Introduction
Great confusion exists on the subject of homosexuality. Certain groups and individuals have vigorously fought to change traditional thinking. They have waged a multi-pronged attack in legal, social, political, and scientific arenas to advance arguments for their agenda. In the religious realm, confusion reigns because church leaders and scholars have rejected the Scriptures. Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans of such individuals that “their foolish heart was darkened” and “they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” The Biblical view of homosexuality is consistent and clear. This study will examine what God has revealed about it.
Jesus and Homosexuality
Perhaps the best place to start to examine Jesus’ teaching on the subject. His statements on human sexuality should end any debate. Those who promote homosexuality as acceptable and natural have sought to strengthen their arguments and mislead the public by stating that Jesus never spoke about homosexuality. They are mistaken. Jesus leveled the most devastating argument possible against homosexuality. Matthew 19.3-6 and Mark 10.2-9 record Jesus’ statements on human sexuality.
Matthew recorded:
3 Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?” 4 And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19.3-6).
Mark recorded:
2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Mark 10.2-9).
The focus of the Pharisees’ question centered upon divorce–a subject as debated then as now. How Jesus answered their question is most informative. What was the context of this discussion? Were the Pharisees seeking truth and understanding? The passages above indicate they were not. They did not approach Jesus with a desire to learn how to address the problems of difficult marriages and divorce. On the contrary, the Scriptures reveal their questions were to “test” him. They wished to discredit and condemn him.
Jesus understood their goal and answered in a way to silence them. He quoted portions of two passages found in Genesis 1 and 2. These passages are the bedrock of human sexuality.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1.26-28).
21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2.21-24).
In the first passage, we learn God created Man, i.e., mankind, in His own image. This image was composed of male and female. The next passage enlarges on Man’s creation. From it we learn how God created woman. He built (בָּנָה “banah”) her out of the “rib” (צֵלָע–better translated, “side” or “side chamber”) of man. This creative act reestablished the “unity” of “Man” as male and female “in Adam” into two individual beings, male and female. The Bible expresses this wonder as “a man will leave his father and mother, cleave to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Hence, through marriage and sexual union, what began as a unity “in Adam” (man and woman) continues as a unity “one flesh” in two distinct individuals.
Jesus affirmed the image of God as man and woman with his quotation of Genesis. Alternative alignments of man/man, woman/woman reject God’s creation and deface the image of God. No greater rebellion can be waged against the Creator than to reject his highest creation–the creation of Mankind created in the image of God. Jesus told the Pharisees, “what therefore God has joined together, let no man separate”. This is precisely what those who argue for homosexuality wish to destroy. They desire to redefine the singularity of God’s image into their own image. Therefore, while not mentioning the word “homosexuality,” Jesus made it clear that only man and woman constituted a legitimate union. Jesus’ words on the man and woman relationship as the image of God should silence all argument for alternate sexual unions and partnerships. Those who contend for a different relationship face Jesus Himself as their chief opponent. This should concentrate the minds of all but the most spiritually darkened and hardened rebels against God.
In addition to Jesus’ strong statements above, he upheld the inerrancy of the Hebrew text. He declared,
18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5.18-19).
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail (Luke 16.17).
Jesus’ declaration that it is easier for the universe to cease to exist than for the Scriptures to fail is at first glance shocking. But upon reflection, Jesus’ statement reveals the simple fact that the faithfulness of God, indeed the character of God, is more secure than the existence of the universe. When Jesus spoke of the “Law” He used it as a metonymy for the entire body of Scripture. According to Jesus, all that had been written, from Genesis to Malachi, was inerrant. With Jesus’ validating imprimatur of the Scriptures, it is instructive to consider what they declare regarding homosexuality.
Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis 18-19 records how God delivered Lot from the city of Sodom which he afterwards destroyed. According to Genesis 13.13, “Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD.” Genesis 18.20 states, “And the LORD said, ‘The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.'” One of the sins of Sodom was homosexuality. The account in Genesis reads:
4 Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 5 and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” 6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly (Genesis 19.4-7).
The translation, “have relations” is the Hebrew word יָדַע and means “to know”. It is used of intellectual, experiential, and sexual knowledge. Clearly, what is in view in this passage is sexual knowledge, cf. Genesis 4.1, “Now the man had relations (or “knew,” (יָדַע) with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the LORD.” The context of Genesis 19 reveals that the men of Sodom wished to have homosexual relations with the two “men”2, who had come to deliver Lot from the immorality of the city and its impending destruction. Lot begged the men of Sodom (Genesis 19.7) not to act “wickedly” (רָעַע). This word is always used of evil activity.
Lot continued to appeal to the men of Sodom:
8 Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, they said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door (Genesis 19.8-9).
These verses expand insight into the horror of this unnatural union to Lot’s mind. Rather than have the men of Sodom violate the two “men”, i.e., angels, under his care, Lot offered them his virgin daughters. This dreadful offer should give any reader pause. What father would choose his daughters to be gang raped? There is only one logical answer: only a father so stressed at the thought of sex against the two angels that he regarded such a choice a lesser evil. Lest we think that Lot’s judgment on this matter unique we will examine another account in the Scriptures with a similar plot in Judges 19.
While the sin of Sodom involved more than homosexuality, (cf. Ezekiel 16.49-50) homosexuality was an overt indicator of its immorality. Its citizens not only practiced it, but were shameless about it (cf. Isaiah 3.9; Romans 1.32). Throughout the Scriptures, Sodom and Gomorrah are held as examples of gross immorality. The Jewish prophets frequently referred to these cities as standards of evil when they identified their own nation’s sin. Jesus referred to these cities in his preaching of repentance to Israel (cf. Matthew 10.15; 11.23-24; Luke 10.11; 17.29).
Some have maintained the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was not homosexuality but “abusive homosexuality”. The problem with this interpretation is that the Scriptures make no such a distinction. Homosexuality is abusive by definition for it profanes the image of God. Others maintain the sin of the men of Sodom was inhospitality. Such a suggestion has no Scriptural support and is not serious Biblical scholarship.
God destroyed both Sodom and Gomorrah (the two major cities) as well as the cities of Admah and Zeboiim. The entire valley was morally corrupt. Jude commented of the destruction:
6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire (Jude 1.6-7).
The translation “strange flesh” is the expression σαρκὸς ἑτέρας. The Greek language has two words that mean “other” or “another”, ἄλλος and ἑτέρας. The word ἄλλος denotes another of the same sort while ἑτέρας denotes another of a different sort. For example, Jesus promised to send another ἄλλος Comforter (John 14.16), i.e., another like Himself. Paul warned the Galatians against another ἑτέρας gospel, i.e. a gospel different in content than that which he preached–“another” (ἑτέρας) gospel which is not “another” (ἄλλος), Galatians 1.6-7. So, Jude, by using the word ἑτέρας meant flesh of a different kind.
Jude’s statement “went after strange flesh” is intriguing. What does he mean by “strange flesh?” On the surface, it might appear that “strange flesh” is Jude’s way of referring to homosexual relations. But Jude seems to mean more than this since he brings up the matter of “angels who did not keep their own domain”. Who were these angels? The most likely explanation is that they are the beings found in Genesis 6. There we find an account of “sons of God” (בְּנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִים) who had sexual relations with women. These women produced mighty offspring, the Nephilim. The expression, “sons of God” has been debated by scholars. But the interpretation is not difficult. The phrase בְּנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִים is always used in the Scriptures of angels–never men (cf. Job 1.6; 2.1; 38.7). Therefore, the lexical evidence supports בְּנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִים being angels. As strange as sexual activity between fallen angels and humans may have been, the Bible declares such unions occurred–and may happen again (Matthew 24.37). From these unions arose the Nephilim (Genesis 6.4; Numbers 13.33). These beings are the source of the stories of “gods” and “demi-gods” of pagan mythology. God destroyed these beings in the Flood. But even after the Flood this kind of sexual activity occurred resulting in giants such as Goliath, cf. Genesis 6.4; 1 Samuel 17.4-23; 21.9; 22.10; 2 Samuel 21.19; 1 Chronicles 20.4-8). Such demi-gods as Goliath were of the tribes of the Rephaim, Emim, Anakim (Deuteronomy 2.10-11) and the Zamzummim (Deuteronomy 2:20) which occupied the ancient near east. It was because of this genetic corruption of the human race that God commanded Israel to completely destroy them.
Jude’s statement seems to indicate that the men of Sodom knew the visitors were angels. The Genesis text does not reveal this, however. In any case, the angels were in the form of men and sex with them would have been a homosexual act. Lot’s response revealed he regarded the demand of the men of Sodom as evil.
Idolatry and Immorality
The Holiness Code of Leviticus 18 and 20 gives God’s instruction of how Israel was to deal with homosexual activity. Leviticus 18.22 stated,
“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”
Leviticus 20.13 stated,
“If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
Some have argued that the word “abomination” (תּוֹעֵבָה) refers to ritual uncleanness. But the only passages with an element of ritual uncleanness are Leviticus 18.19 and 20.18 which involve menstrual impurity. No serious Biblical scholarship accepts that these two verses govern the two chapters. The plain reading of the text is that what is in view is moral purity not ritual cleanliness. To maintain a “ritual uncleanness” view is like arguing murder is on the same moral level as a faux pas of using the wrong dinner fork. Both Leviticus 18 and 20 enumerate rules of moral behavioral for the new Jewish national entity. They were not to follow the practices of the Egyptians. God’s moral rules defined and prohibited incest, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, spiritism, and child sacrifice. The conclusion of both chapters is, “Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine” (Leviticus 20.26). Such as statement demolishes any argument of ritual purity.
Some maintain the issue at stake in these chapters is idolatry, not homosexuality. But one does not exclude the other. Idolatry was always associated with aberrant sexuality. An examination of idolatry in the Hebrew Scriptures (e.g. Ezekiel 16.20-50; Leviticus 20.1-5; Deuteronomy 12.28-32) reveals the gross immorality in the practice of idolatry. This fact is further revealed in secular literature and by archaeology. Paul expounded on the issue in Romans 1 when he argued that rejection of the true God results in idolatry resulting in moral degradation. False religion and false sexuality are partners.
Idolatry is the worship of false gods, that is to say, the worship of any other God than the God of the Bible. The word “idolatry” comes from two Greek words, εἶδον, the aorist form of the verb ὁράω “to see” and λατρεία which means “service”. The Septuagint (LXX) used λατρεία exclusively for divine service. Therefore, idolatry means to render divine service to that which is visible. The God of the Bible is invisible and beyond sensory perception in his essential nature. This is the reason why God ordered the Jews not to make idols or representations of God.
Pagan cults almost by definition had idols and were rife with sexual immorality–both heterosexual and homosexual. Preachers rarely expound on idolatry and its associated phallic cult. Therefore most churchgoers are ignorant about what transpired in ritual idolatry. But such practices are well-known to historians and archaeologists who have studied the ancient near east, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and all the ancient world. Every culture that engaged in idolatry engaged in aberrant and licentious sexual behavior that violated the sexual pattern God set forth in Genesis and in the Mosaic Law. Idolatry in ancient cultures included human sacrifice, demonism, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and incest. Sexual promiscuity was endemic in the phallic cults and pagan “worship” involved priests and priestesses sexually acting out the roles of the fertility gods.
