Level 4
STATEMENT AGAINST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Statement: “For” Refutes the Meaning of Excessive
“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature . . .” Romans 1:26 (Bold and italics added.)
Some commentators hold that the “for” of verse 26b is causal in nature. If this is true then the women exchanging natural relations for those contrary to nature are the reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions (verse 26a). Then this is a matter of cause (26b) and effect (26a). Dr. J. Brownson holds that the passions of verse 26a describe or define the exchanging of 26b in an all-inclusive manner. He holds it is an all-inclusive manner such that all that is bad about the exchanging is passionate in an excessive manner. However, in this case, since the two parts of the verse would be linked by a causal for it is not possible for the passions of verse 26a to be an adjective describing the exchanging of 26b in this way. Since it would be cause and effect, then verse 26b describes in total what is wrong, what is sinful about the passions in verse 26a. And that sin is plain and simply same-sex erotic acts.
If the “for” which opens verse 26b is an explanatory “for” as some believe (reference Gagnon page 235) then the exchanging of 26b explains what the dishonorable passions of 26a are. In that case, the passions are no more and no less than that the women traded sex with men for sex with women. Verse 26b describes simply same-sex erotic acts, there is nothing there describing same-sex erotic acts done in an excessive manner. Once again, Dr. Brownson’s position would not be correct. What is sinful is simply same-sex erotic acts.
In either case it is important to note that verse 26b describes verse 26a. Dr. Brownson holds verse 26a describes verse 26b and more of the passage. If that was true, then verse 26a could not be described by verse 26b, rather, verse 26a determines what is wrong here, and that would include verse 26a describing verse 26b. The preposition “for” is an important part of the passage because it helps to clarify what Paul is saying here. One cannot truly understand a given statement if all parts of the sentence are not dealt with fully. In his book Dr. Brownson does not deal with what meaning the word “for” brings to this passage.
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Response
Readers are invited to submit a response examining the above statement.