Understanding Hard Scriptures: A Loving Perspective

At Gospel & Grass Stains, we are all-inclusive and non-judgmental. Love, grace, and acceptance are God’s work—not ours. Yet so often, certain Bible passages—commonly called “clobber verses”—are used to condemn LGBTQ+ people. Even more often, they are ignored or jumped over entirely.

But what if we actually looked at these verses carefully? What if we explored the history, the language, and the context behind them? Understanding the words used, the cultural and religious practices of the time, and the intent behind the scripture gives us clarity.

It’s also important to remember: loving same-sex relationships as we understand them today simply didn’t exist in the ancient world. Concepts like sexual orientation weren’t known, and the Bible could not possibly preach for or against what wasn’t understood. When we examine these passages, it becomes clear that what is being condemned is violence, exploitation, coercion, and injustice, not mutual, loving relationships.

This post will walk through these scriptures, verse by verse, to uncover what they really say—and what they don’t.

Genesis 19:1-29

Scripture: “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When he saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed with his face to the ground. ‘My lords,’ he said, ‘please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go on your way.’ They said, ‘No; we will spend the night in the square.’ But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. … Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, ‘Where are the m

en who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.’ Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, ‘I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.’ … Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.”

Let’s be clear: this passage is about gang rape, not love. The men of Sodom were not seeking consensual intimacy or partnership—they sought domination, humiliation, and violence. This is a story about power, abuse, and sin. God’s judgment here is about violent, oppressive behavior, not about the nature of same-sex love or relationships.

Other scriptures make this clear:

• Ezekiel 16:49-50 reminds us that Sodom’s sin was pride, excess, and neglect of the poor and needy—not consensual love. “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.”

• Isaiah 1:10-17 calls out empty worship and injustice: “Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me… Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

• Jeremiah 23:14 condemns false prophets and deceit, not loving relationships.

Nowhere in these passages does the Bible condemn consensual same-sex relationships. What it condemns is violence, exploitation, arrogance, and neglect of justice.

The takeaway is simple: love that is mutual, kind, and consensual is not the problem. What God calls out over and over is harm, abuse, and exploitation.

Leviticus 18 & 20 – The Holiness Code

Scripture: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination (to’evah).” (Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:13)

It’s important to understand what these verses are really addressing. Leviticus 18 and 20 are part of the Holiness Code, written for ancient Israel to set them apart from surrounding nations. These laws were focused on ritual purity and maintaining a distinct community, not on a universal moral code for all time.

The Hebrew word to’evah, often translated as “abomination” or “detestable,” is applied to many things in this code: eating shellfish, wearing mixed fabrics, improper sacrifices, and idolatrous rituals. It does not describe acts of love, marriage, or mutual relationships. Many of these laws were about protecting the Israelites from pagan temple practices, including fertility worship, dominance rituals, child sacrifice, necromancy, and sexual acts tied to idolatry.

Just like kosher laws, these rules applied specifically to the people of Israel. Modern Christians don’t follow most of these codes today—we eat pork and shrimp, wear mixed fabrics, trim our beards—and Jesus himself ignored purity codes, teaching that true purity comes from the heart. In Mark 7, he refused to wash his hands ritualistically, and he ate with and touched those considered “unclean,” showing that purity is a matter of the heart, not ritual compliance.

So when Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are used to condemn modern same-sex love, it’s a misreading of the text. These verses are condemning power-based sexual practices tied to pagan worship, not consensual, loving relationships.

The New Testament also helps clarify this perspective:

• Acts 15 emphasizes that the early church did not require Gentile believers to follow the full Holiness Code.

• Romans 6:14 reminds us that we are under grace, not the law, and our hearts, not ritual, guide our actions.

The takeaway here is the same as before: the Bible consistently condemns violence, exploitation, and idolatry, not love, mutual consent, or committed relationships between adults.