Debasement of the Concubine
Few stories are more sordid than the one recorded in Judges 19. It is as shameful a tale of immorality and debasement as one can imagine. The story involves a Levite who went to restore his concubine3 who had committed adultery against him. He traveled to her father’s house where he spent several nights as his guest. Eventually he and his concubine left and arrived at a town opposite Jerusalem. Unable to find a place to stay for the night, he was resigned that they would have to stay in the open square of the town. However, an old man came in from working in the fields to his rescue. He told him that he and his concubine were not to stay in the public square. They could spend the night with him. The Levite accepted the hospitality of his host and went to his house.
At this point, the story assumes characteristics similar to the account of Lot in Genesis 18-19. Certain men of the city, aware a stranger had arrived in town, began to pound on the old man’s door. They demanded, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him” (Judges 19.22). The word for “sexual relations” is the Hebrew יָדַע as noted above. Judges recounts: “Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, ‘No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly” (Judges 19.23). The word for “wickedly” is the Hebrew word רָעַע seen in Genesis 19. The phrase “act of folly” is the Hebrew נְבָלָה. The translation “folly” is insipid to modern ears. It conveys the sense of “silly” and connotes the trivial. But נְבָלָה carries the same sense as the word נָבָל. Both words mean “fool” or “foolish” but not in the sense of “silly” or “trivial.” They mean one who is insensible to God and to right and wrong. Moses called his generation “foolish” (Deuteronomy 32.1-6) because they were insensible to God and His goodness. The “fool” of Scripture is one who cannot think correctly for he denies God’s existence (Psalm 14.1). Premeditated rape is נְבָלָה and is translated “disgraceful thing” in Genesis 34.7. Each of these occurrences contains no trace of triviality but denotes a perverse insensitivity to what is good and right.
In response to the demand of the men, the old man, like Lot, who offered his virgin daughters for the men of Sodom to rape, offered his own daughter and the Levite’s concubine to the men. Both Lot and the old man faced the choice of relative evil. Either choice was נְבָלָה. But both Lot and the old man determined the rape of their daughters was a lesser evil than homosexual intercourse.
The story has a horrible outcome. The men of the city seized the Levite’s concubine and “raped and abused” her all night long (v. 25). She died from the abuse. The Levite put her on his donkey. When he got home he cut her up into twelve pieces and sent a piece to each tribe of Israel. Judges 19 ends, “And it came about that all who saw it said, ‘Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel and speak up!'”
This passage of Scripture graphically illustrates how far the nation had fallen into sin. The accounts in Genesis 19 and Judges 19 are parallel. Both Lot and the old man judged rape of the women to be a lesser sin than rape of the men. We would do well to heed the closing works of the chapter, “Consider it, take counsel and speak up!”
The Record in 1 Kings
Israel’s history under its kings is recorded in Kings and Chronicles. After Solomon, the nation divided and the north was “Israel” (ten tribes) and the south was “Judah” (two tribes). Judah had better kings and was more faithful to YHVH but eventually they too fell away from God. In each of the three passages below we find idolatry and cultic sexual immorality in the reigns of Jeroboam (Israel)/Rehoboam (Judah) through Ahab (Israel)/Jehosophat (Judah):
22 Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. 24 There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel (1 Kings 14.22-24).
9 So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. 10 He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father. 12 He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days. 15 He brought into the house of the Lord the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils (1 Kings 15.9-14).
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might which he showed and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 46 The remnant of the sodomites who remained in the days of his father Asa, he expelled from the land (1 Kings 22.45-46).
The translation, “male cult prostitutes” and “sodomites” (קָדֵשׁ) in the passages above were men who engaged in homosexual sex as part of the cultic worship of false gods (idols). This Hebrew word comes from the root קדש which has the meaning of being set apart or consecrated, i.e. “holy.” In context, it means idolaters were set apart or consecrated to evil. Israel’s priests, on the other hand, were set apart to YHVH. See also the passage, Deuteronomy 23.17, which forbade Israel’s men and women to be involved in cult-prostitution. Such cult prostitutes engaged in both heterosexual and homosexual acts. This is well-know from ancient near eastern studies as well as from the Biblical text itself. Tragically, in the above occurrences, the godly meaning of “holy” had been turned into the false and immoral. If one is able to learn only one thing from the study about God in the Jewish Scriptures it is that the God of the Bible, YHVH, is fundamentally different from the gods of the ancient near east. He is ethically and morally perfect, i.e., “holy” and has no commerce with sin. God went to great lengths to teach Israel about His character through the Law of Moses, the Levitical priesthood, and the ceremonies necessary to worship and serve Him.
These passages provides us with the knowledge of the long history of homosexuality in false religion. Male and female prostitutes occupied a key role in ancient near east pagan religion. Paul wrote that the Jewish Scriptures were written for our instruction (Romans 15.4; 1 Corinthians 10.11). To the degree homosexuality is accepted into a society reveals the spiritual health of that society. Those involved in it are indicators of deceit and false religion. They serve as modern equivalents of cultic prostitution.
Paul’s Indictment of Mankind
In Romans, Paul provided the Biblical analysis of the problem of the world. His analysis is a devastating indictment of mankind. Paul argued that man consciously rejects God and exchanges good for perversion and evil. What is God’s response to man’s rebellion? God allows man the freedom to practice evil. He “gives man over” to perversion.
Paul’s indictment begins in Romans 1.18-21:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
When man suppresses the Scriptures, i.e., truth, the result is futile speculation and hearts of darkness. Like nature, supernature also abhors a vacuum. Truth is replaced by falsehood. The first consequence of mankind’s rejection of God is given in verses 22-23:
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
In verses 24-25 Paul described the second consequence of man’s rebellion:
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Lastly, Paul wrote of the third consequence of man’s dark heart in verses 26-27:
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
Paul’s argument pivots upon the words translated “changed” or “exchanged” and “abandoned” found in verses 23, 25, 26, and 27. In verse 23 Paul used the word ἀλλάσσω and in verses 25 and 26 the word μεταλλάσσω. The word ἀλλάσσω is used elsewhere in the New Testament five other times: Acts 6.14; 1 Corinthians 15.51-52; Galatians 4.20, and Hebrews 1.12) while μεταλλάσσω is used only in Romans 1.25-26. Why did Paul change vocabulary? In verse 23, the subject is God and the “change” is from God’s glory to idols while in verses 23-26 the subject is man. This change coincides with what we have seen earlier: idolatry (worship of anything but the God of the Bible) leads to sexual perversion. Thus, in verse 24 we have Paul’s statement: “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them”. In verse 27, Paul also used the word ἀφίημι. This word carries the sense of “leave”, “abandon”, “send away” or “give up”. It seems to convey an even stronger sense of will in rejecting what is good for what is evil or perverse. As a result of man’s determination to do evil, God allows it to run its course. The response of God to man’s rejection of Himself and the truth is expressed in Paul’s words: “God gave them over” (παραδίδωμι) in verses 24, 26, 28. Augustine wrote the punishment of sin is sin. He had a point.
No controversy should exist about the meaning of these verses. The passage is straightforward. It teaches homosexuality is contrary to nature, a rejection of God, and a rebellion against God’s sexual design of the human race. The only reason it is controversial comes from the rejection of the Scriptures–spiritual darkness.
Paul’s Instructions to the Corinthians
Corinth was a major metropolitan city of great commercial wealth. It had been such for generations and continued to be so in Paul’s day. Paul wrote the Corinthians to correct them on factions which had divided the members of the church and to address sexual immorality. He encouraged them to holy living. Paul’s attitude towards homosexuality is consistent with the rest of the Scriptures. Paul wrote the Corinthians,
9 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, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6.9-10).
Two words in the above passage refer to homosexuality. The first, translated “effeminate” is the word μαλακός. Literally, the word means “soft” or “soft to the touch” (cf. Matthew 11.8). Metaphorically, it is used of catamites, of men and boys who allow themselves to be misused sexually with men. The second word, translated “homosexuals,” is ἀρσενοκοίτης. This was a male homosexual or a pederast. Paul used these two words to refer to the two types of behavior in homosexual acts. The first word μαλακός referred to the passive behavior and the second ἀρσενοκοίτης to the active role in the homosexuality act. Both actions are sin which will have no place in the kingdom of God.
Scientific research indicates that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to homosexuality. Some seem to be born genetically predisposed towards attraction to the same sex and environmental factors such as confused family roles from smothering or over-dominant mothers, absent or disinterested fathers, and physical or sexual abuse contribute towards this predisposition. While these all may be contributing factors, Paul made it clear in Romans 1 that homosexuality ultimately is no different from any sin. It is rooted in rebellion against God and against conscience. Some maintain homosexuality is genetic, i.e. homosexuals are “born that way.” This is true. All are born into sin. David wrote in his great confessional psalm, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51.5). David did not mean his mother was guilty of committing an immoral act in his conception. He was acknowledging he entered the world a sinner.
Each of us has a genetic predisposition with certain strengths and weaknesses. For some, homosexuality is an area of weakness. For others it is fornication, stealing, lying, greed, murder, etc. Each person has a will and chooses to do the things he does. If a man is brought before the court for stealing and his defense is, “I couldn’t help it. I was born this way” what does the judge say? Guilty. Five years.
The Scriptures teach homosexuality is an aberration, an act of rebellion against God, like all sin. The good news is, like other sinful behavior, the Lord can change us. Continuing the verses above, Paul wrote the Corinthians,
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6.11).
Some of the Corinthians had been homosexuals. We must not minimize Paul’s statement. Corinth was one of the most immoral cities in the ancient world. It was a “sailor” town. Greek culture was rife with homosexuality and Paul was not naive about sexual practices. He was thoroughly familiar with the immoral activities of pagan cities. But Paul declared God had transformed them. This is the hope for all of us. Each of us who believes Paul’s gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4) comes to the Lord with lives of sin. But as the wonderful verse above says, we have been washed, sanctified, and justified. Thanks be to God!
Paul’s Instruction to Timothy
Paul wrote Timothy,
8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted (1 Timothy 1.8-11).
The word “homosexuals” in the above passage is ἀρσενοκοίτης, examined above. It is important to note that these two passages have the same message, one to the Corinthians and one to Timothy.
Conclusion
13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”14 But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak” (1 Kings 22.13-14).
Ahab, King of Israel, sent his messenger to find Micaiah the prophet on the advice of Jehosophat, King of Judah. Micaiah stood in opposition to the religious establishment of the four hundred prophets who served Ahab. In questioning them about whether he would be successful in war against Ramoth-gilead, Ahab’s prophets responded, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king” (v.6). When Micaiah spoke the word of the Lord to Ahab he told him he would die and lose the battle. Ahab chose to listen to his prophets. He thought he could disguise himself in the battle and be safe. He was wrong. He died.
Some things never change. Micaiah courageously stood before Ahab over 2,800 years ago and told him the truth. His example challenges us today. What are Christians to do on the matter of homosexuality? Many church leaders, like Ahab’s prophets, declare nothing is wrong with it. They maintain the Bible is wrong or is misread about homosexuality, that it is not “the word of the Lord”. This is an old, tiresome line. The first lie came from Satan who enticed the woman with “Hath God said?” (Genesis 3.1) The great question and the great challenge to Christians in a fallen world is whether to be faithful to God and His Word or not. How do we do that? We do it by believing what God says, by communicating the truth, and by challenging and encouraging others to believe and be faithful also. Ahab’s prophets claimed to speak the word of the Lord. They were the majority. They were the establishment. They had the power. They were wrong. Ahab lost the battle and died. The Scriptures teach consistently and unambiguously that homosexuality is sin. Those who promote and tolerate reject the Scriptures, profane the image of God, and rebel against God.
