K –
There are several fundamental errors he makes in arguing his case.
The one that is most glaring is his ignorance of Biblical
anthropology. To Vine, sin is “natural” to man and should not be
punished or hindered. Another way of saying it is that to be a sinner
- in his case, gay – is to be human. To him, to be a sinner is
integral to what it is to be human. This error stems from Vines’
downplay or rather blatant dismissal of the order of creation and the
Fall into sin and its consequences. Vine writes:
In Genesis 2:18, God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I
will make a helper suitable for him.” And yes, the suitable helper or
partner that God makes for Adam is Eve, a woman. And a woman is a
suitable partner for the vast majority of men – for straight men. But
for gay men, that isn’t the case. For them, a woman is not a suitable
partner.
Vines fails to recognize that homosexuality is a perversion of the
created order. There was a reason God created Eve out of Adam’s own
rib and then gave her to him to complete him. In Genesis 1:27, “…God
created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male
and female He created them.” Adam and Eve were the reflection of the
divine. No other creature was created like they were. Adam and Eve
were of the same substance, one flesh, yet they were distinct persons.
They reflected the Triune God, who is one substance, one God, yet He
is three distinct persons. God was a plurality of persons. Man was a
plurality of persons. And it was “very good!”
From this plurality of persons Love is perfect. The three persons of
the Trinity love one another. God lacks nothing. He needs no love from
outside. Everything God does then is out of perfect Love. God, who is
Love, Creates ex nihilo (out of nothing). Reflecting God and His
Creativeness, man loves each other (man & wife) and procreates. To
procreate, however, the “plumbing,” so to speak, needs to be pretty
specific – one to give and one to receive. It is from that giving and
receiving in love that life is created – the fruit of love – children!
The Fall into Sin perverted everything that was “very good.” Sin
turned our affections from outside of us to inside. Man “loved”
himself, which really isn’t love, but idolatry. Man now determines
what will be good, which happens to be opposite everything God has
given for man’s good – including human sexuality. Sex, which was given
to man that husband and wife might have communion with each other,
because of the Fall, is now about personal gratification. Sex is now
selfish, self-serving and self-centered. This is true of all sexual
relationships, including heterosexual ones, but especially homosexual
ones.
I hope this answer helps. I know there are many other points in which
Vines errs in his understanding of Scripture, but to address them all
would be quite lengthy. That being said, here is a Reformed approach –
while we wouldn’t agree with ever tact, it is a comprehensive approach.
http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?itemid=5086
In Christ,
Rev. Dustin L. Anderson, Pastor
Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Marseilles, IL
www.trinitymarseilles.us
