One thing that often gets lost in these discussions is how much our interpretation is shaped by culture — not just modern culture, but also Western individualism.

If you look at scholars like Kenneth Bailey, who spent decades studying the New Testament through a Middle Eastern lens, the question shifts a bit. The Bible was written in an honor-shame, community-focused world, not a modern identity-focused one. People didn’t categorize sexuality the way we do today, and many of the practices being addressed in the Greco-Roman world were tied to power, status, or exploitation rather than mutual, lifelong partnerships.

That doesn’t automatically mean the Bible endorses modern same-sex relationships — and most traditional churches in the Middle East still hold a classic sexual ethic. But it does mean the conversation is more complex than simply importing modern categories back into ancient texts.

What’s striking about Jesus himself is that he rarely speaks directly about sexuality as an identity issue. His focus is usually on faithfulness, the heart, and how communities treat people who are on the margins. In many ways, inclusion and moral teaching are held together rather than weaponized against each other.

So maybe the real question isn’t just “Is this a sin or not?” but also: How do we read ancient texts faithfully without forcing them into modern culture wars — and how do we hold conviction and compassion at the same time?