Homosexuality

ISSUE #1: Can a Christian be involved in a homosexual lifestyle?

Introduction

Let us start by recognising that there are those who find themselves sexually attracted to a person of the same sex as them. We would call them:

• Gay if they are male
• Lesbian if they are female
• Transsexual if they believe they are a man caught in a woman’s body and vice versa (i.e. their sexual identification is entirely with the opposite sex)
• Bisexual if they are sexually attracted by both men and women (also used to refer to those who are born with both male and female sexual organs)

What should our approach be towards this issue?

We must start with John 3:16-17 and point out that God loves all humanity, irrespective of race, nationality, social standing, wealth or sexual orientation. Jesus came to save and not to condemn. Therefore the Christian community must show love, compassion and understanding to those for whom their sexual orientation is homosexual. Our calling is to self-sacrificially love all people, including homosexual people. I will therefore attempt to approach this matter with sensitivity and compassion.

The issue at hand today is: Can a Christian be involved in a homosexual lifestyle? Since we are starting with definitions let us define a Christian as well. A Christian is one who is following the Lordship of Jesus Christ … seeking to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in terms of His character, nature, morality, ethics, etc.

So if a Christian is a person striving to follow Jesus then the real question is: WOULD JESUS CHRIST HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE IF HE WAS SO INCLINED?

 How can we begin to answer this? By considering that Jesus said: “I do nothing except what I see My Father doing.” Jesus lived perfectly in accordance with the will of God. So to answer the question whether Jesus would have done it if He were so inclined, we have to simply ascertain what the will of God on this matter is. Let’s jump right in.

1. God’s Created Order

Genesis 1:27-28: The first thing to note is that God created humanity male and female and instructed them to multiply. This is part of God’s created order and purpose … that our sexual differences serve the purpose of multiplying the human race. What we have to ask is whether God’s creative purpose can be served if homosexual sex was all there was. We can see that homosexual sex does not fit in God’s created order.

Genesis 2:18-25: When God created a suitable life-partner for Adam, He created a woman. In God’s creation male and female are complimentary to one another and in becoming one flesh they fulfil each other. The unity of their lives fulfils them both.

If homosexuality was part of god’s plan he would have created differently and would have expressed His purpose for their sexuality differently. Sex is for our enjoyment … but it is not only for our enjoyment … it is also to serve God’s purpose of filling the earth with His image.

2. Homosexuality originated with the Fall

Humanity fell from God’s presence because they wanted to decide for themselves what was right and wrong. (Genesis 3:1-7) This disastrous decision to determine their own morality led to spiritual death and to all kinds of brokenness in Creation. Why? Because a consequence of their sin was separation from God … and life without God is broken.

So in this state of fallenness all kinds of sins began to be committed as humanity continued to set their own standard of morality. Examples are given in Romans 1:18-32

Homosexuality (whether we believe it is by nature or by nurture) is a consequence of a broken creation according to God’s Word. That is why the Bible refers to it as “unnatural” – the word means “not the way God created it to be”. “Para phusis” means “against physical” – not in accordance to the physical way God made us to be.

3. Biblical Commands

 As we begin this point I must make mention of the fact that when we look at the Old Testament Law we must do so knowing that the Law always contains both prohibitions and punishments. In God’s Law, God’s Moral prohibitions are permanent … the prescribed punishments are conditional on the day and age. This is a general principle. In times of war, for instance, treason may carry a heavier penalty than in times of peace. So let us not be put off by the punishment and so miss the prohibition.

Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 both very clearly prohibit homosexual activity and decry it as “morally disgusting” (“an abomination”).

Deuteronomy 22:5 extends the prohibition to cross-dressing.

 Theologian Greg Bahnsen says: “All homosexuality … is a perversion, a departure from God’s ordained use of sex. No qualifying or mitigating distinctions are warranted textually or theologically. The creation order and the law of God have been violated in any and all expressions of homosexuality.”

