the man and woman is said here to be something that God has done? It was He who joined them together.  Again it is shown, that this was God’s own design and plan and that He takes it very seriously.

                                                Why?

Well for one very good reason, this was HIS image; HIS reflection on the earth. When God created man in his image, male and female created he them! He was not going to approve a breaking up or distortion of His own image. Take a look at Gen.5:1+2

This is the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God (Elohiym) made he him. 2. Male and female created he them, and blessed them and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

On the day that God created man, He created them male and female and called both of them by one name – Adam! Some Bible translations have left out the words “called their name” and just said something like ” called them man, or human or mankind. But I consider this a dangerous error.
In the Hebrew the word for ‘name’ is shem; a prim. word [perh. rather (siym) through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; ...]; an appellation, as a mark of individuality; by impl. honor, …

According to the dictionary, appellation is – 1. The act of appealing; appeal 2. The act of calling by name 3. the word by which a particular person or thing is called and known; name; title; designation.  [1913 Webster]

It seems that God was not just speaking of human kind in general, but was calling the man and the woman by a particular name and that name was Adam. In other words God called them both, who were one flesh, by only one name. It was a mark of individuality, as God saw them as one.

This word ‘name’ is the same word used in Gen. 16: 15, when Abram called his son’s name Ishmael. It is important to see the truth of this and to understand the extent that God considered the man and his wife to be one.

I am not making too much of too little. Too often people have made too little of much. It is not wise to always skim over what is written in the Word of God. We need to take time to look closely at what is being said. It was after the woman sinned that we read that Adam called her by a name separate from his own.

Gen. 3:20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Again in Mark, God’s intention is made known.

Mark 10:8 And they twain (two) shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

This agrees with what is written in Eph. 5:28+29 – “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh …”

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are one.

John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

First God created man in His image, the two to be one, as God the Father and Jesus Christ are one. Later, after salvation was brought by Jesus, God called all those who were redeemed, his body and called for a oneness, or that is, to be unified; -  each member as being part of the body of Christ; individual members, a part of each other in Christ. Both were to have the Holy Spirit in their lives.
The truth of the Godhead; single, plural unit that makes up the one and only true and living God, can be seen reflected in all of creation, but especially in the way He created man; male and female created He them!

Am I saying then, that God is both male and female? Not in the sense that we know it. Remember we are a reflection, not an exact duplicate. There are things in the make up of feminine man that reflect certain aspects of God and His character and things in the make up of the male that reflects other aspects of God. One alone is an incomplete image.

There is blessing and peace in following God, honoring Him, His Word and His will. His will is seen when we look at what He did in the beginning; how and what He created. Walking in His Spirit, and his will, according to His plan and design, brings peace, for we are not at war with how He set things in motion.

Can you imagine, however, how Satan must have felt upon seeing God create an image of Himself and then to give them dominion over all the earth? Satan had tried to lift himself above God, but failed. Now this position of authority and power is handed to the man without any effort on his part. Satan desires to rule, without see the image of God at every turn; having to watch him have what Satan wants! It is no wonder he set about quickly to put a stop to both, the image and the dominion!

He is still working hard to keep mankind from understanding God or man’s purpose and power.
Many have turned from God’s plan to live their own way, rejecting God’s. Some do not even understand what they are doing, why it is wrong, nor the insult it is to God. But consider what happens when a man goes against the plan of God.

Romans 1:7, 16-28 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

You may not be in Rome, but are you beloved of God? Are you called to be a saint of God? Grace to you! Peace to you!

This grace is, in the Greek, charis; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstr. or concr.; lit. or fig. or especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude.

May you have the peace of God and His divine influence upon your heart and may His influence be reflected in your life!

16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and to the Greek.

17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.
(Note; - The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ!)
18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

The wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteousness and ungodliness.

wrath  = (Greek) orge, or-gay’; prop desire (as reaching forth or excitement of the mind), that is, (by anal.) violent passion (ire, or [justifiable] abhorance); by impl. punishment:- anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

ungodliness = asebeia, as-eb’-i-a; impiety, that is, (by impl.) wickedness: – ungodly (-ness).

impiety = 1. The quality of being impious; irreverence toward the Supreme Being; ungodliness; wickedness. [1913 Webster]

hold = katecho, kat-ekh’-o; to hold down (fast), in various applications (lit. or fig.): – … possess, retain, … withhold.

                                                WHY?

19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them.
20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

manifest = (Greek) phaneroo, fan-er-o’-o;to render apparent (lit. or fig.):- appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).

