Homosexuality In The Bible

Verses From Both Old and New Testaments

Genesis 19:4-11 indicates that homosexuality was the sin which caused God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in fire and brimstone. The name of the city Sodom is preserved in the word "Sodomite" which is used to refer to a homosexual.

Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 note that under Old Testament Law those who lay "with a male as one lies with a female" were stoned to death! God called homosexuality an "abomination."

Deuteronomy 23:17-18 specifies: "None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, nor shall any of the sons of Israel be a cult prostitute (Sodomite/KJV; perverted one/NKJV). You shall not bring the hire of a harlot or the wages of a dog (male prostitute/NIV) into the house of the Lord your God for any votive offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God." Cf. Revelation 22:15 - In Biblical times the worship of idols involved terrible sexual immorality. There were both male and female priestesses who served at the shrines of Baal and Asherah. Those involved in such abominable practices had no part in the worship of the living God. It was unthinkable that those who serve Jehovah could so pervert themselves as to be involved in homosexual practices. So God decreed that He would accept no offering from either a male (homosexual) or female cult prostitute.

Judges 19 & 20 describe Sodom-like homosexual behavior among the men of the tribe of Benjamin in the city of Gibeah. At the command of God. the entire tribe was almost wiped out -- 25,000 men were killed -- because they tolerated homosexuality and other sins in their midst. It is obvious from these scriptures that homosexuality was regarded as an intolerable perversion not to be countenanced by the people of God.

1 Kings 14:24 says "And there were Sodomites (male cult prostitutes/NASB) in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." (KJV.) Here as in other places in the Old Testament, homosexuality is associated with pagan idolatry. The word used here for homosexuals is qadesh which is translated "sodomite" in KJV, and literally refers to those who engaged in homosexual acts in the name of religion. The Bible simply takes for granted that homosexuality cannot exist where people love God and respect His word.

In Romans 1, Paul describes people whom God gave up on! (vss. 24, 26, 28) He pictures homosexuality as an outgrowth of a reprobate mind which was unnatural and deserving of death. (Romans 1:26-27.) Homosexuality was widespread in 1st Century Roman society. It was practiced even by Roman Emperors like Nero who underwent a public homosexual marriage ceremony. Though it was popular, God called it perversion! He said it was (1) a degrading passion, (2) against nature; (3) unseemly; (4) an error deserving punishment.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 asks "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." Paul uses two words which refer to homosexuality. The word "effeminate" (malakos) here refers to catamites -- those who assume the passive role in a homosexual relationship. The word for homosexuals is arsenokoites which is defined as "one who lies with a male as a female; sodomite; homosexual." Paul says that this sin will keep one out of the Kingdom of God and notes that some who had once been involved in homosexuality had repented of the practice, given up the homosexual life - style and surrendered to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:9-10 ranks homosexuality with such sins as murder, kidnapping and prostitution. These words are used to describe such acts: "lawless, rebellious, ungodly, sinful, unholy, profane and contrary to sound teaching."

Jude 7 compared certain people to the men of Sodom and Gomorrah who "indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh," subjecting themselves to eternal fire. Homosexuality cannot exist where people love God and respect His word. Rejection of God is the root; homosexuality is the fruit!

Biblical Conclusions About Homosexuality

1. Homosexuality is a perversion of God's intentions in creation.

It is a sin against nature; contrary to nature. "Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." "And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. And 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. "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:18, 22--24)

Because it was not good for man to be alone, God created woman as a suitable companion for him. That was God's creative purpose from the beginning. In Matthew 19:8, Jesus takes us back to that original intention, saying that it had always been God's plan for one man and one woman to come together as one flesh for life. Male and female are so created that in a sense in coming together they rejoin. Woman was taken out of man; woman and man are rejoined in the sexual relationship. Homosexuality is an attempt by Satan to take what is natural and to twist, pervert, distort and disrupt what God intended from the beginning.

2. Homosexuality is a clear violation of the laws of God.

A great deal of ingenuity has gone into attempts to explain away the clear teaching of the Bible. It is said, for example, that the sin of Sodom was inhospitality! The Bible says that ignoring God's standards of conduct will cause us to be lost. There are some things which do not become the saints and ought not to be named among them. Those who do such things have taken a road which leads only to destruction. "Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:6.)

3. Homosexuality is a choice, not a genetic condition.

Homosexuals are not born; They are willingly or unwillingly recruited. Ultimately, they consent to be what they are. With proper motivation and assistance they can change. They can repent and be forgiven of their sin. Cleansing is available. "And such WERE some of you..."(1 Corinthians 6:11.) People can be changed by Christ.

4. Homosexuality must be confronted with truth mingled with compassion.

We must hate the sin while loving the sinner. We must declare the whole counsel of God without compromise. We must continue to hold out the Gospel of Christ as the only hope of the world. We must guard ourselves from a Pharisaical, holier-than-thou attitude which cries out against one sin while winking at anothers which may be in our own lives.

Conclusion

The Bible is the only safe standard in dealing with every moral question. My preferences or your preferences or anyone else's will not change Biblical truth! Biblical standards of right and wrong are intended to make us holy as God is holy. God is eternal and unchanging; Neither do His principles of righteous living change! The Bible requires that Christians keep themselves pure. (1 Timothy 5:22.) Pure religion demands that we keep ourselves unspotted from the world. (James 1:27.)

We can choose to be Christians or we can choose not to be Christians; We CANNOT choose to have Christ while embracing immorality! God offers grace greater than any sin. But we must repent of sin and surrender to God's grace through obedience before it becomes a reality in our lives.

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This page was last updated September 3, 1996

Send comments and/or questions to Rick Janelle, Editor at: rjanelle@Messenger.org