None of us is without sin. But the glorious good news is that Christ has paid for our sins. He died on the cross and rose from the dead. He loves all sinners. He has redeemed us from the law of sin and death. As Christians, what is our message to those in the bondage and slavery of homosexuality? First, it is to believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). Second, it is to allow God to transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 12.1-2, Romans 8.28-29). The only way we can be “ourselves” is by being His. Paul wrote that all who believe his gospel have been changed fundamentally. We have become new creatures. Our message to mankind and those bound in homosexuality is the message of the great apostle:
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5.17-21).
1 The Scriptures state Jesus is the Creator of all things (cf. John 1.3; Colossians 1.16; Hebrews 1.2; Ephesians 3.9; 1 Corinthians 8.6. Therefore, Jesus’ response to the Pharisees was a reference to His own activity.
2 Angels, when they appear as humans, always appear in the form of men.
3 A concubine was a slave and a wife of secondary rank. She was usually acquired as payment of a family debt, purchased from a poor family, or taken as a captive in war. Succession and inheritance went through concubines as with wives.
Resources consulted for this study are the following:
- G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, T. & T. Clark, 1977.
- William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, University of Chicago Press, 1957.
- Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, revised edition, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988.
- Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament with an Appendix Containing the Biblical Aramaic, Clarendon Press, 1979.
- R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody Press, 1980.
- James Hope Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources, William. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980.
- W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers, Fleming H. Revell Co. 1966.
©2004 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.
Updated, June 17, 2015
What an excellent study indeed. I am now wanting to read all the rest :)
I just wanted to thank you for blessing me with God’s Word in such a clear, researched and gracious fashion.
God bless you,
Hugh
Thank you for your kind comment. I am glad you found it beneficial.
My Bro. & Sis. in Christ,
I would like to thank to our Almighty God to used you to be a channel of God’s love to the homosexual, to gave you the best knowledged and wisdom to provide this section in the website, it is a great reference for us as a missionary.
I am pleased you understand what happened in Genesis 6 that so displeased the Lord that he destroyed the world in the flood. I am tired of hearing people say the Sons of God were the Sethites or mere men. As if all the sons of God were Godly men and ALL the (women) daughters of men were all ungodly and then giants were born to them. No wonder the confusion. This is a well written article and I appreciate it.
Chaplain Bob,
Thank you for your kind comment. I’ve an article in draft on this but can’t seem to get it done. But it’s really not a complicated matter. The term “son(s) of God” always referred to direct creations of God, i.e., Adam and angels. The obvious exception: The Lord Jesus Christ. The idea that these were Sethites has no biblical support.
How could there be off spring of nephiliim that remained even after the flood? Only those on the ark survived?
Theresa,
Good question. See Genesis 6.4, “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” The only answer seems to be that fallen angels again had intercourse with women who produced these offspring. When the Jews came to Canaan they were afraid because there were giants in the land. The giants did not cease to exist until David’s day. David slew Goliath who was of this lineage.
Are these the fallen angels (Gen. 6) who are now occupying Tartarus? Are the biblical demons the spirits of the Nephilim?
thank you for all the study you have done.
Joe
Joe,
I think so (cf. Jude 1.6). Not sure about the Nephilim. The Scriptures have little to say about this.
Homosexuality is not acceptable; it’s not natural. It’s against reason. But I put it to you that if one homosexual that believes in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus loses his salvation, then, there’s no hope of assurance of salvation for anybody; then faith + 0 is a joke. I’m not against good works but the hope of a believer should rest on the fact that God is able to save the vilest of sinners (Rom 4:4-5).
Mark,
All have sinned. The way of salvation is Paul’s gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). All who believe it are saved, have forgiveness of sins, and have the assurance of salvation. God’s begins His sanctifying work the moment of salvation (Romans 8.28-29).
So if a homosexual gets saved and continues to practice homosexuality, shouldn’t the body of Christ turn him over to Satan? A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Becky,
Good (and difficult) question. If a congregation thought a situation with a believer was serious enough this would be appropriate. Paul was motivated by three reasons: 1) the reputation of the Church (1 Corinthians 5.1), 2) the moral state of the Church (1 Corinthians 5.2, 5-7), and 3) concern for the sinning individual (1 Corinthians 5.5). Paul wished to spare the individual as much as possible from loss. It would be better for the individual to die immediately than continue in sin and lose whatever approval He had gained as a believer. Paul was also concerned that such sin left unjudged would have a corrosive effect (1 Corinthians 5.6-7).
Amen.
Thank you for your interesting take on homosexuality. I am curious, though. Could you please explain why God blessed the same-sex relationship between David and Jonathan?
In my reading of the text in 1st and 2nd Samuel, they were, at the very least, very close friends; like really good friends. In fact, as you read about their relationship in the Bible, it was way more than just brotherly love. As the story goes, Jonathan fell in love with David at first sight. David was equally smitten with Jonathan. If you read the story carefully you see that they did things that you wouldn’t expect heterosexual men to ever to do, like kissing each other on the mouth and crying together. At their last meeting the one who was spying on them actually saw more than just kissing.
The author of 1st and 2nd Samuel was a member of King David’s court. He seemed to know the intimate details of David’s life and pulls no punches when telling the story of David’s reign, and of his predecessor King Saul. As part of this story, the author tells about Saul’s son Jonathan and his unique relationship with David. Some religious leaders point to Jonathan and David as an example of idealized male bonding — a type of “brotherly love” not stained by the romantic entanglements of male-female relationships.
The author of 1 Samuel tells of a man named Saul, who became king over Israel and fathered a son named Jonathan. David came to the attention of Saul and Jonathan when he volunteered to fight a giant who was troubling their nation. David was not afraid because he believed God was on his side. In a show of courage, David fought the giant Goliath with only a slingshot and a handful of stones. Miraculously, he was victorious. Saul was intrigued by this courageous young man, and so he called David to come talk to him. When David had finished speaking to Saul, Saul’s son Jonathan walked into the room. When he saw David, it was love at first sight. The text tells about how Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
Imagine if this story had been about Jonathan and a woman. Suppose the author had written that “Jonathan’s soul was bound to Miriam, and Jonathan loved her as his own soul.” And suppose that upon meeting Miriam for the first time, Jonathan immediately gave her all his most precious possessions. If the story was about Jonathan’s first encounter with a woman, people everywhere would think of this as one of the greatest love stories of all time. The story of Jonathan and his love would be the source of dozens of Hollywood films. But because the object of Jonathan’s affection was a man, cultural prejudice kicks in and Christians and Jews alike insist that this could not have been more than deep friendship.
When was the last time you saw a heterosexual man, swept away by brotherly love, offer another man his most precious possessions in their first encounter? Suppose the pastor of the church you go to, upon meeting another man for the first time, stripped himself of his suit and gave it to the other guy. Suppose in that same encounter he also offered his most precious possession —his beloved four-wheel drive pickup truck. Wouldn’t this strike you as more than just a little ‘queer’? Read the text. This story is describing a classic love-at-first-sight encounter that happens to involve two men.
Here it is in black and white. The text says that David stated that the love he shared with Jonathan was greater than what he had experienced with women. This goes well beyond deep friendship between two heterosexual men. In this story, we have to ask the question: Can two people of the same sex live in a loving, committed relationship with God’s favor? The answer is “yes,” because Jonathan and David did, and the Bible celebrates their relationship.
Remember that David was called “a man after God’s own heart” in the book of 1st Samuel. He was one of Israel’s best-loved kings. He is one of the most prolific writers of Scripture; and he loved Jonathan more than he loved women.
Any comment?
Roger,
The case for a homosexual relationship between David and Jonathan is thin. David had at least 8 wives, several concubines, and many children. Furthermore, even if it could be proven, what would it prove? That David was a sinner? David knew that. He committed adultery and killed Uriah to cover it. Yet David loved God. One only need read his life, read the Psalms to know that. The vindication of David is his love of God.
Thank you for your response. Just one question and I will move on to your other articles (which I have found excellent thus far). My question is: How ought we to relate to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters?
Roger,
See 1 Corinthians 6.9-11. The practice of homosexuality perverts Man as the image of God (Genesis 1.27) for Man is male + female.
Agreed, but what I meant was: How should we relate to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in Christ? Matthew Vines is perhaps the most well-known gay evangelical who attempts to make a scriptural case for same -sex relationships. You know the Bible so well that I’m hoping you can give me some direction as to how we, as Christian, should relate to (Interact with? Be friends with? Welcome?) those who, while they may be mistaken, continue to want to worship in evangelical churches today. Are we to shun them? Should we invite them to church? Should we break bread with them? I look forward to guidance on this as it is becoming an issue (people talking about it) in the evangelical church I currently attend. And, to be fair, one of my best friends is a gay man in a relationship with another gay man who consider themselves brothers in Christ. I invited him and his partner to the church I attend (three weeks ago) and so far three people who I consider friends have told me that they don’t think it’s scriptural to invite gay people to our church. I asked each of them to point me to the scriptures to help me understand where their thinking on this comes from, but all three said (along the same lines), “They are openly defying God in their lifestyle and we should not welcome them into our fellowship.” I gave tacit assent in order to protect our friendship, but I just don’t know what to do. We’re all still friends and I haven’t mentioned this to my gay friend(s), so they’ve been coming for the past three weeks unaware that I have been confronted about it. I really look forward to any scripture-based response you may have to my dilemma.
Thank you for accepting this question. It’s kind of “where the rubber meets the road,” so to speak, and I want to do the biblical thing and learn how we should relate to this kind of situation. You’ve been kind and helpful to me in this forum, and I look forward to hearing from you on this.
Roger,
Attempts to redefine homosexuality in terms of current culture is a fool’s errand. Homosexual practice was well known throughout the ancient near east and in the Greek and Roman empires. Many notable Greeks and Romans were homosexual. The Biblical writers knew all about it. As far as I can tell, homosexual unions occurred in history but not homosexual marriage. This seems new. The Bible is consistent in its view of homosexuality. Homosexual practice is sin. The question is how does the Church deal with sin, how do we as individuals deal with sin? So, let’s do a thought experiment. What if you had a friend who said he was a Christian and shoplifted regularly? What about a friend who cheated on his wife? Would this be ok? God has called us to holiness. God is conforming us into the image of Christ (Romans 8.29). Jesus gave instructions to the Jewish community about this in Matthew 18.15-17. How Paul dealt with such issues is found in the following verses: Romans 16.17; 1 Corinthians 5.1-5; Galatians 6.1; ; 2 Thessalonians 3.15; 1 Timothy 5.20; 2 Timothy 4.2; Titus 3.10-11. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14.33). God has revealed His will and the Holy Spirit will not contradict it. Those who claim to be Christians but practice homosexuality should be conflicted and unhappy. If they are not, then I would doubt they are true believers or have hardened their hearts. Ephesians 4.17-24 is highly instructive in this regard. From what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6.9-11, it is likely that some who had come to believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4) had been homosexual.
Thank you, Don. It’s nice to know a bit more about who you are!