When a person does not show reverence and respect to God, this is ungodliness. Such an attitude and behavior results in the wrath of God.
Wrath is more than being a little displeased, but bespeaks of violent passion, abhorrence, vengeance and punishment. What is it that stirs God so? It is the fact that man has the evidence of God and His power, manifest or made known ‘in’ him and yet lives ungodly and unrighteously. 

            Yes the truth of God is right there inside of each of us!

It is in our make up. God and His eternal power; the things of God that we cannot see with our eyes, can be clearly seen and understood, by the very things God has made; even the things from the creation of the world! So there is no excuse to be irreverent toward God and to live with disrespect toward Him!

The invisible things of God are clearly seen and understood by the things that He made! We have already seen how God made man in His image in the beginning, and now we are told that what may be known of God is ‘in’ man. God wrote a story of himself in us!

21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
23. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Notice it does not say that they had no understanding from the start, but contrariwise, they did know, but their heart became darkened. The truth of God is written within us, even if we have been told a lie that seemed very persuasive! Even if we search for reasons to believe something contrary to His truth.

24 Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

uncleanness = (Greek) akatharsia, ak-ath-ar-see’-ah; impurity (the quality) phys. or mor.: uncleaness.

Man changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man.

We have seen in 1 Cor. 11:7 that man is the glory of God. The eternal power and Godhead is to be seen in what God has made and He has made man in His image!

Man is a reflection, an image, not an exact duplicate. When man is seen, a reflection of God is to be seen. If you change the image, you cause a distorted and untrue picture to be seen. But man took it upon himself to change the glory of the incorruptible God.

 What foolish pride to try to change the glory of the incorruptible God  - into something on man’s level and of his own making, rather than to recognize the image of God that He has placed in us and to glorify Him for the magnificence of what He has done and for WHO He is!

1:25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

                      Who changed the truth of God into a lie!

Do you hear the scripture? Some may say that homosexual behavior is a private matter and hurts no one - or - no one but the participants. But this is a matter between God and the man He created. These actions are calling God a liar! It is serving self - man creating his own gods; worshiping what was created rather than God himself! 

Of course the truth will always be the truth. We have heard it said that someone has twisted our words or changed what we have said. What was said, was said. This cannot really be changed. But it can be misrepresented or lied about.

Man has taken it upon himself to turn away from the true image of God, seen in the marital union of man and woman and to proclaim that it is just as acceptable; that it is justifiable to have union, man with man or woman with woman, thus changing the truth; perverting the image, - CHANGING THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE! This is giving oneself a position above God and His divine plan, will and purpose!

If you had a beautiful portrait of your late mother hanging in your house; a picture that expressed, not only her physical beauty, but also seemed to reflect the loving, caring person she had been, you would not appreciate someone coming in and altering the picture. If someone were to paint a bottle of whiskey in her hand, a cigarette hanging from he lip, rips in her dress and hair in her face, you would likely be furious! Not only had the picture been destroyed, but the character and heart of your mother slandered. Her image was perverted.

But for man, the image of God is to be reflected in himself. To pervert that image is serving self over God. And it has been done in worship to other gods, as well,  destroying God’s true image while worshiping another and serving self.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, concerning homosexuality in ancient Greece – In classic antiquity writers such as Herodotus, Plato, Xenophon, Athenaeus and many others explored aspects of same-sex love in ancient Greece. The wide spread and socially significant form of same-sex sexual relations in ancient Greece was between adult men and pubescent or adolescent boys, known as pederasty. (However marriages in Ancient Greece between men and women were also age structured, with men in their 30s commonly taking wives in their early teens.) Though homosexual relationships between adult men did exist, at least one member of each of these relationships flouted social conventions by assuming a passive sexual role. It is unclear how such relations between women were regarded in general society, but examples do exist as far back as the time of Sappho.

An article on connelodonovan.com says this – The worship of Horned Apollo includes ecstatic naked dancing and feats of acrobatics (including an early form of two-man ritual volleyball with a bright purple ball!) followed by sex performed by young men.

Rom. 1:26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

change = (Greek) metallasso, met-al-las’-so; to exchange: – change.

natural = (Greek) phusikos, foo-see-kos’; “physical”, that is (by impl.) instinctive: – natural.

use = (Greek) cabak; chersis, Khray’-sis; employment, that is (specially) sexual intercourse (as an occupation of the body): – use

nature = (Greek) phusis, foo’-sis; growth (by germination or expansion), that is, (by impl.) natural production (lineal descent); by extens. a genus or sort; fig. native disposition, constitution or usage: – ([man-]) kind, nature ([-al]).

Here a person might be quick to say that natural use would be that which is natural or instinctive to an individual. So then, if homosexuality is natural to a person, it is acceptable. But in truth, the scripture is saying quite the opposite, for it is speaking of women – exchanging - a natural use for something that is against nature. What should have been natural to them is rejected and they have embraced an alternative lifestyle.

