It is important to point out though that being God’s word doesn’t mean we come to understand what is right or wrong through reading isolated passages.
Rather, most Christians make these difficult determinations by studying what the whole of Scripture says regarding a specific topic, exploring the linguistic, historical and cultural context within which the words were written, and then putting these discoveries in conversation with what we know to be true of the character of God more broadly. While the book of Hebrews affirms that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever,” our ability to understand and apply the Bible’s teachings changes and deepens as we grow in our faith and learn more about the world. Whenever any person opens the Bible, they begin a process of interpretation. Individuals attracted to others of the same sex are regularly told they are ‘elevating’ their experience over Scripture when they come to affirming conclusions about their relationships and identities.