As for your response, I guess I won’t be inviting my gay friend to church anymore.
I just hope he doesn’t ask me about it. I’m sure he’s heard it all before. He and his partner sure seem to have come to terms with it. They’re the ones who referred the books by Matthew Vines to me. I’m finding that the Christian life is most difficult when we’re dealing with real people in real situations. I guess I’m not the confrontational type.
Roger,
I had not heard of Matthew Vines so looked him up. Found a review of his book in Christianity Today which was interesting: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/june-web-only/why-matthew-vines-is-wrong-about-bible-same-sex-relationshi.html. The way people like Vines have to wrestle the text to conform to their viewpoint may be more sad than his actual behavior. They have deceived themselves and are at work to deceive others. We can only pray for him.
Hi Roger,
Don’s advice is right on. I have a daughter who is living the homosexual lifestyle. She calls herself a believer and tells me nobody understands her relationship with God. She has told me she would rather be happy now and go to hell than to serve my God. All her “friends” and resources have plenty to “prove” that the bible is not against homosexuality. It isnt my job to convince her. I can only speak the truth. I Cor 5 speaks clearly and is what I have stood on. Something else I have had to hold strongly to: a little leaven leavens the whole lump. I think a practice in modern-day churches that is dangerous is inviting sinners into fellowship, especially believers who are living in open sin. I don’t see anywhere scripturally where believers are supposed to do this. If I might make a suggestion from my own understanding. If you continue to keep these friends and accept their openly gay lifestyle, you will have to compromise at some point. You will experience the Holy Spirit’s conviction of your hypocrisy, and then you will have to either yield to the Holy Spirit or harden your own heart. Also, if you take a stand, you may be accused of not being “supportive.” Trust me, homosexuals have more than enough support. If my daughter ever decides to walk in a holiness, I will be there for her. But until then, I cannot allow her into my home. Do we please God or men? Is this easy? No. I hope my real-life experience gives you some strength. For the sake of brothers and sisters like myself, please, stand strong.
Becky, thank you so much for that. I have been longing to hear a Christian say what you just said. I was beginning to think that I was the only one that thought that way!
I will be reading that post many times over; it was more encouraging than you can know.
Praying for you and your daughter.
You’re welcome, Jess. The Lord is faithful to bring the truth of Scripture to our hearts when the rubber meets the road.
I see no redemptive movement in Scripture that now allows homosexuality to be acceptable in terms of the patterns for best living that God has set out.
I find your approach interesting. If your daughter were living with a male partner unmarried – or a life where she was a compulsive gambler – or had addictions to alcohol or drugs – or found that she struggled with telling the truth – or she was bad tempered – angry – jealous – bitter about something … would you allow her in to your house exhibiting any of those traits? Would she be welcome in the church with any of those traits? Or do we need to be totally perfect before we come to the house of God? Is our problem sin or is the problem how we rate sin?
Homosexuality becomes emotive in terms of response – but jealousy doesn’t – people who struggle with jealousy turn up at church and are welcome. Would you not allow that person in to your house?
Jesus went further than actions alone – if you even think something you sin …. this must disqualify all of us from ever setting foot in a church or the home of a Christian.
Surely it is better to love & demonstrate love than to use peoples failings – whatever failings those may be – as a rod to further beat them with.
Didn’t Jesus come to save sinners? To meet those who have need? Isn’t that where the rubber meets the road?
Steve,
Jesus died to save sinners from the penalty of sin and from the power of sin. Homosexuality is sin and God provides the power to save one from it—just as He provides the power to save one from the power of all sin–stealing, lying, murder, adultery, etc. This is what Paul wrote the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 6.9-11. The primary purpose of the local church is to instruct believers, not evangelism–though many have found Christ in a church and there are opportunities for presenting the gospel in church. The reason I wrote the article on homosexuality is because a cultural war is being waged in which some are promoting the idea that homosexuality is an alternate life-style and that there is nothing wrong with it. Even some who claim to be Christians have taken up this view. I have not noted such a cultural movement that it is fine to lie, murder, commit adultery, steal, etc. Paul has left us with a number of Scriptures as to how to deal with sinning believers. They are our guide.
Steve, my daughter called herself a Christian and openly practiced her homosexual lifestyle. Again, Paul makes it “simple” on how to deal with those who call themselves believers and openly commit sin. If my daughter were to have a “change of heart,” and want to walk in holiness, I would be there for her. And unless it comes via a “miracle,” I know she will struggle and face temptations. I didn’t have any idea I would go through something like this. The only thing I knew to do was follow Paul’s instructions. So I did. As a parent, you have a fear of “am I doing the right thing?” so often in raising kids. As a believer, trusting fully in the Word of God, I have a peace and hope that I can’t explain. What other advice is in Scripture on how to deal with this kind of open, blatant sin? If I didn’t act upon Scripture, I would be so lost. I would have to depend upon the world’s “c0unselors” to see me through. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Steve, you ask me questions and give me scenarios, “what ifs.” There is no such thing as “what if.” You don’t know what you’re gonna do until you are in the situation. As a believer, we have no “sane” choice but to go directly to Scripture.
My daughter has a choice. She can choose to live alone, pick up her cross, and follow Jesus. Some would say to me, “easier said than done.” It is interesting, but everything I have had to say to my daughter has come from my own “knowledge” of the truth. In other words, I have not thus far had to ask my daughter to do anything that I have not first had to do myself. The Lord made sure to prepare me, so that when I spoke to her, it came from a powerful conviction of what I personally knew to be true! Through many trials, He made sure I knew and believed without a doubt that “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Praise God! my life has never been left up to “what if,” chance, luck. See, what people miss is that “detail” of His divine intervention. To ask “what if” totally leaves out God’s divine intervention and provision.
Steve, one more thing. My daughter has a mother who is a believer. The Lord provided, at least, this way of escape for her: I pleaded with her to let me walk beside her until her faith was strengthened to overcome the temptation of falling into sexual perversion. I offered her to move back in to my home until she was strengthened in the inner man. She declined and chose to fulfill her lust and made it verbally clear to me that this is what meant most to her. And instead of choosing the way of escape, she chose to find support in the homosexual community.
As an afterthought, I find it interesting that I’ve yet to hear of openly gay individuals who choose not to be involved in ANY type of relationship with other gays and be alone. Homosexuality is a lust of the flesh that wants to be fulfilled.
Becky, you imply that being gay is a choice. Why do you believe it is a choice and not the way God created someone? The consensus of research on this issue today is that “being gay” is not a choice but that people are born that way. Recent studies by geneticists, neuroscientists, biologists and others provide evidence that homosexuality is not a choice. I side with your daughter.
Roger,
No conclusive scientific evidence exists that homosexuality is predetermined and not a choice. According to the Scriptures, we are all fallen. Each of us is unique and our genetic code is highly complex. We have different areas of strengths and weaknesses. Some are more inclined to asceticism, some to lasciviousness. Some are attracted to brutality and some to passivity. The biological make-up of some gives some a weakness for alcohol. Ultimately, we have to decide on the source of final authority. Science is a wonderful tool but we know some things science taught as “certain” has been disproven. The Bible places homosexuality along with other sins. Sin is a matter of choice. 1 Corinthians 6.9-11 lists homosexuality along with other sins. Paul wrote the Corinthians that they had engaged in these things. They made a choice. He wrote the Ephesians that one who stole should steal no more (Ephesians 4.28). God gave sex to celebrate the duality of our humanity–male and female. Adam’s fall perverted this for us all. Sex is extremely powerful and its perversions enslave many due to our fallen natures. God created us in His image: male and female (Genesis 1.27). He is conforming believers into the image of Christ (Romans 8.29). No room exists for degradation and defilement in this work.
It seems to me that we hear much more condemnation of homosexuals from the church & Christians than we hear about loving our neighbors. Jesus said “by this, they will know you are my disciples – that you love one another.” (John 13:35)
Jesus also said in Matthew 19:9
“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” ie, people like me who have been divorced/remarried are living in perpetual adultery. Yet in virtually every church of 200 or more, divorced/remarried couples are welcomed with open arms.
That appears to me as hypocrisy which Jesus talks about 13 times just in Mathew.
Doug,
The Church should love all. That does not mean it should condone sin. When Jesus mentioned hypocrisy, most of His attention centered upon the religious professionals–those who claimed to be keeping the Scriptures but were not. Thus, on the issue of homosexuality, according to Jesus’ accounting, those who say it is not a sin are the hypocrites.
Roger,
God has not “created” any man or woman or child since Adam. All men since Adam have been born. Doctrine has stated the truth we are ALL born in sin.
I tire of hearing the excuse that God created anything imperfect. He absolutely did not. Everything God created was perfect. Lucifer became imperfect by choice and so did Adam and Eve.
The sin that is present in every life is the choice against God. Once we pass the age innocence all acts of sin are expressions of that choice (the predisposition to and nature of sin).
Jesus Christ died as payment for both the sin nature and the acts that proceed from it. All we need do is accept his truth and allow him to heal us.
I myself struggled with homosexuality since I was about 8 years old. I struggled with it secretly for many years; even as a Christian. I was sorely tempted to accept it wholeheartedly as my way of life; living the lie was becoming too hard. I remember the day when the Lord – in a moment of emotionless clarity – asked me to make a choice: I was to choose that day to either let him deliver me, or to give in and be given over to a hardened heart regarding homosexuality. I took the rest of the day to consider it because I sensed this was important. When I made the choice for the Lord I knew with the same absolute clarity that nothing could change my mind back to accepting homosexuality as allowable. I was about 28 years old when I made that choice and I’m now 47.
Some have reported instant deliverance. Mine was not the case. It took several years of progressive deliverances, until I no longer have even the slightest predisposition towards homosexuality. The interesting thing is that I was also delivered through the years from fornication, pornography, masturbation and all forms of sexual sin. I was also delivered from addictions to prescription meds, smoking and alcoholism. The Lord did a major overhaul. I realized that many of these issues were fueled by major un-forgiveness, self hatred and a inordinate need for love in a perverted manner was just like drugs or alcohol, it helped soothe the pain. I have learned and am still learning to take EVERY pain honestly to the Lord and to live a repentant and forgiving lifestyle. The result is a generally stable and (mostly) joyful life.
I am now married to a loving man (have been for 6 years) and walking in sexual wholeness. The Lord still helps me daily and keeps from adultery (spiritual, physical and emotional).
My point is that God is Good. There is no evil in Him. He is not light and darkness. He is all light! If you come to the light, and stay in the light (his word and his spirit); if you refuse to twist the word but use it to judge own yourself, our loving Lord will transform you.
God has chosen us. He gave us Jesus. Now the remaining choice is always ours.
Chin,
Thank you for sharing your powerful testimony. Such a testimony is humbling. It focuses the mind upon the God’s grace, His goodness, the power of the gospel (Romans 1.16), and His saving power to deliver us from sin (Luke 7.47).
Steve, you state, “Homosexuality becomes emotive in terms of response – but jealousy doesn’t – people who struggle with jealousy turn up at church and are welcome. Would you not allow that person in to your house?”
Are these people turning up at church exhibiting their jealousy, their adultery, their stealing, their anger, their lying, their drunkenness and being welcomed? And would you allow people exhibiting these things into your house?
You state, “Jesus went further than actions alone – if you even think something you sin …. this must disqualify all of us from ever setting foot in a church or the home of a Christian.”