It must always be accepted, when speaking of ‘nature’ - scripturally - that God is the basis for the truth. Nature must be understood to be (as seen in the definition) the natural, or that is, God given production: what God himself produced, that is, designed and created. Otherwise there is no foundation for truth at all.

A serial rapist can say that raping victims comes natural to him. Whatever a person gives himself over to and makes a habit of doing may come to seem natural to him. This can be especially so if it was developed as a child. If a tiny child learns to lie and gets by with it, after he is grown he may never remember a time when he did not lie and so say that it is natural to him. But God did not create us to lie.

If a person is abused at a very young age, when he is older, he may not be able to remember what he was like before this happened to him. Though he may become shy and fearful, he may have once been light hearted and confident before the abuse took place. However he may not be able to remember ever feeling joyful or confident.

God is obviously speaking of an exchange. There was something that was natural, or  according to the design of God in the woman’s very body, but she decided to exchange that for something that was not.

God created the woman to receive the seed of the man and He stated that her union was to be with man; that they were to cease being two and become one. Her body naturally produces ovum that are ready to unite with the sperm of the man, then be planted in her womb, thus treasuring and valuing the seed of man and life itself. This is the design of God and so it is natural and fitting to her design. If she exchanges this natural use, for something else, turning away from the male to find sexual pleasure in another way, she is going against nature, or, that is to say, against God’s own design and purpose.

There are Lesbians who desire to carry a child in their womb and have children of their own, even though they have rejected the natural use of the man. It is a part of their natural makeup. Some will get with a man just for the purpose of receiving his seed and having a child.

The result of women leaving the natural use of the man was that God gave them up to vile affections.
God gave them over = (Greek) paradidomi; to surrender, that is, yield up, … autos; [ ... through the idea as a baffling wind] (backward); reflex. pron. self, used.

vile (Greek) atimia; infamy, that is comparative indignity, (obj.) disgrace: – dishonour, reproach, shame, vile.

affections = (Greek) pathos; prop. suffering, (“pathos”), that is (subj.) a passion (espec. concupiscence): – (inordinate) affection, lust.

God surrendered them over to passions, lust, suffering and inordinate affection, that were vile, or that is, shameful.

Inordinate In-or-di-nate. a [L. inordinatus dosordered. See In-not, and Ordinate.] Not limited to rules prescribed, or to usual bounds; irregular; excessive; immoderate; as, an inordinate love of the world.

[1913 Webster]

Merriam-Webster – definition of inordinate = 1. archaic: disorderly, unregulated 2. exceeding reasonable limits: immoderate

These affections that God gave them up to were ‘inordinate’, that is they were not limited to prescribed rules or bounds, which God himself had put in place. They did not honor God or respect His image; the reflection of himself on earth! They were irregular, excessive and immoderate, all of which are opposite of God

27. And likewise also their men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another: men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was meet.

Here again we have the leaving of the God given natural use, designed into man’s being, for something other than God’s intention. “Likewise” or that is, similarly to what the women did, men (Greek arrhen= male) were leaving (Greek aphiemi= … forsake, to lay aside, leave) the natural use of the woman.

It would seem that a person must have a strong need to change the truth of God, or a fear of facing their own true condition, to deny what is clearly written in Gen. about the natural use of the woman, or to deny nature; that which her body is clearly designed for. No reasoning will change the fact of the woman’s body and even her hormones. Any medical doctor can tell us what the womb, vagina and ovaries etc. are for.

To deny these facts is to let your foolish heart be darkened. But the men being spoken of in these scriptures had chosen to forsake the God given use of the woman and do something else instead that they had chosen. They burned in their lust, man for man.

Burned (Greek) = to inflame deeply: – burn lust (Greek) = excitement of the mind, thatis, longing after: lust.

If this was not God’s intended use, then it is an idea that comes from His adversary, who surely must hate the idea of seeing the image of God spread across the earth. Whether through divorce, heterosexual or homosexual fornication or worse, he has worked hard at destroying that image; keeping it from ever being seen or understood, and/or perverting it completely. Through assaults on children that confuse their understanding of who they are and what their bodies are meant for, through lies and deception, by pornography and it’s shocking effect on the human psyche, playing havoc with the emotions, hormones and mental understanding etc. He has worked diligently to keep the image of God from being known and God himself from being honored.