4. Biblical illustration of God’s mind on the matter

 Genesis 19:1-13

Many pro-gay lobbyists in the Church claim that despite the seemingly obvious reason of homosexuality … the reason God  actually destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was that they broke hospitality laws and that they tried to “rape” the visitors … NOT because they were “regular” homosexuals. Well, let’s allow the Bible to interpret the Bible by looking at Jude 1:7 “Sodom and Gomorrah … gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion” The word “perversion” here literally translates as “going after strange flesh”. The biblical commentator Doddridge says this means they were “going after unnatural and detestable gratifications of their pampered and indulged flesh.”

To me the matter is clear that they were destroyed because of their sexual sins … and those sins included homosexuality.

 So as we have considered what the Bible teaches we have to agree with theologian Walter Wink who, although pro-gay, concludes that, “the Scriptures unequivocally condemn same-sex sexual behaviour.”

5. NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING

The Gospels

The gospels are silent on the issue so we have to remember Jesus statement: “I have come not to do away with the Law but to fulfil the Law.” If Jesus was going to change or re-interpret the Law and it’s moral stance on homosexual behaviour, He would definitely have said so!

 One possible reference is Matthew 19:12 which says that “some are eunuchs because they were so born from their mothers’ wombs.” Here the word “eunuch” means either a castrated man or an impotent or unmarried man. At a stretch we could think it might apply to gay men. But if we do, Jesus is still not suggesting that such a person can enter a gay relationship. In fact, when we read it in context, He is saying that such cannot marry and should remain celibate.

 Acts 15

The early church debated at length how a non-Jewish follower of Jesus should behave in their wicked surroundings. In Acts 15:20 they are instructed to “refrain from sexual immorality.” “Porneia” is the Greek word which covers the whole spectrum of sexual immorality, including homosexuality.

Other Scriptures that re-affirm the fact that how we use our bodies sexually really matters to God are Romans 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:13-15 and 18-20 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

 Paul’s Letters

a. 1 Timothy 1:8-11

The book of Hebrews as well as Romans  7:12 tells us that while the ceremonial and ritual laws of the Law of Moses have been nullified by Jesus, the moral laws have not … they still hold true for us today.

In 1 Timothy we are taught that the Law does not control those who love God (their love for God leads them to behave in such a way that is pleasing to Him) but rather it controls those who are Lawbreakers. It then lists such in v.10 and this includes “those who practice homosexuality”.

b. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

This passage lists people who are excluded from the Kingdom. Included on this list are:

“Malakos” = “male prostitutes” = literally “effeminate men”. This refers to the passive partner in a homosexual relationship – the one who allows himself to be “picked up”.

“Arsenokoites” = “sodomite” = “homosexual offender” = the “hunter” in the homosexual relationship.

Why is this list of people excluded from the Kingdom? Because they do not make Jesus king of their lives, they make their own desires their ruler!

c. Romans 1:18, 24-28

This passage states that same-sex acts are both shameful and unnatural.

So in these 3 passages from Paul’s letters, the Holy Spirit condemns homosexual acts in His capacity as:

• Creator (“unnatural”);
• King (“idolatry”); and
• Lawgiver (“lawbreakers”)

 

VNB to note: Homosexuality is one of MANY sins mentioned here!

CONCLUSION

 So, let’s remember that we said the real issue is: Would Jesus engage in a homosexual relationship if he were so inclined?

We then said we could determine that by determining what the will of God is on the matter because Jesus always did God’s will.

From the Bible we can clearly see that God’s will is that no-one should engage in homosexual activity.

The pro-gay theologian Walter Wink, whom I mentioned earlier, makes the matter plain when he says: “Where the Bible mentions homosexual behaviour at all, it clearly condemns it. I freely grant that. The issue is precisely whether the Biblical judgment is correct!”

Well, we know that Jesus believed the Scriptures at His disposal were God-breathed!

Therefore Jesus would never have done it.

Therefore no follower of Jesus should do it.

Therefore a Christian may not be involved in a homosexual relationship.