The Gospel of Matthew informs us that Christ identified TWO commandments as being the foundation of both the Torah and the Prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures. He said: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT) Now, the "entire" law means ALL of it - including those related to human sexuality. Moreover, after telling his disciples that the time had arrived for him to sacrifice himself and return to God, Jesus told his disciples: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:34-35, NLT)
We should also note that this means that NONE of the commandments contained in the Bible are arbitrary in nature. They were ALL meant to reflect God's love for us! After all, John wrote: "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (I John 4:7-8, NLT) Indeed, this is such an integral part of true obedience to God that John went on to say: "God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." (I John 4:16-18, NLT) Likewise, Paul wrote to the saints at Rome: "Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, 'You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.' These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law." (Romans 13:8-10, NLT)
In other words, if one is truly loving God and his neighbor, if he/she is truly obeying the Two Great Commandments which Christ identified, that person has met/fulfilled the requirements of God's Law! In this sense, Christians do not need an individual prohibition against dishonoring parents, stealing, murdering, lying or coveting because they would NEVER do anything to hurt or harm another person - that would be inconsistent with love. Moreover, in his letter to the saints at Corinth, the Apostle Paul defined the kind of love that God was expecting from his people: "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (I Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT) Paul told them that this kind of love was the most essential characteristic of a real Christian!
Hence, even though Christians are NOT responsible for obeying the commandments of God's covenant with Israel (as outlined in the Torah), we can see how all of the commandments related to human sexuality relate to love for God and each other. For instance, we can readily understand the real potential for both physical, mental, and spiritual damage which infidelity/adultery can inflict on a marriage and the individual members of the families involved. Likewise, we can readily see how temple prostitution, both heterosexual and homosexual, would be contrary to loving God and having a loving and respectful relationship between two people engaged in such a practice. In similar fashion, most of us can readily comprehend the mental, physical, and spiritual harm inherent to behaviors like rape, incest, bestiality, and pedophilia. In other words, it does not take a rocket scientist or a religious guru to see the obvious hurt/harm in such behaviors. We understand that such behaviors are self-centered, impatient, unkind, presumptuous, violent, and lacking in love, compassion and mercy.
This is also why we can state with absolute confidence that the clobber scriptures (Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:25-27, I Corinthians 6:9-11, I Timothy 1:9-10) have been misinterpreted/misrepresented by most Christians to condemn all homosexual activity. In other words, interpreting these passages as Divine commandments forbidding two consenting adults of the same gender from engaging in sexual intercourse clearly contradicts the spiritual principles which we have described above! After all, we all know that homosexuals are capable of kindness, love, fidelity, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, hopefulness, etc. Likewise, we all know that homosexuals are capable of accepting and having faith in the sacrifice which Jesus of Nazareth made on his/her behalf. Now, in the same way that it is possible for heterosexual sex to violate the Law of Love, it is also possible for homosexual intercourse to hurt/harm others. Whether hetero or homosexual, things like gang rape, incest, adultery, pedophilia, violence, exploitation of others, etc. are clearly wrong - they are clearly violations of Christ's commands to love God and each other.
In conclusion, there is clearly a rationale behind the morality outlined in the Judeo-Christian Bible. God's commandments, OLD or NEW Covenant, are NOT arbitrary! They make sense, and they ARE always consistent. Of course, we are all free to interpret Scripture in whatever fashion we choose to do so, but if our interpretation contradicts the principle of LOVE outlined above, you can rest assured that you are NOT in harmony with God's intent.
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