Homosexuality
In writing this I realize that many people may be fully aware of what the Bible says about homosexuality. Some may be sick and tired of hearing the well-quoted verses, and perhaps even angry about God making them the way they are, yet apparently condemning their condition in the scriptures. Some may simply not care what the Bible says. If you're in one of those situations, I encourage you to bear with me and temporarily shelve any preconceptions about God and the scriptures you may have.
God created us as sexual beings, perfectly tailoring male and female for sexual and emotional union in marriage (Genesis 2:18,21-24). He designed sex to be a wonderful way for people to experience intimacy, creation of life and pleasure. Unfortunately, we live in a world that has been corrupted by sin and death. The original plan and design has been marred and twisted on account of Man's original sin.
The mechanism behind homosexual sin is this: it takes the glory of God’s sexual design and perverts it into something that was never intended (Romans 1:22-24). God did not make man to be a sexual partner with another man. Woman, likewise, was not made for woman, but for man. Keep in mind that the design for sexual union is much more than just body parts matching up; it is for emotional and spiritual bonding that will last a lifetime.
Sex is a hot topic in the Bible. God talked a lot about it and gave specific guidelines for healthy sexual conduct. In general, when sex is performed outside of a heterosexual marriage it is sin (i.e. rebellion against God). Gay sex is just one of many possible deviations from God’s plan.
So that there would be no confusion, God specifically addressed homosexuality in several places in the scriptures. In every case, homosexual acts are identified as sin. As we consider the below examples, please remember that the act is what is offensive to God, not the person! Consider these examples:
Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. Leviticus 18:22 NIV (see also Leviticus 20:13)
8We know these laws are good when they are used as God intended. 9But they were not made for people who do what is right. They are for people who are disobedient and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who murder their father or mother or other people. 10These laws are for people who are sexually immoral, for homosexuals and slave traders, for liars and oath breakers, and for those who do anything else that contradicts the right teaching 11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God 1 Timothy 1:8-11 NLT
24Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting Romans 1:24-28 NKJV
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (effeminate by perversion), nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB
Other Bible references to homosexuality: Genesis 19:4-13, Leviticus 20:13, Judges 19:15-25
Those verses are pretty straightforward. Even so, people have attempted to discredit or twist the above verses, some even claiming that homosexuality is a blessing from God. Prominent scholars have lined up on either side of the debate, yet I think from a "common person's" reading of the scriptures, it's clear that homosexuality is not something God desires for people.
Has the Bible become outdated? Is God confused? When considering such questions, we need to remember some basic characteristics about God and his word as expressed in the Bible. First of all, God does not change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8). Secondly, God has established his word as the unchanging standard by which all mankind will be judged (Matthew 5:18, 1 Peter 1:25, Isaiah 40:8). Finally, God hasn’t changed his mind about what was written in the scriptures. Consider what Samuel wrote: “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind" (Samuel 15:29 NIV). For all of those reasons, we can confidently know that God still considers homosexual acts to be wrong. Even so, he offers forgiveness and healing to people who will turn from the acts and follow him.
Why does God care so much about our sexuality? In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul explained that a believer’s body literally becomes a “temple” for God’s Holy Spirit. God's Spirit literally lives in the believer. Because sexual sin involves spiritual union, for the Christian sex sin is analogous to uniting God's Spirit with evil and desecrating His temple. Therefore, it should not surprise us that God desires his followers to keep themselves free of sexual sin and honor him with their bodies.
God created us as sexual beings, perfectly tailoring male and female for sexual and emotional union in marriage (Genesis 2:18,21-24). He designed sex to be a wonderful way for people to experience intimacy, creation of life and pleasure. Unfortunately, we live in a world that has been corrupted by sin and death. The original plan and design has been marred and twisted on account of Man's original sin.
The mechanism behind homosexual sin is this: it takes the glory of God’s sexual design and perverts it into something that was never intended (Romans 1:22-24). God did not make man to be a sexual partner with another man. Woman, likewise, was not made for woman, but for man. Keep in mind that the design for sexual union is much more than just body parts matching up; it is for emotional and spiritual bonding that will last a lifetime.
Sex is a hot topic in the Bible. God talked a lot about it and gave specific guidelines for healthy sexual conduct. In general, when sex is performed outside of a heterosexual marriage it is sin (i.e. rebellion against God). Gay sex is just one of many possible deviations from God’s plan.
So that there would be no confusion, God specifically addressed homosexuality in several places in the scriptures. In every case, homosexual acts are identified as sin. As we consider the below examples, please remember that the act is what is offensive to God, not the person! Consider these examples:
Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. Leviticus 18:22 NIV (see also Leviticus 20:13)
8We know these laws are good when they are used as God intended. 9But they were not made for people who do what is right. They are for people who are disobedient and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who murder their father or mother or other people. 10These laws are for people who are sexually immoral, for homosexuals and slave traders, for liars and oath breakers, and for those who do anything else that contradicts the right teaching 11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God 1 Timothy 1:8-11 NLT
24Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting Romans 1:24-28 NKJV
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (effeminate by perversion), nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB
Other Bible references to homosexuality: Genesis 19:4-13, Leviticus 20:13, Judges 19:15-25
Those verses are pretty straightforward. Even so, people have attempted to discredit or twist the above verses, some even claiming that homosexuality is a blessing from God. Prominent scholars have lined up on either side of the debate, yet I think from a "common person's" reading of the scriptures, it's clear that homosexuality is not something God desires for people.
Has the Bible become outdated? Is God confused? When considering such questions, we need to remember some basic characteristics about God and his word as expressed in the Bible. First of all, God does not change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8). Secondly, God has established his word as the unchanging standard by which all mankind will be judged (Matthew 5:18, 1 Peter 1:25, Isaiah 40:8). Finally, God hasn’t changed his mind about what was written in the scriptures. Consider what Samuel wrote: “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind" (Samuel 15:29 NIV). For all of those reasons, we can confidently know that God still considers homosexual acts to be wrong. Even so, he offers forgiveness and healing to people who will turn from the acts and follow him.
Why does God care so much about our sexuality? In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul explained that a believer’s body literally becomes a “temple” for God’s Holy Spirit. God's Spirit literally lives in the believer. Because sexual sin involves spiritual union, for the Christian sex sin is analogous to uniting God's Spirit with evil and desecrating His temple. Therefore, it should not surprise us that God desires his followers to keep themselves free of sexual sin and honor him with their bodies.
© 2024 Created by Raliegh Jones Jr..
Powered by
