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176
Homosexuality
,
Marriage, and the Church
looking at each other without even blushing, the biblical text reveals the
very opposite: the most perfect expression of innocence. Little children
are but a faint image of what Adam and Eve, with a fully developed adult
anatomy and physiology, displayed before the on-looking universe (see
Gen. 1:28). The message of Scripture claims that there is nothing evil in
maleness or femaleness; nor is there anything shameful or reprehensible
with mutual disclosure within the heterosexual marriage covenant.
“[B]efore the Fall the humans could have no second thoughts, no false
modesty, no feelings of culpability in presenting themselves, and ac
cepting each other as God has fashioned them.”1The innocent person
has no remorse, is not harmful, and is without guile. Therefore to be
innocent means to be pure, simple, and open to the future.
GUILT
The word
guilt
may refer to either “objective moral guilt” or the
“subjective experience of guilty feelings.” The two may be separat
ed or be present together. “It is possible to be guilty without feeling
guilty, and possible to feel guilty without objectively being guilty.”2
Objective moral guilt relates to our moral responsibility in personal
relationships, that is, with respect to the divine pattern for human life.
But Paul informs us that all humans are in the state of this objective
guilt. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23,
n a s b ) ,
thus compromising their freedom (see James
2
:
1 0
-
1 2
) .
The re
lease from objective moral guilt is obtained by forgiveness from God
through the objective atonement offered by Christ’s sacrifice.
Subjective feelings o f guilt
grow from a number of roots, such as bio
logical factors (Sigmund Freud), social experiences (Melanie Klein), and
developmental issues (Erik Erikson). They manifest themselves as pain
ful emotions caused by an overactive or oversensitive conscience offici
ating as prosecutor and judge, both convicting and punishing the guilty
for the loss of innocence. “[N]o one can grow up to maturity without
some measure of conditioning to the feelings of his fellow men and of
identification with a parent-figure as the source of his wcll-bcin^, and