You use the word “us.” Are you a slave of sin? Do you freely entertain sin in your mind without experiencing the conviction of the Spirit? Do you practice bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ? Paul said If you walk in the Spirit, you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Many Christians quote Rom 8:1 but somehow forget to quote the last half of the verse: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
OK.. so .. Hot Button Issue right? First I would like to thank you for not being one of those Christians that continue to read the word and disregard the the teachings of Christ who if I am not mistaken is the friend of sinners, who sat and broke bread with tax collectors. I have been praying a lot about this “issue” and I keep going back to Matthew 5 and Jesus’s teaching of the spirit of the law not the letter of the law. things like loving your enemy and As for destroying the sanctity of marriage I ask you to define why you got married. How many in your church are going through adultery, divorce etc… Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. As for Christ speaking about the bond God forms when they are joined he speaks of God sealing the deal and blessing the union the togetherness, gay people are not breaking up marriages or destroying families. They are asking to bring to Gods presents this beautiful and wonderful love that has been cultivated between two people and saying dad look what we have grown and saying please bless this because I will water and feed it make sure if it ever is sick its cared for, that I will never abandon it for I have found it to be good. Also I cant seem to find it anywhere except for Jonathan and David where the bible speaks of a loving caring same sex relationship. I however have found only passages that talk about Property rights Leviticus 18.22 and Idol worship, adultery, and ephebophilia. next the story of Sodom and Gomorrah It was about the hospitality and the fact that lot gave up his daughters and the fact that the crowd was going to rap them. Any forcible act of unwanted sexual acts is detestable and demeaning that’s why the were going to do it. and Last but not least Paul, I would ask you to read the Jesus vs. Paul page @ https://doctrine.org/jesus-vs-paul/ that was written rather well might I add to form your own opinion of Paul. For Me I see him as prideful and not very humble. That being said most of his letters were to the Romans and when written he never expected them to be holy Scripture. This by the way Came from a very loving and devout / devoted Christian who loves his maker and his son. whom also is gay.
Thank you for your time.
warm wishes
Anthony W.
PS
Aren’t we all born sinners?
Anthony,
We are all sinners. Because Christ loved us He died and rose from the dead to save and deliver us from sin. Homosexuality is sin. Therefore, Christ died to deliver men and women from homosexuality. No debate should surround this issue. The Bible is straightforward and consistent in its condemnation of homosexuality. No Scriptural support exists to make a case that homosexuality is anything but sin. Homosexuality is destructive to the individual because it defaces the image of God (Genesis 1.27). It destroys body, soul, and spirit. Those who say homosexuality is not sin are false teachers. They have rejected God and His love. Such rejection results in scar tissue of the soul (Ephesians 4.17-19).
I consider my journey through this life and have chosen to live it along the simple directives of Jesus Christ only. God stated immediately after the first couple’s ‘sin’, the arrival of Jesus who was to be sacrificed as an exhibition God’s love for mankind. Since He is our saviour, why not get instruction from the source.
By all accounts his instructions supersede any that were prior to his birth. His directive states ‘Judge not’.
It appears that discussions on the matter of homosexuality are quite judgmental. While I agree with the premise on the reason for marriage. I do not have the same opinion of homosexuals. We are both human and divine. Judge not what they do to themselves, we don’t have to like the action and are free to express the same in love. Simply recognize and respond to the truth of Creative Spirit/God expressed through their action towards other human beings, observing their light as it shines and they experience their joy.
For your clarity, I am hetero
Coleridge,
I find your logic difficult to follow. The issue is not “judging” but what is right and wrong. Homosexuality is listed in the Old Testament in the category of sins that include incest, bestiality, child sacrifice, adultery, sorcery, etc. (Leviticus 18, 20). In the New Testament, it is listed with fornication, idolatry, adultery, theft, covetousness, etc. (1 Corinthians 6.9-11). Do you mean to argue no restraints should be upon these things, that they should be embraced as good and normal? Is that what love does? Does love let someone fall into a ditch and not help him out?
You wrote, “No conclusive scientific evidence exists that homosexuality is predetermined and not a choice.” Actually, there is. Just a google search will lead you to the overwhelming scientific evidence. i can provide study after study if you like. Much of the current research has surfaced recently because of Dr. Ben Carson’s recent comment that “Men go into prison straight and they come out gay.” There’s nothing to be afraid of. All truth is God’s truth. We just have to be open to revising our theology when scientific research disagrees with the Bible.
Roger,
Ben Carson’s remark has nothing to do with men being predetirmed to homosexuality. Men go to prison and come out more skilled criminals. Does that mean they were born and predetrmined to be criminals? Your seem to believe the final authority for truth is experience, not the Bible. While all truth is God’s truth, how truth is determined is what matters. The science that claims homosexuality is predetermined is highly suspect. This is far from agreed upon among scientists. This is not the earth revolves around the sun science. Furthermore, science changes on some things every few years. One year they tell us coffee is bad, then they say it is good. Same for salt, eggs, you name it. Human psychology, sexuality, and behavior is far more complex than diet. This is just the latest fad.
You wrote, ” You seem to believe the final authority for truth is experience, not the Bible.” Kind of like Paul, don’t you think?
Roger,
Well, the risen Christ directly revealed Himself and communicated to Paul just as He had with Abraham, Moses, etc.
I would like to add something to my comments here. Where I stand with my daughter right now is where the Lord wants me to stand. I am “waiting” to hear from Him each step of the way. We have only Him to trust completely. Some see trust as blind, but it isn’t. Think about it: I can trust the one Who knows every thought of her heart, Who knows every path she chooses, the One Who simply has to prompt my heart to pray for her at the right moments. Who places her on the hearts of others to lift her up in prayer. This is why i have peace, why i can rest in Him.
No criticism of you or your stand was implied – I seek understanding by asking questions and I have my own views, reached through experiences of my own & based on my understanding of Scripture.
It is not THAT we stand for something it is HOW we stand that interests me. Sadly Don chose not to upload some of my comments – some of which may have added value to the conversation.
Whether you are right in your approach – or whether you are wrong – God is sovereign.
Steve, HOW we stand:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Don, thank you so much for this excellent article; it’s the finest I have ever read on this subject. I am glad you mentioned the horrific story in Judges 19, to show how degrading and sinful homosexuality is in the sight of the Lord, more than rape of women. I praise the Lord for a minister who speaks the truth to a world that has lost its way and is sinking lower and lower into sin and lawlessness. We need more folks like you to teach churchgoers, like me, how to love what God loves and hate what God hates. Your article also reveals your godliness. I definitely will use your article when I need to, regarding this issue. Grace and peace and good health to you.
Gratefully yours,
Kim,
Thank you for your encouragement.
I remember Deut 23:17-18 where a male cult prostitute is called a “dog”. Dog is an unclean animal and homosexual practice is an abomination to the Lord.
Am I reading this verse correctly? Thanks.
Kim,
Yes.
Don, Here is a documentary on ‘Gays’ admitting they were not born that way.
http://www.wnd.com/2015/06/hidden-camera-gays-admit-theyre-not-born-that-way/
Becky,
Thanks. Experiential data always confirms the Scriptures.
It brings to mind the words of Paul, a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Is there anything in Scripture or history that tell us the population of sodom and gomorrah at the time of their destruction?
Also, your statement in your article, “Homosexuality is abusive by definition” is truly confirmed by this documentary.
Becky,
A good bit has been written about these cities. See http://www.natewilsonfamily.net/sodom.htm. One interesting article is http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/04/The-Discovery-of-the-Sin-Cities-of-Sodom-and-Gomorrah.aspx#Article. Another is http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48931527.html. The only Biblical clues we have for population are Abraham’s request to God to spare it if there were 50 righteous men in it (Genesis 18.24 cf. Genesis 18.32), which was probably a small percentage, and the size of Abraham’s army (Genesis 14).
Why isn’t homosexual sex listed below? Looks like mental attitude sins are mostly listed. BTW I’m not homosexual. I personally think it’s pretty disgusting…..but who am I? To me homosexual marriage is a travesty. A contradiction of logic. Born that way or not is not necessarily a good thing. Some people are born with a club foot (many examples). It’s natural because it happens in nature…. but It’s a defect. We don’t celebrate human defects. How can homosexuality be a positive thing? It has no purpose…no ‘final cause’. (Aristotle, Aquinas, et al)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Joe,
God hates all sin. Elsewhere, He declared homosexuality an abomination (Leviticus 18, 20). No one is born a homosexual. It is a choice one makes. One may be born with an inclination towards it just as one may be born with an inclination to steal. All of us have areas of strength and areas of weakness in our sin nature. But you’re right, even from an atheistic, evolutionary view homosexuality is a dead end. No purpose.
Aristotle’s 4th and final cause is ‘purpose’. ( Your last word above) Christians believe in purpose. Moderns have jettisoned Aristotle’s 3rd and 4th causes and it’s been down hill ever since….please allow me a few lines.
I believe I am very fortunate. In the last 3 or 4 years of my almost 50 year search for clarity I am satisfied I have found it on two fronts. First on bible doctrine. For decades I believed the “Christian Myth” as it is called on this site. I always felt off balance. One night while reading it ‘happened’. I discovered Paul’s gospel wasn’t the gospel of Matthew , Mark, Luke and John. All the pieces rapidly began to fall into place.
The second ‘instant of clarity’ is a little more difficult for me to put into words. The current secular world view is the culmination of several hundred years of philosophical evolution. Like a small leak at the bottom of an earthen dam the leak has become a torrent. We all know that 2+2=4. That’s an easy math problem with a simple answer. Here’s a question about 2+2=4 that, depending on your answer, has far reaching consequences on who you are and what you believe….Is 2+2=4 an invention or a discovery? Did Pythagoras invent or discover his theorem? Aristotle would argue they are discoveries and explained by metaphysics.
Einstein on math:
Even the greatest scientists, such as Einstein, have seen that the intelligibility of the world is a mystery. He famously remarked that “the eternally incomprehensible thing about the world is its comprehensibility.” Like the way in which mathematics seems to map the intrinsic rational structure of the physical world, this is presupposed within science and cannot be given a scientific explanation. It appears to be a metaphysical fact, and the explanation for which, if there can be one, must come from beyond science.
Moderns would argue otherwise, indeed they must. From Aristotle to Aquinas there was a logical approach to thinking called ‘realism’. The small leak that has become today’s full plunge into secular progressiveism began soon after Aquinas put down his pen. The founders of modern philosophical thought including but not limited to Descartes, Locke, Kant, Hobbs, Hume and up through today’s Hitchens and Dawkins have moved Western thinking away from classical realism and set the stage for what is now taught in our schools and what appears in the headlines. The presentation is far too much for my meager brain to articulate here. Allow me to quote just a sentence from a book that I believe would help us all get our minds around what’s going on today…. “Abandoning Aristotelianism, as the founders of modern philosophy did, was the single greatest mistake ever made in the entire history or Western thought.” (The Last Superstition, Edward Feser; pg. 51)
If you are familiar with modern philosophy you may have run across the name, Anthony Flew. Flew in the last half of the 20th century was probably the worlds most prominent atheist. In 2004 Flew announced he had changed his mind. He revealed he had been led by philosophical arguments to conclude there really is a God after all–specifically, a First Cause of the universe of the sort described by Aristotle. Late in life following many years as one of the most respected philosophers in the entire world and at the cost of respect from his peers, Flew realized his mistakes and pronounced his new found faith. Flew admitted that he had never really ‘specialized’ on/in Aristotle and that he was seriously reading him for the first time. What does the thinking of Aristotle and Aquinas offer all unbelievers if it could so profoundly affect a man like Flew?
