Yesterday in my blog I began a 2 part posting on what the Bible really teaches about homosexuality. Let me again stress what I stressed yesterday. These postings are not meant to be a personal attack against homosexuals. Simply put, in our day today when so many, even under the umbrella of Christianity, our condoning the gay lifestyles as pleasing to God, it is important that followers of Jesus at Grace Church go back to Scripture as our final authority on what we believe and how we live our lives. Yesterday, I overviewed passages in Genesis and Leviticus that clearly states that homosexuality is not pleasing to God. Here are some additional passages to consider on this topic:
Deuteronomy 23:17-18, I Kings 14:24; 15:11-12 and II Kings 23:7 all speak of the abomination of the male cult prostitutes who practiced homosexuality. Some would argue that these passages are only condemning homosexual prostitution and not homosexuality practiced in a loving relationship. If this were the only passage in all of Scripture dealing with God’s view on homosexuality, maybe, just maybe, this would have a shred of possibility. But when it is taken with the whole of Biblical teaching it seems to be very clear that prostitution and homosexuality are both being condemned.
Romans 1:26-28 teaches us that God gave mankind over to their sinful hearts which included degrading passions as women exchanged their natural affection for men for an unnatural affection for other women and that men abandoned their natural desire for women and burned in their lustful passions for other men, committing indecent acts.
Many would argue that this passage is speaking of committing perverted homosexual acts without being born gay, meaning that inborn homosexuality (being born that way) is perfectly natural and condoned by God. In the passage there is no distinction between perverted homosexuality and inverted homosexuality. In fact, the word “natural” in the text argues that homosexuality is contrary to God’s pattern for sexuality found in nature.
In First Timothy 1:10, homosexuals are among a list of sinful people also including murderers, kidnappers and liars. Add to these explicit verses that Genesis, Matthew and Ephesians all concur that the purpose of marriage (which is the only Biblical scenario for sexual activity) is meant to be a MAN leaving his parents and cleaving to his WIFE resulting in the two (the man and his wife) becoming one flesh.
It is clear that a literal interpretation of Scripture as the authoritative and inspired Word of God does not allow for homosexuality as being an acceptable lifestyle to God. But my favorite verse in Scripture on this topic comes from 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. In this passage homosexuals are included in a list of sinners that will not inherit the kingdom of God. But verse 11 begins with Paul saying to the church at Corinth, “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.” God’s grace can help homosexuals (and all sinners) overcome their sin! That is the power of the Gospel!
Deuteronomy 23:17-18, I Kings 14:24; 15:11-12 and II Kings 23:7 all speak of the abomination of the male cult prostitutes who practiced homosexuality. Some would argue that these passages are only condemning homosexual prostitution and not homosexuality practiced in a loving relationship. If this were the only passage in all of Scripture dealing with God’s view on homosexuality, maybe, just maybe, this would have a shred of possibility. But when it is taken with the whole of Biblical teaching it seems to be very clear that prostitution and homosexuality are both being condemned.
Romans 1:26-28 teaches us that God gave mankind over to their sinful hearts which included degrading passions as women exchanged their natural affection for men for an unnatural affection for other women and that men abandoned their natural desire for women and burned in their lustful passions for other men, committing indecent acts.
Many would argue that this passage is speaking of committing perverted homosexual acts without being born gay, meaning that inborn homosexuality (being born that way) is perfectly natural and condoned by God. In the passage there is no distinction between perverted homosexuality and inverted homosexuality. In fact, the word “natural” in the text argues that homosexuality is contrary to God’s pattern for sexuality found in nature.
In First Timothy 1:10, homosexuals are among a list of sinful people also including murderers, kidnappers and liars. Add to these explicit verses that Genesis, Matthew and Ephesians all concur that the purpose of marriage (which is the only Biblical scenario for sexual activity) is meant to be a MAN leaving his parents and cleaving to his WIFE resulting in the two (the man and his wife) becoming one flesh.
It is clear that a literal interpretation of Scripture as the authoritative and inspired Word of God does not allow for homosexuality as being an acceptable lifestyle to God. But my favorite verse in Scripture on this topic comes from 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. In this passage homosexuals are included in a list of sinners that will not inherit the kingdom of God. But verse 11 begins with Paul saying to the church at Corinth, “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.” God’s grace can help homosexuals (and all sinners) overcome their sin! That is the power of the Gospel!
4 comments:
Scott, I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your two posts this week. I would always go back in my brain and think..but the homosexuals would not choose to go through life with all the extra baggage that they do. But you really clarified this for me kin stating that they are among the list of sinners including murderers, kidnappers etc. I don't believe any of the sinners was born with the idea that they wanted to be a murderer etc. You just took away that "excuse" for me to question in my mind. Thanks!
Thanks, anonymous! I appreciate your comment. Sin is a choice. we are all depraved and born with a sin nature and with the capability to commit any sin. But in the end, sinful actions are our choice (James 1:13-15).
Scott,
Thanks so much for this blog. I have been lending an ear to a new believer (and great friend of mine) who recently started coming to our church a bit over a year ago. Her sister-in-law and two close friends are gay. It has been a struggle for my friend reconciling all of her love for her sister-in-law and friends with all she is learning from the Bible. I am printing this and your other blog out to give to her. Hopefully, it will help. In the meantime, I encourage her to love these women like she always has, and I will to. At the same time, we will pray for them to come to know Christ and let HIM do the work in their hearts. After all, we have all had "issues" Christ has had to clarify and work on in all of our lives!
Looking forward to our trip to Israel with you and Laura!
Thanks, Mary! I am so glad that you have found the blog postings helpful! Praise the Lord! It is hard to believe that we are less than a month away from our trip to Egypt, Jordan and Israel! Blessings!
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