1Cor. 6:13, 18 +20 … Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 18. Flee fornication … 20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

These men burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly and not glorifying God in their bodies, which are supposed to belong to the Lord.

working (Greek) = to work fully, that is, accomplish; by implication, to finish, fashion: – cause, do (deed), perform, work (out).

unseemly (Greek) aschemosune = an indecency; by implication the pudenda: – shame, that which is unseemly.

Merriam-Webster – definition of PUDENDUM - the external genital organs as a human being and especially of a woman – usually used in plural Pudenda.

Pu-den-da, n. pl. [L., from pudendus that of which one ought to be ashamed, fr. pudere to be ashamed.] (Anat.) The external organs of generation. [1913 Webster]

It is interesting to see that in the definition of the word ‘unseemly’ is the word pudenda, which is the external genital organs, or organs of generation. They performed, with their pudenda, that which was indeed indecent; that which was against ‘nature’ ; the design of God.

There is no use for the sperm, in the homosexual act. God’s purpose is set aside, forsaken, left. The life giving sperm that should be appreciated and respected, for which God had prepared a place, a garden in which to be planted, is, in the homosexual act, discarded as so much waste. God even prepared a self cleansing place for the male penis to enter and give his seed, but in the homosexual act, it is thrust into a place God prepared for dung to pass through and be discarded.
What a fitting insult to God the creator. It is as if to say, I reject the image that was to be reflected in me, your image. I reject my ability to father. I reject your purpose. I not only disrespect and disregard the life giving flow you supplied my body with but I cast it into the place of uncleanness made for dung! I will never honour you or your image with it! No! I will not retain the knowledge of my creator and reflect Him in my body or be the image He created me to be!

Having worked that which is unseemly, or that is, shameful with the pudenda, these man receive in themselves the recompense (Compensation) of their error which was meet. They received the compensation that is as it should be.

28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

Notice it does not say that God gave them a reprobate mind. Rather that He surrendered them to, or yielded them up to that which they had chosen.

                                 What is a reprobate mind?

reprobate = (Greek) unapproved, that is, rejected; by impl. worthless (lit. or moral): – cast away, rejected, reprobate.

mind = (Grek) nous; the intellect, that is, mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication meaning – mind, understanding.

They did not like to retain God in their knowledge. Knowledge here means (Gr.); recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgment: – (ac) knowledge (-ing – ment).

They did not like to retain God in their full discernment. Remember that the invisible things of God can be clearly seen by that which is made and God is manifest ‘in’ us. But these did not like to retain a clear image of God, who and what He is, as represented in the creation of His image – MAN. So He yielded them up to those things that were not convenient.

There are those who desire to be Christian and to praise and worship God in various ways, while retaining a homosexual identity, or while living in heterosexual fornication. We cannot truly worship and honor a creator, who we refuse to acknowledge for who and what He is. He is light and light has no fellowship with darkness.

Those who have done and lived in the actions described in Romans chapter one, have dishonored God and not been willing, and/or not known how to fully retain Him in their knowledge and have dishonored themselves as well.

It is no wonder that it is hard for a homosexual to grasp and fully accept the words of scripture as given here, if they have been given over to a mind that is separated from God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Yet anyone who will come into agreement with the Word of God, whether fully understood or not; who will say “Let God be truth and every man a liar” has the opportunity of being healed from unnatural ways they have gone against God. Whether this was a conscious decision or not, to pervert God’s creation, His purpose and image, is to go against God.

First we must agree with God, acknowledge the error of our ways and repent. Then and only then can we be delivered and healed.

I am not saying that all who have lived in error have done so with a conscious intention to go against God, or that they even know how their condition came about. Still it is vital to come into agreement with God and His Word and humble ones self before Him, in order to receive forgiveness and deliverance.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come in the presence of the Lord;

The lifestyle a person has lived may have been the results of things done to them at such a young age, they cannot even clearly recall the immediate effect of the act; including the fear, confusion and pain.

When Satan attacks a person, he desires to hurt or win a victory over God. He knows how God loves His creation and he wants to keep them from comprehending God as He is, or seeing God’s reflection in themselves and others on the earth.

But God is a supernatural God. It doesn’t matter how much you think you have tried to change, or to the contrary, how much you have attempted to convince yourself that the thoughts and lusts you have, that go against the Word of God, are really acceptable to Him, God remains unchanged and His Word will endure forever. He is still able to heal, change, and deliver you; to help you become the person you were meant to be, to come to know the real you, you have never yet known.

Many have never known who they were really meant to be or how to live free from the bondages they cannot shake and that have been there for as long as they can remember. Still God’s ability to restore you has never diminished. He is willing and able to save to the uttermost and to give you the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Heb. 7:25 Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mightest be jusitified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

                   AMEN! SO BE IT! PRAISE GOD FOR ALL TIME!