Romans 1:26-27

Scripture: “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

Romans 1:26–27 is often misused to condemn gay people, but context is everything. Paul is describing straight people who were going against their own nature—not gay people acting in alignment with their natural orientation. He is talking about lust-driven sexual acts that were often linked with rape, idol worship, child sacrifice, and power-based sexual practices in pagan cultures.

This passage is part of a larger, three-part argument:

1. Romans 1 shows how badly people were behaving, focusing on sin in the world around them.

2. Romans 2 reminds everyone that no one is better—self-righteousness doesn’t make anyone innocent.

3. Romans 3 concludes that all people are equal in need of God’s grace.

Weaponizing Romans 1 by ignoring Romans 2 and 3 distorts Paul’s point. The message is not a condemnation of consensual, loving same-sex relationships—it is a warning against exploitation, violence, and living contrary to one’s nature.

The takeaway here: Paul’s words call out harmful behaviors tied to lust, power, and idolatry, not authentic, mutual love between adults.

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 and 1 Timothy 1:10

Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:9–10): “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakoi, nor arsenokoitai, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Scripture (1 Timothy 1:10): “…for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality [arsenokoitai], for enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching…”

Two Greek words here are often misunderstood:

• Malakoi—literally “soft ones,” referring to men who were lazy, cowardly, undisciplined, or morally weak, not simply men who are gentle or loving.

• Arsenokoitai—literally “male beds,” describing men who used others for sexual exploitation. These were abusive, coercive, or violent practices.

Translations have shifted over time: “effeminate” appeared in the 1300s, while “homosexual” was introduced in 1946. The original context is not about loving, consensual same-sex relationships.

In 1 Timothy 1, Paul is warning Timothy about abusive leaders, people who manipulate, exploit, and harm others. These verses are about protecting the vulnerable and calling out violence, exploitation, and law-breaking, not condemning mutual love between adults.

The takeaway: the Bible consistently calls out harm, coercion, and abuse, not authentic, loving relationships. Paul’s concern is justice and protection for the vulnerable—not controlling who people can love.

Jude 1:7 and Deuteronomy 23:17–18

Scripture (Jude 1:7): “Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.”

Scripture (Deuteronomy 23:17–18): “No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. You must not bring the earnings of a female shrine prostitute or of a male shrine prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them.”

These verses are often misused to condemn same-sex relationships, but context matters:

• Jude 1:7 references Sodom and Gomorrah, which, as we discussed, were cities destroyed for violence, coercion, and oppression, not consensual love.

• Deuteronomy 23:17–18 prohibits shrine prostitution, a practice tied to idolatry, fertility worship, and exploitation. Both male and female prostitutes were engaged in temple-based sexual acts as part of religious rituals. The focus is on abuse, coercion, and corruption, not committed, loving relationships.

In both cases, the Bible condemns harmful, exploitative, and ritualized sexual practices, never consensual, loving relationships. Modern usage that twists these passages to attack LGBTQ+ people ignores the historical, cultural, and religious context.

The takeaway remains consistent: the Bible is clear in calling out violence, abuse, and injustice, not love, commitment, or mutual respect.

Conclusion

When we look closely at the so-called “clobber verses,” a clear pattern emerges: the Bible is consistently calling out violence, exploitation, coercion, and injustice, not mutual, loving relationships. Many of these passages have been misunderstood, mistranslated, or taken out of context. They reference pagan rituals, abusive power dynamics, and social practices of the ancient world, not the love shared between consenting adults today.

At Gospel & Grass Stains, we believe that love is sacred, whether it’s between people of the same sex or different sexes. God calls us to care for one another, protect the vulnerable, and act with justice, compassion, and humility. Judgment is not ours; God’s work is love, and love is meant to be inclusive, tender, and mutual.

By examining scripture thoughtfully, we can see that God’s heart is clear: all people are worthy of love, acceptance, and belonging. Our calling is not to weaponize scripture, but to live in a way that reflects God’s grace, justice, and radical love for everyone.