What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality?

Statement/Question: 'Jesus never condemned homosexuality. So, why do you?

Answer: "Well, technically speaking Jesus said he did not come to condemn, but to give life. Jesus himself said,

"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17)

However, to say that Jesus did not address the homosexual issue is simply not true.

Jesus said, "[that] from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Mark 10:6)

Jesus in this instance points out our biological differences: that is, male and female. Furthermore, he says that a man should cleave to his wife (female). Nowhere does Jesus mention cleaving to someone of the same sex, or that we were created anything but male and female. One’s psyche or sexual preference is not mentioned.

Anti-Homosexuality Related Scriptures

Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.  (Leviticus 18:22)

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight?  Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."  Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, "No, my friends.  Don't do this wicked thing."  (Genesis 19:5-7)

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  (Romans 1:26)

In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  (Romans 1:27)

Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.  (Romans 1:27)

The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.  Woe to them!  They have brought disaster upon themselves.  (Isaiah 3:9)

We should also keep in focus some other Scriptural comments on sins in general:

For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.  (Proverbs 5:21)

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.  No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.  (1 John 3:6)

Some say they are born gay. Is this true? And if they are born that way is that a sin?

First of all, in response to the question: "Is it a sin to be born and found yourself gay?"

Apparently, some think it is possible, or you would not be asking the question. However, in all honesty, since I am not gay, nor do I have any desire to be gay, I cannot put myself in anyone's shoe that is gay. I have some gay friends; however, I have never really discussed their feelings or why they chose to be gay.

I do know, however, that the Bible says in Genesis 1:26,27,31:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

So, there are a couple of observations that can be made here.

• One, we are created with Godlike qualities (in His image), so in my opinion that is a high standard.
• Secondly, God created male and female, and after it was all done, the Scripture says, “God saw all he had made and it was very good.”

From that I gather, God felt that making male and female was good. Now, following that, we are all aware that the Old Testament laws were totally against homosexuality in any form. And, that brings us to the New Testament. The New Testament is also very strongly opposed to homosexuality. Romans chapter one is a good example. Now, I know that some say, “Well, the Bible also condoned slavery, and we don’t practice slavery anymore, so how can we just take the Bible or some preacher’s word on what is right and wrong as far as anything goes(?).”

However, without going into great detail, the New Testament, in my opinion, never condoned slavery. As a matter of fact, in the letter to Philemon, verses 12—16,  Paul says that he is sending a runaway slave by the name of Onesimus back to his owner, Philemon, with these words:

“I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.”

To me, this gesture by the Apostle indicates his true feelings. Firstly, he was against slavery, but totally committed to a nonviolent approach for the abolition of this practice. In other words, as with any morality, it must be voluntary; whether through consent or fear of the law. Goodness originates in the heart, not from a judge’s bench. Furthermore, in this case, a minority of Christians would have been decimated had they taken to arms. Paul did the best he could under the circumstances.

Now, as far as slavery in the Old Testament, we could save ourselves a lot of time arguing about this if we would just substitute the word “bondservant” in place of the word “slave” in most cases. Benjamin Franklin was an indentured servant (i.e., a bond-servant) but he was certainly not a slave in the typical fashion of the practice. There is much more that I could say about this, but since this article is about homosexuality and not slavery, I shall leave that for another time.

So, in conclusion, let me say, to excuse homosexuality activity off as that was the way one was born is certainly at odds with scripture, and, in my opinion, biology. Now, that does not take away the desire, or the complications, I realize. Just to say that something is a sin is not enough. The homosexual must break the hold that sin has on them, and fully commit themselves to Jesus and accept his offer of salvation.

Politically, should gays have the same rights as heterosexuals? I am not a Constitutional lawyer, so I really cannot argue that. However, I personally feel the Scripture is absolutely against homosexual marriages. How that translates into public polity in our egalitarian society is yet to be seen. So, unless our Supreme Court rules otherwise, we are pretty much left up with what our individual States decide on the matter. Right now, every State that has allowed the issue to come up for a vote has come out clearly on the side of the traditional stance of one man to one woman.