The State and Homosexuality
Does the state have a role in dealing with homosexuality? To answer that question, we must understand the difference between a sin and a crime. A crime is a sin that must be punished by the state. Not all sins are crimes. For example, coveting is listed as a sin in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:17), but there is no punishment specified for coveting. Although coveting is a sin, it is not a crime. The obvious reason is that proving to a court what a person is thinking is impossible. No one can testify against another person for coveting, because no one can see into their mind.
Theft is specified as both a sin in the Ten Commandments, but in this case the bible also specifies a punishment. This means that theft is both a sin and a crime (Ex 22:1-4). Once a man acts on his coveting and steals from his neighbour, he has committed a crime and the state comes into play. His actions are visible, so witnesses can observe and testify against him. This provides the state with a basis for the state to act against the thief. Murder is also specified as a sin and a crime in the law (Ex 21:12).
The crimes listed in the Old Testament are a small subset of all of sins. An important principle is that, we can identify crimes by determining whether the bible specifies a punishment. If it a sanction is specified, the sin is the crime. If there is no sanction, then the sin is not a crime. The state has no authority to deal with these sins, because God has reserved them for himself. He can see into people’s hearts, so he is best placed to deal with them.
Only a few sins are also specified to be a crime. This gives the state a strictly limited role in dealing with sin. The state is not required to eliminate all sin, as that would be impossible. It is limited to punishing the few sins that really disrupt the functioning of society. Biblical law defines these as a crime by specifying a sanction.
Homosexual activity is a sin that is specified as a crime (Lev 20:13), but so is Adultery (Lev 20:10). There is another bibilical principle that is relevant to both these crimes that is explained in hardness of heart.
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1 comment:
Thanks Mark
This is a good questions. My answer is that gang rape, axe murders and 9/11 are the consequences of sin working in the lives of those who perpetrate these evils. If the gospel of Jesus cannot sent people free from these sins, it is not much use. If they cannot change, then they can claim that they are not responsible.
Of course, sinners have to be repentent. If an axe muderers repents, then the power of God should be able to set him free so that he does not continue killing people with his axe.
The diffence in each of the examples you list is that the sins are also crimes. God requires the civil government to punish the axe murderer. This applies even if he responsd to the gospel and is set free from the violence in his life. However, the jury might have mercy and decide to commute the sentence, if the axe muderer. I explain this more full in Crime and Punishment.
With respect to homosexuality, it is also a crime, but God has taken it offline due to hardness of heart. The hardness of heart principle does not apply to assault and murder.
Blessings
Ron
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