Edward Feser, the author of the book quoted above moved himself from atheism to Christianity from reading the logic of Aristotle and Aquinas. In many ways C.S. Lewis moved from a no-God person to a believer through simple, pure logic. I believe any attempt to go beyond what I’ve said here is far too much for a site such as this. Not a preachy book at all. Basic, straight forward logic and entertaining at the same time.
Absent the book an interesting introduction to Aristotle would be a study of The Four Causes. Aquinas would be Five Ways. …..As with doctrinal pieces fitting together for me as I noted above I now have an understanding of what has brought about the goings on in our secular world today. Subjects include: homosexual marriage, morality in general, free will, abortion, natural rights, the soul, faith, reason, evil and more.
Quite a read but the water got pretty deep for me in places. I recommend this study to anyone who has recently found their jaw dropped with what they’ve seen on TV news these last few years.
Joe,
Thank for your comment. I would argue that understandings of the natural world are discoveries. God created us in His image. God has given us the ability to create but it is all within the context of that which He has created. I discovered Feser about 6 months ago but have been too occupied with other things to read him.
If I implied man’s understandings of nature are other than discoveries I misled you and I apologize. Man, by definition, has not invented the ‘universals’ that exist beyond his mind. Math, geometric shapes, propositions etc. transcends time and space. Feser’s book has had a profound impact on how I am able to comprehend how/why society has become what it is.
Joe,
No, I didn’t think you were saying that at all. Thanks for your comment.
God created Adam and Eve in his image. It was Adam and Eve who created us in their image and that was certainly after the fall into sin. This creation is by the two becoming one flesh. It would mean that we were born into sin and most certainly would not rule out people born predisposed to homosexuality.
Graham,
We’re all predisposed to sin. Some people are predisposed to homosexuality, others to drunkenness, lust, stealing, lying, murder, etc. Each of us has areas of strength and weakness.
“Dozens of people go to Him (the Lord) to be cured of some one particular sin which they are ashamed of (like masturbation or physical cowardice) or which is obviously spoiling daily life (like bad temper or drunkenness). Well, He will cure it all right: but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked; but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment.” – C.S. Lewis, ‘Mere Christianity,’ pg. 202
Thank you for telling the truth.
Thank you for your excellent dissertations on many subjects of the Bible. I have found them all very insightful, especially this one concerning homosexuality. I was recently conversing with two female lesbian friends who got married in California and are raising children together. They are a long family who do much for their community. However, the issue of salvation came up and I told them forgiveness was theirs, but they would need to stop sinning. They told me they no longer wanted me in their life and did not want someone who “thinks like this” around their children. They also informed me their God is one who is forgiving, loving and accepting. I pray for them and grieve the loss, knowing I will never see them again.
Uplift in Truth,
Tragic. Satan blinds minds to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4.3-4) and they become willingly deceived. One can only pray.
Hello! I’m an LGBT+ (demisexual panromantic) Christian here, and I’ve got quite a bit to say about your stance on homosexuality and how it relates to the Bible.
I found your website via doing research on Paul and his opinions on Mosaic law, and thought it’d be interesting to see your thoughts on homosexuality.
You first mention Jesus in your article, which is always a great starting point! You even mention that the question the pharisees asked him was about divorce, so he was reiterating what the old testament says about divorce, nothing more. However, Jesus was not arguing against homosexuality, because homosexuality was not the topic in question. He was arguing against divorce. You yourself say this but your inferment that he was laying a Biblical sexual code that condemns homosexuality is flawed because it’s never mentioned.
He /does/ mention groups of people right after (enuchs that can’t or won’t get married in this fashion have kids for various reasons) but definitely does not condemn them. With all due respect, I feel that your failure to mention this group is telling, especially since it is well known that in Biblical times, eunuchs were considered any member of Jewish society whose sexual/gender expressions were different than most, and a eunuch is even saved in Acts.
You also fail to mention that the Old Testament says the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were a lack of compassion, among other things, but homosexuality was never included in that list, unless you count what James has to say about it, but as you yourself mentioned, he mentions “otherworldly beings” i.e. angels.
If the people who were in Sodom and Gomorrah were gay, then why did Lot offer his daughter to them instead? Rape was a way to humiliate newcomers and had nothing to do with the people of Sodom’s actual orientation.
I’m not going to mention Leviticus (even though you do) because we both seem to be under the agreement that Jesus calls us to follow the law that states “Love God and Love Others” and not Mosaic law, so that argument should take care of itself.
Let’s get down to Paul, now, though, since your main arguments are (rightfully, as he’s the only “explicit” voice against “homosexuality” in the new testament) from him. Romans 1 talks about a ritual where the people knew God, but did not follow him. He mentions they even turned themselves over to “unnatural” desires and slept with members of the same gender, to paraphrase. He never listed homosexuality as their sin in that passage, however, and he /did/ list what their actual sins were, including idolatry. HOWEVER, in Romans 2:1, he condemns the reader for judging these people, because the reader was guilty of the same things. Not to mention this passage describes perfectly ancient idolatry rites where people would go so far as disfigure themselves to have sex with same-gendered people they wouldn’t normally have sex with. One could argue that this passage accurately describes some people’s behaviors in the LGBTQ+ community today, but regardless, this passage has nothing to do with loving gay couples.
An issue with citing God’s image as “one man and one woman” is, according to your favorite Biblical author Paul, male and female does not exist anymore if we are believers in Christ, as shown in Galatians 3:28. In fact, if you follow Paul, marriage has no place in Christianity except to control lustful urges. If that’s true, and it is truly better to be unmarried, but the image of God is one man + one woman, doesn’t Paul himself contradict Genesis?
If Paul is accurate, though, and the only reason one should get married is to control their lustful urges, but one is attracted to those of the same gender, doesn’t it make complete sense that the only way to stop the lustful urge is to marry someone of the same gender? If someone that is gay marries someone of the opposite gender, chances are their lust for the same gender isn’t relinquished. That becomes a problem, especially when you consider the Biblical probibition is of same-gender sex itself and not same-gender attraction.
Paul does have some words about αρσενοκοιται and μάλακοι (hopefully I did not misspell those words) in Corinthians and Timothy (the former alone in Timothy and both the former and latter in Corinthians) though. Unfortunately, they are grossly mistranslated in modern english works. Luther translated them as “child prostitutes” and those who engaged in their services. Others translate the words as male temple prostitutes and those (generally married) men who employed their services, which were a BIG issue at the time of the writing. The problem with translating both of these words–especially together, since they only appear together once–as “homosexuality” is that “homosexuality” or really sexual orientation in general as an idea was not around until the 1800s, so the words Paul used cannot be accurately translated as such. Paul was the only person on record to ever use these words these ways, so the true meaning is lost to him. However, it’s my personal belief from researching the Bible and Paul and his times that he is referencing the male prostitutes and their patrons, which would definitely still be condemnable today as well.
As for not allowing LGBT+ members in the church or kicking them out of families, Jesus dined with sinners and Paul says something along the lines of “Mistreating your children is worse than being an unbeliever”. That hopefully says enough about that.
I first started wrestling with same-gender attraction at age 17. I prayed about them. I prayed so hard and they never went away. The Holy Spirit (and YES, I PROCLAIM it was the Holy Spirit and not some false force because I prayed about it and always reached the same result) lead me to resources for LGBT+ Christians and gives me peace in my heart every time I pray about it. I feel that he even led me to write this post, though I’m 100% positive you’ve heard every single one of these arguments before. As for me, I’m currently in a relationship with a member of the opposite gender, but I would not be opposed to dating someone of the same gender, and I feel if I were to date and marry someone of the same gender, God would bless me just as if I had married someone of the opposite gender. Jesus said good trees don’t produce bad fruit and vice versa. I’ve known and witnessed too many good, God-loving relationships of the same gender to believe that homosexuality is a sin. Certain homosexual acts are a sin of course, but so are certain heterosexual acts, so homosexuality itself is no more a sin than heterosexuality in my opinion (and a growing population of Christians’ opinion, too).
I doubt my comment will change your mind just as your post has not changed mine, but I do hope you consider my points and become more tolerant of those who agree with my standpoint.
God bless you!
Justin
Justin,
The Bible is consistent in it statement that homosexuality is a sin. God created man male and female in the image of God (Genesis 1.27). The argument the sin of Sodom was inhospitality is without scholarly merit. The word יָדַע in Genesis 19 means sexual intercourse. Lot entreated the men not to act רָעַע (evil). God destroyed the five cities of the plain for their gross immorality, especially the practice of homosexuality. Do you think God would destroy five cities because of inhospitality? Only a person who rejects God thinks this. The penalty for homosexuality under the Mosaic Law was death (Leviticus 18, 20). The Law stated it was an abomination. Homosexuality is an abomination because it mars the image of God. It defaces who we are as God’s creation. Paul stated homosexuals would not inherit the kingdom of God–in addition to adulterers, thieves, etc., (1 Corinthians 6.9-10; 1 Timothy 1.8-11). Paul wrote that some of the Corinthians had been homosexual but that they were now Christians. We are all sinners. Each of us has areas of strength and weakness. Some are attracted to stealing, some to fornication, adultery, and some to sex with the same sex. It’s all sin. Christ has redeemed us from sin through His death and resurrection. Those who have believed Paul’s gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4) have new life in Christ. He is able to transform us into His image (Romans 8.28-29). This is an issue of obedience, not tolerance. Trust and obey God and He will bless you. The only hope that exists is Christ’s work on our behalf.
Sodom was not destroyed “especially for the practice of homosexuality.” That is 100% projection on your part and not established in the text.
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” -Ezekiel 16:49
The angels told Lot they had come to Sodom because “the outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.” The attempted gang rape hadn’t even occurred when God made this decision.
Sodom was completely lost. They weren’t just trying to have sex with men, they were trying to gang rape somebody’s guests! Sodomites were violent pigs who sought to dominate strangers and use them for personal gain the second they laid eyes on them.
They saw other people not as a “thou” but as an “it.” A loving and committed relationship between two people of the same sex is not comparable in the slightest, as it is a mutual seeing of the other as “thou.”
In a way, your attempt to extract a spiritual reward for yourself by treating homosexual people as an “it” is more in keeping with the heart of Sodom than it is with God’s love.
The word Paul used throughout the NT was ἀρσενοκοίτης, which refers to the older member of a pederastic relationship. There is no basis for broadening it to include all homosexual relationships.
The passages in Leviticus forbid male incestuous sexual relations. This, again, is a pretty particular type of sexual relationship. There is no basis for broadening it to include all homosexual relationships.
Denny,
Genesis 1.27 reads, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Male and female, not male and male, female and female. Man and female reflect God. The foundation of all living things is male and female, two sexes. Male and female is the basis for life. Sexual relations of male/male, female/female are an abomination (Leviticus 18.22, 20.13) to be punished by death. Such unions directly attack mankind, the image of God. Such unions rebel against God and His creation. The essence of evil is the normalization of perversion. This is the case of homosexuality and now pedophilia, which is a massive business.
