A Response to Matt Nightingale on the “Gay Christian”

Recently, I was engaged with a man who claims to be a “gay Christian” named Matt Nightingale on whether homosexuality is sin and whether you can be a gay Christian. First, let me make very clear, there is no such thing as a gay Christian. This may sound harsh, because it is. However, we cannot confess Jesus as Lord if we are not willing to even acknowledge our sin. This is what the “Christian LGBT” movement does. They want to claim God without acknowledging their sin.

As it does in most conversations regarding LGBT, Romans chapter one quickly came into the discussion as the definitive passage that homosexuality is in defiance of God and His ways.

“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, ESV) 

These verses are clear. The passions are dishonorable and shameless. There is nothing noble about homosexuality. There is nothing good about homosexuality. It is prohibited by God.

Of course, there are other passages that also forbid the practice. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 states that those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom. The reason I do not include such passages in my position on homosexuality when in debate, is because the LGBT movement will try to claim that it isn’t talking about homosexuality and that was made up by the translators. They will claim that the term “homosexuality” didn’t exist and therefore it cannot be talking about the practice.

But Romans 1:26-27 is different. In Romans, Paul describes the actual act of homosexuality explicitly. They cannot claim it is a mistranslated word. It is plainly described and condemned.

Matt Nightingale sees it differently though. In our conversation, he pointed me to a blog article on his website where he claims to demonstrate that Romans chapter one doesn’t apply to him or any of his “gay Christian” friends. You can read the article for yourself, but I will point out several key issues with his interpretation.

First, he makes sure to point out that people who are LGBT are very aware of the passage.

We Christian gays are VERY VERY aware of Romans 1. We have actually answered your questions about it many times.

So, at minimum, they acknowledge the passage exists. They know what it says and, supposedly, have answered our questions on the passage. 

I would like to point out that I do not have questions on the passage. There was nothing for him to answer for me. I know what the passage says. I know what the passage means. It’s interpretation, proper interpretation, is straightforward. But this is where Matt start to show his interpretation of the passage. First, he claims to be well versed in biblical interpretation.

I will just say for me, as a former Covenant pastor who is well-versed in Biblical interpretation, I came to the point where I realized that Romans 1 isn’t about me at all.

So, a passage that is specifically dealing with his sin is somehow not about him at all. That is the thesis statement of Matt Nightingale on homosexuality in the Bible. Yes, he knows it is there. Yes, he knows it says it is sin. No, it’s not talking about him and his homosexuality.

He makes an appeal to his 10-year-old self, when he first “realized” that he is a homosexual. He makes the claim that he was always seeking God. When I read this statement, I immediately took pause. What does Nightingale mean by always? Does he mean his entire life? Because that cannot be true. Why? The Bible says the exact opposite.

“as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”” (Romans 3:10–12, ESV) 

Paul is very clear, and is citing a couple of different Psalms, that nobody has always sought after God. This is important. Nobody wants God on their own. Nobody has always sought after God. 

So, from the beginning of his argument, Matt has already introduced falsehood into his interpretation of Romans chapter one. And it starts with a presupposed starting point that he has always been a good person.

He then takes another misstep by inserting himself into the passage. For him, it is no longer God gave themover it is God gave Matt over. And this is where things become interesting. Matt argues that he cannot see himself in this description.

I’ll stop there for a minute. I really have no recollection of “not glorifying God or giving thanks to him.” I DO remember lots of God-glorifying and lots of prayers of thanksgiving. Oh, and I REALLY cannot remember the times I worshipped images of birds, animals and reptiles… Hmmm…

There is a problem with this approach. The Bible was written to a specific people, in a specific place, in a specific time. We must first interpret the Scriptures through that lens before ever trying to apply it to ourselves. In reality, Matt has skipped the entire interpretive process and then claims that he does not see himself in the situation and, therefore, it does not apply to him.

What is worse, when Matt comes to verses 26 and 27, he doesn’t even deal with them at all. Instead, he simply says, nope, that isn’t me.

I don’t know, guys. This just doesn’t sound like me or my gay Christian friends. I mean, if you look at my life – EVEN NOW as an out and proud gay man – I am *still* thanking and glorifying God with every opportunity. In my work with The Quest, The Journey Center and The Christian Closet, I very specifically work to help queer people (and everyone else) connect with God!

Let’s be clear. This is not exegesis. This isn’t even an attempt to study the Bible. This is simply screaming NOT SO!

In the opening chapter of Romans, Paul is speaking in a generality about mankind and their sin. But, while doing this, he lists specific sins. It does need to be said that homosexuality is not the only sin mentioned in the passage.

“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” (Romans 1:29–31, ESV) 

There are plenty of sins on this list to make each of us realize that we need a Savior because we cannot come to God on our own because we are an evil and wicket people. In fact, Paul makes clear that every person is guilty of this list.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, ESV) 

There is no person on earth that escapes this. Humanity is fallen. That is the point that Matt Nightingale misses or plainly ignores. Romans chapter one is talking about all of us. And, yes, it is even talking about 10-year-old Matt Nightingale.

Jesus told people that he came across during his earthly ministry to go and sin no more (John 5:14). When Christ takes over, we are to repent of our sin. This does not mean we will not fail. But this does mean we acknowledge our sin and strive towards Christ. Homosexuality is sin. You cannot embrace homosexuality and say that you are in Christ. There are no “gay Christians.”