The LGBTQ+ community is Sodom and Gomorrah personified.
Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)…..Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Notice the verse reads that a man will be joined to his “wife”. His wife. Not his partner. Not his husband. But his wife. Homosexuality is not only a crime against God, but a crime against nature (Romans 1:26-27). Anyone who argues differently is calling God a liar and will suffer the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah.
We are currently witnessing the most reprobate/depraved Presidential Administration in our country’s history. And most in America (probably around 70%) are clueless. But as our Lord warned us….
“….so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.”
Come, Lord Jesus.
You might want to read the next verse as well. (Ezekiel 16:50)
I find it interesting that the official Swedish translation removes the word “arrogant” from Ezekiel 16:49. A little too close to the word Pride, perhaps.
Anders,
The people of Sodom were arrogant in that they defyied God’s created order of sexuality (Ezekiel 16.50), indicated by the word “abomination,” תּוֹעֵבָה, found in Leviticus 18.22, 20.13.
Hi Again
People are saved by believing the Gospel given to the Apostle Paul. Despite someone being a homosexual or a liar or a gossiper we all sin and will continue to sin as long as we live on this earth in this fleshly body. The good news is that God is NOT imputing sin on the world today. 2 Corinthians 5:19 We are ambassadors for Christ telling the good news to people. The good news being Christ is not counting your sin against you. BUT you must be perfectly righteous to enter heaven. To become perfect we must believe the Gospel of Grace that was given to Paul. People love to quote 1 Corinthians 6 9-10 to let someone think that their sin will send them to hell. But notice Paul said the unrighteous would not inherit the Kingdom of God. The unrighteous would be the non-believer. In verse 11 Paul says “such were some of you” BUT ye ARE WASHED, ye ARE SANCTIFIED but ye ARE JUSTIFIED. Paul is telling these carnal sinning believers that they are no longer a part of the unrighteous. But yet they were committing all kinds of sin. He urges them not to live like the unsaved but never once does Paul threaten anyone’s salvation when it comes to their sin. We are not working to be justified or sanctified because we already ARE! When we do sin and we all still do then we are to reckon our old nature DEAD. It is no longer me that is sinning but my sinful flesh. After all the rebuking Paul did in 1 Corinthians when he got to chapter 15 he told them about the mystery rapture and how we will all be changed in an instant. These old sinful mortal bodies would be changed to a new heavenly body. He never once told anyone in Corinth that they would lose their salvation or that they were never saved because of any sin they did. That is the problem with the organized church today is they try to get people to stop a certain sin to be saved and then believe. Sin is NOT the problem today as so many want to believe. God is not even counting sin against us. The problem today is the message. Most people are teaching a faith plus message when it is faith alone. Some say that if you have faith then you will stop sinning. That is not possible. We cannot in any way make our flesh better to please God. Once you believe the Gospel of Grace then God will impute Christ righteousness to us. When God sees us he sees Jesus righteousness not our own. No I am not saying it is ok to go out and sin. I am saying to quit worrying about sin and when you do sin reckon your old nature as dead. Once a person becomes a believer he is sealed until the day of redemption no matter how many more sins he/she may commit. This is the message for this dispensation. God is not imputing your sin to you but he is offering a FREE gift if you will only believe that Jesus died and rose from the grave to take your place. Once a person hears this good news and believes it then a person can learn how to live as a believer.
Mike,
All true. But as Chesterton said of God, “Easy to please but hard to satisfy.” God has saved us from the penalty of sin. He is in the process of saving us from the power of sin. At the Rapture, He will save us from the presence of sin. My quarrel with the homosexual movement (the reason for the article) is the claim homosexuality is normal, not sin, and that the Bible never calls homosexuality sin. Dead men don’t sin: hence Paul’s admonition to reckon old Adam dead. God is in the process of changing our “want to.” True freedom is the desire to do what God wants more than what the old nature wants.
Amen, brother!
I enjoyed Mike’s question and your response. I’ve struggled with this issue, having met and hung out with a dozen or so gay men over the years who were evangelical Christians who believe that being gay is natural. They follow the line of thinking represented by Matthew Vines. You said earlier in this forum that Vines is plainly wrong and I have no quarrel with that, but I take them at their word and I treat these friends as brothers in Christ.
What Mike brings to the discussion is, even if they are wrong about homosexuality being normal (i.e. that they were born/created gay), they do believe in Paul’s gospel (I Cor. 15:1-4). So the question Mike is implying is: Are they saved?
Roger,
I don’t know if they are saved or not. What I know is God does not contradict Himself. The Scriptures are clear homosexual practice is sin. So the question is no different than one who says he is a believer yet continues to commit adultery, steal (or whatever). The result is twofold: Godward and manward. For God, it dishonors Christ and His Church. For the individual it brings unhappiness, judgment, and loss of reward. God has not saved us to continue in sin. He saved us to become conformed to His likeness (Romans 8.29). Habitual sin hinders this goal. From Paul we learn of God’s grace. Paul revealed the significance of Christ’s work on the cross and God’s forgiveness of sin. Paul also revealed God is not mocked. There are consequences of sin including death. This is what he prayed for concerning the believer in 1 Corinthians 5. Happily, the man repented. Paul also noted such consequences for those who were abusing the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11.27-34). I believe no homosexual does not know homosexuality is sin. In the same way I do not believe anyone does not know God exists. God has hard wired this way. One can suppress these truths but they are in all (Romans 1.20-21, 32).
Agree. The sad thing is a lot of believers never get beyond being a babe in Christ. I honestly cannot stand the way people have taken things like homosexual and living together not being married etc and just seem to not care of the problems.Everyone seems to want to justify what they do when God does not want that. God wants us to admit that we are sinners. When we sin we thank Him that He has already forgiven us realizing that the struggle is here as long as we are alive. I have not seen in any of Paul’s epistles that we are to ask forgiveness. We are already forgiven. I think the biggest problem is the way the organized church presents the message. REPENT TURN FRM SIN BELIEVE AND GET WATER BAPTIZED. This IS NOT the message today. Maybe that is why things are so bad. You only receive the Holy Spirit after you believe the Gospel of grace that Jesus alone paid for our sins.
thanks
Mike,
I agree. Christ has forgiven us all our sins. God has extended maximum grace to the human race. Salvation is free due to Christ’s work on the cross and resurrection. All one has to do is accept it. The sad thing is precious few will.
My question is does oral sex between heterosexuals constitutes the sin of homosexuality and thus is a sin. I know many states list it as a crime against nature, but is there Biblical evidence it is a sin?
Chris,
The Scriptures state homosexual sex is sin. They do not state specifics about heterosexual sex.
a practicing homosexual who wants to keep practicing homosexuality until the day they die can be saved if they trust Jesus Christ and his death burial and Resurrection alone to save them to teach otherwise is to teach salvation by works
Anonymous,
Homosexuality is sin. A homosexual who believes Paul’s gospel will be miserable as long as he practices that lifestyle. It is no different from one who was a liar, thief, murderer, adulterer, etc. The believer is indwelt with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is holy. He cannot tolerate sin. God begins to change a believer’s life the moment he believes. When a believer sins, he is miserable and has no peace.
would you agree with me that the person who continues in homosexuality adultery lying or whatever even though they’re miserable that they are still saved because the Bible says that they are
Anonymous,
Why would a person who is saved wish to continue in sin? See Romans 6.1-2.
Anonymous, your question appears to be based on the assumption that once-saved-always-saved is true. I Cor 6:9 and Gal 5:21 say that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. I haven’t seen any doctrine taught by the Apostle Paul which teaches that even though they will not inherit the kingdom of God, they are “still saved.”
What do you think “depart from the faith” means in this next verse and what are the ramifications:
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils….
The person who practices sin is a servant of sin unto death according to Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Read 1 John 1:6-10.
One final thought: is it worth taking a chance that what you are saying is true? There is no turning back once death comes. I have written about my daughter on this page, in case you haven’t read it. I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to see the truth so that you will be fully persuaded in your own mind by faith (Rom 14:5 and Rom 14:23)
Becky,
God does not give back what He has promised. The one who has trusted Christ for dying for his sins and rising from the dead has salvation. The concern in my correspondence was for one who says he has believed but evidences no remorse for sin, shows no evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and exhibits none of the fruits of faith. One can believe Christ died for his sins and rose from the dead as mental assent and not be saved. Biblical faith is trust. True salvation comes about when one trusts Christ for having died for his sins. It is more than an intellectual acknowledgment of Christ’s work. Anonymous is right in that believers can rebel and reject God’s commandments and be truly saved. But if this is a habitual state, I have concerns such a person has truly trusted Christ. Your quotation of 2 Corinthians 13.5 hit this nail on the head. The word “reprobate” is ἀδόκιμος which means a fake, a counterfeit. Only Paul used this word.
Don, in expounding on the use, understanding, or misunderstanding of ‘reprobate,’ there is the ‘reprobate’ doctrine/teaching which has been vehemently espoused by fiery ‘fundamentalist’ preachers such as Steven L. Anderson and others. Anderson in particular states that all homosexuals can not be saved ever. And he and others of his ilk have attracted a great deal of negative media attention which seeks to depict most, if not all, of evangelicals or Christendom as being of the same disposition. Yes, as scripture clearly states, homosexuality is an abominable sin, but you also point out, that scripture also states that ALL sinful humans can be redeemed if they choose to trust the Gospel. Yet, Anderson and other ‘reprobate doctrine’ advocates continue to proclaim their desire that homosexuals have no choice but to burn in the lake of fire forever. It’s almost like one extreme legalistic end of the demonic spectrum denouncing the other antinomian extreme demonic end. A kind of absurdity.
Brian,
Paul commanded us to avoid such false teachers.
Paul laid out God’s plan in Romans.
Chapter 1 – The world has chosen sin and is suffering its consequences.
Chapter 2 – The religious people are no better, even though they have been shown the way of life.
Chapter 3 – There are NONE righteous, religious or not.
Chapter 4 – Faith was God’s path to righteousness from day 1. He gave us a 2000 year object lesson to prove why it had to be that way.
Chapter 5 – The Gospel. Reconciliation is God’s gift to mankind, to be realized (experienced) through faith.
Chapter 6 and beyond describe how we should respond this truth. God didn’t deal with sin by getting mankind to quit doing it. He dealt with it by atonement and reconciliation, both His initiatives.
Homosexuality (along with all other sins of the flesh) is a Chapter 1 condition. Thanks be to God for Chapter 5. The Holy Spirit will gradually change a person’s mind regarding sin (repentence). The important thing is that we come to the knowledge of the truth, not that we stop committing some specific sin. Life change is the work of God’s Spirit and is an ongoing process.
Sometimes the church skips Chapter 5 and leads with Chapter 6, reducing Christianity to just another religion.
pb
Proverbs 6:16-19
Practical Warnings
16 These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to 1 Him: 17 l A 2 proud look,
m A lying tongue,
n Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 o A heart that devises wicked plans,
p Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 q A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who r sows discord among brethren.
I’m not homosexual. I’m a conservative Christian. It appears most of the above are mental attitude sins. Makes me wonder if ‘gayness’ is any worse than any of the others.
Don, you state, “Anonymous is right in that believers can rebel and reject God’s commandments and be truly saved.” It is interesting to me that you did not agree with Anonymous that he was right, instead answering him with, “why would you want to?” but yet you are telling me that he is right. This is a very dangerous doctrine that you are promoting.
The Lord is faithful, the Lord does not take back His promises, but there is a thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation that His promises remain – but He can remove those who do not meet the conditions. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not given so that even if we rebel or reject God’s commandments we can still be saved. A perfect example of this is Joshua 23:14-16. Rejection and rebellion is a state of unbelief. Belief is a condition of salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is impossible to please God. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection did not change this truth.
Becky,
Anonymous is right in that believers can resist and disobey God after having believed Paul’s gospel. What I questioned was that one could do this habitually and not question one’s salvation. I also noted that mental assent is not Biblical faith. One can truly believe that historically Christ died for one’s sins and rose from the grave but never place one’s faith in Christ’s work.
Don,
So I agree with you that we as believers still sin. But your reply to me that ““Anonymous is right in that believers can rebel and reject God’s commandments and be truly saved” is very dangerous in the context of what Anonymous was saying/meaning/intending. He wasn’t speaking of believers who sin and repent; he was speaking of believers continually sinning. So in truth, Anonymous is not right, and he actually proved it in another post by the fact that he does not believe that Jesus is God. He is deceived.
Can you give me an example of “mental assent,” versus biblical faith, from the bible? thanks
Becky,
Anonymous is wrong that Jesus is not God for many Scriptures proclaim this. James wrote the demons “believe” (James 2.19). They know exactly who Jesus is and testified this knowledge in His earthly ministry. But they do not exercise saving faith–they have not placed their trust in Him. On the contrary, they are in rebellion. So, as I indicated earlier, one can believe in the historical fact that Christ died for one’s sins and rose from the dead but never trust Christ, never apply His work to oneself. That is mental assent, not Biblical faith. The record the Scriptures give of believers who continued in sin was that God removed them (1 Corinthians 11.27-31).
Don,
Good point, but the demons are not people. To go a little further, James says that the demons believe and they tremble. But we aren’t out sharing the gospel so that demons can hear the good news. Your concern as you mentioned previously is people who only give mental assent and truly do not believe. Is that the only example of Scripture that you know of? I am sincerely asking because i can’t think of anything in Scripture that addresses mental assent versus true belief with regard to human beings. thanks.
Becky,
It doesn’t matter if its demons or people. Both have wills. Some have argued that Simon in Acts 8 really did not believe due to his later attitude and actions. But the Scriptures state he did so I go with them. The main point is that Biblical faith means personal trust in Christ. See my article, Faith: Sina Qua Non. It may be helpful.
Don,
I believe Simon was saved, according to Scripture. He was new to the faith, still very carnal, I think.
Don,
Regarding the Scriptures you posted, I Cor 11:27-31, are you saying that this is an example of mental assent, that these Corinthians were not saved? thanks
Becky,
No, these were disobedient believers. They were involved in sin and abusing the Lord’s Supper. As a result, God disciplined them through sickness and death.
Becky,
I’m sure you know all this already but I would to lovingly remind you…
I can see why Don said “why would you want to.” Because we as saved brethren are constrained by love! 2 Cor. 5:14,15.
Sin is sin to our holy God. We live in sinful flesh. Can we say we walk perfectly everyday? Nope. But we are told to “judge ourselves” 1 Cor. 11:31. Paul also says in 1 Cor. 11:32 That we are judged and chastened by the Lord because we don’t judge ourselves. Col. 3:24,25
And the body judges as well 1 Cor. 5:13.
I don’t believe we are cast off by God in this dispensation. If one trusts the gospel, he is translated into the kingdom of God’s dear son!
Col. 1:12-13, Ephesians. 2:1-10,, Col. 2:13,14. Salvation is a “gift”.
So…if it’s not of “works” in this dispensation, that means you can’t lose salvation. If We don’t earn it then how can how can we lose it? Christ Jesus took care of the sin problem.
However we can be chastened…1 Cor. 3:16-18 .
1 Corinthians is full of carnal believers and what does he call them?
1 Cor. 1:2″ Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…”
Don’t forget this dispensation is not in prophecy. Christ’s work is what we trust. Not one thing of us is good(Rom. 3:9-12). Even in sanctification. We still live in this flesh (Rom. 7) and until we are redeemed out of this flesh we still have a battle between the carnal man vs. The Spirit. Rom. 8:22,23.
2 Tim. 2:19,20 is interesting in this discussion as well.
The thing is if a believer does not study to learn about what God is doing today then there will be trouble. Big trouble. Studying is one of our doctrines that is essential to not being deceived… thus there is discussion like this one.
Sadly enough many don’t study and get washed in the life of the Word of God. I thought the discussion was well done . It is a difficult one, because we should want to help people change their mind when they are off. But the work itself and the glory of it belongs to God.
But 2 Tim. 2:21-22 is what we long for.
Peace to you :)
Blessed by the lesson beyond measure. Thank you for standing up against the wicked World System.
Don,
Great article as usual.
I just read an article in our local newspaper today about gays in the church etc. and hears a direct quote I’d love to get your comment on “ There are Bible verses to support slavery, but we’ve done away with that… We use experience and reason and tradition to evolve, to let people know the context of 2,000 years ago is not the context of now”
Would love to get your thoughts on this, particularly where slavery is compared to homosexuality.
Thanks
Burl,
Thank you. Slavery has been practiced from earliest history and is practiced today. Perhaps the writer thought it has been abolished but that is not so. For example, see https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/10/17/this-map-shows-where-the-worlds-30-million-slaves-live-there-are-60000-in-the-u-s/?utm_term=.ef7a6df1da7d. Sexual sins relate directly to the individual and who we are as the image of God. All sexual sin degrades and mars us as humans. More generally, Jesus said that anyone who sins is a slave (John 8.34). Thus, in terms of sexuality, fornication, adultery, bestiality, and homosexuality are forms of slavery. I don’t know the point of the article, but this is a Biblical response.
“My quarrel with the homosexual movement (the reason for the article) is the claim homosexuality is normal, not sin, and that the Bible never calls homosexuality sin.” – Doctrine: March 24, 2016
While being in agreement with the article, I was a little saddened by the pushback by some of the comments.
Genesis 1:27-28 (NKJV)….
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
He created them male and female. Adam and Eve. Not Adam and Steve. Only a male and female can come together and “be fruitful and multiply”.
To say that homosexuality is “normal” or “natural” is calling God a liar. And, of course, embracing this lie will only lead to others.
In 2017, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that same sex couples could have their names posted on the child’s birth certificate. Apparently, a lesbian couple wanted the birth certificate to reflect both of their names. Regardless how the birth certificate reads, the child has a biological father and mother. That fact cannot be changed. This lesbian couple can claim this child to be their own, but, that too, is a lie. The child has a biological father and carries his name (a rose is still a rose).
For those who claim they are gay Christians, only God knows if they are saved or not. But if the same insist that homosexuality is “normal” or “natural”, the word of God is not in them and I will not fellowship with them.
Is adultery and fornication sinful? Yes. But they are also natural. God put that in us. God made us, by design, attractive to the opposite sex, but we must keep that in check. However, homosexuality is both sinful and unnatural. To state otherwise is unbiblical.
Leviticus 20:13 (NKJV)….
If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
I don’t know how the Lord could have made it more clear.
If someone wants to insist that homosexuality is “normal/natural”, your argument is not with me. Take it to your Creator.
Romans 1:26-32….
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise 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. And 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; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Its disgusting what is taking place in our country right now. And its worse because they know they have an advocate in the White House. “Pride Month”. What I refer to as “Reprobate Month”. Nothing like being “gay” and being “proud” of it at the same time. God warns against both. “Gay”. A word that use to have a positive connotation.
People need to understand that when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He didn’t just take out the LGBTQ community, but those who didn’t have a moral problem with the LGBTQ community as well.
God gave mankind a rainbow to remind us that He wouldn’t destroy the earth again by water. Now these reprobates have taken that “sign” and perverted it too.
The Lord can’t return soon enough for me. These folks are going to get exactly what they deserve.
Phillip,
While a minority, those running the governments of Europe and the US are the most evil since Noah.
Don,
Now we have a Supreme Court Justice who can’t define “what a woman is…”
And our school system, which fails miserably teaching math and science, are helping our kids to understand proper pro-nouns and gender identity.
The party of lawlessness. And we know who the Father of lawlessness is.
All this, and much more, because reprobates (God haters) are running the country.
The people of Europe are dictated to and controlled by the undemocratically elected E.U.
The people of Britain, America, Canada and Australia are being bullied into submission to the woke agenda.
The leaders of the apostate church systems are leading the blind to destruction.
God help us all.
Romans 1:20 (NKJV)…..
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse
There was a Gallup Poll done recently which said that 81% of Americans “believe in God”.
Maybe 81% believe in “a god”, but 81% don’t believe in the God of the Bible. The God of Israel. If 81% of America believed in the God of the Bible, abortion wouldn’t be legal in this country. If 81% of America believed in the God of Israel, this country wouldn’t be a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. Christians are pro-life. Period. Christians oppose same-sex marriage. Period. Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden might be “devote Catholics”, but they are not Christians.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Phillip,
The people running the western governments today are the most evil people since the days of Noah. The central bankers are behind most of this evil and have deceived the people. Hopefully, people are beginning to wake up. The Bible tells us that most people do not awaken unless they suffer. Only pain gets most people’s attention. Pain is here and much more is coming. The evil must be unmasked.
I understand that Adam and Eve were created by God. I also understand the angel’s were also. So Adam and the angel’s are son’s of God ( Eve was in Adam if I’m understanding correctly) . Direct creations of God. So my question is this , are we not direct creations of God when we are born from above? Born again. John 1:12 says He gives us power to become son’s of God . Am I misunderstanding this?
Bren,
No. In a sense, we are direct creations in that we have a new birth, are adopted, and will be given new bodies.
Does Paul’s Gospel of Faith mean that are believers and sinners are saved? Did Paul say or suggest that nobody who believes goes to Hell or that Hell doesn’t exist? What about Fr. James A Martin, S.J.? He has faith but is pushing an acceptance of unrepentant homosexuality as well as many Protestants. Thanks again. Great website.
DJ,
In this age, all who believe Paul’s gospel are saved. Paul only mentioned eternal punishment once (2 Thessalonians 1.9). Hell and eternal punishment was not a subject dwelt on by James, Peter, John, or Jude either (except in Revelation). Jesus, however, spoke about it constantly. See my article, Hell and Judgment. I question the salvation of those who contradict the Scripture and Jesus’ teaching.
Hi Doctrine or Don?,
I know homosexuality is a sin but please enlighten me on this topic. I recently watched two debate this, one a believer of the word homosexuality and an LGBTQ saying it is really this word arsenokoitai- and claiming that it means man with boy, a pedophile. They claim that this was changed in 1946, so all I can do is forward you the link. To me, Romans 1 clears that all up anyhow. Here is the link https://um-insight.net/perspectives/has-%E2%80%9Chomosexual%E2%80%9D-always-been-in-the-bible/
It appears to be partly true but I dont know for sure. I also understand the LGBTQ are willfully blind to other passages and want to argue this point to no effect.
David,
It is irrelevant in terms of the larger issue. Sex by men with men or women with women is a sin, an abomination according to Leviticus 18 and 20, throughout the Bible. It a defacement of the image of God, man and woman.