IS HOMOSEXUALITY A SIN? by Andy Manning The title of this article is Is Homosexuality A Sin? I hope to strengthen your conviction that homosexuality is indeed a sinful behavior that is condemned by the Bible. Why Talk About This in Church? This topic is important because the church is called to preach and teach the Bible. 2 Timothy 4:2 says, Preach the word. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. As a pastor, my calling is simply to be a herald to proclaim the message of the king. Imagine if a king sent out a herald to proclaim an important message to every town in the kingdom, but the herald decided to leave out certain parts of the message. Is that a faithful herald? Would the king be pleased? I know of some very popular preachers at some of the largest churches in our country who do this. They intentionally avoid saying anything controversial or offensive or politically incorrect; anything that might cause people to leave. But that s not right. As a preacher of God s word, I don t get to avoid certain topics because they are controversial or politically incorrect or offensive to some people. I don t get to avoid certain topics because they might drive some people away. I must proclaim God s word. But the topic of homosexuality is a space-maker, no doubt about it. It s one of the messages that will offend; it will drive some people away, making more space for new people. So the question is, what does God s word say about homosexuality? Second, this sermon is important because the Bible is our authority. As Christ-followers, the Bible is our standard for faith and practice. It dictates what we believe and how we behave. We don t get to treat the Bible like a buffet, picking the parts that we like, and avoiding the parts we don t like. Popular opinion doesn t matter; it doesn t matter what Oprah thinks; it doesn t matter what the president believes; it doesn t even matter what the law says. The Bible is our ultimate authority. If God says it, we must obey it. So what does it say about homosexuality? Third, this topic is important because God s will is best. Romans 12:2 says that God s will is good, pleasing and perfect. God is love and His will for us is best. If He says to do it, then that is what is best for us; and if He says to avoid it, then that is what is best. God has all wisdom and knowledge. He knows what is best for individuals and families and society as a whole. And our knowledge is very limited. How foolish and ignorant are we when we ignore and disobey God? So the question is, What is God s will concerning homosexuality? 1
Finally, this topic is important because our society is becoming more and more intolerant against those who are anti-gay. Case in point: In March of 2014, Mozilla (Firefox Web Browser) hired Brendan Eich as their new CEO. But less than a month later, he was fired. Why? It was discovered that he was against gay marriage. As soon as that came out, many people criticized Mozilla and demanded a boycott. So what did Mozilla do? They fired the guy, ironically in the name of tolerance and equality. And this is happening more and more. Our culture is so focused on extending tolerance to homosexual activists that it is becoming intolerant to traditionalists on the homosexual issue. And this might get much worse before it gets better. Increasingly society says it is mean, intolerant, rude, unloving, and ignorant to believe that homosexuality is a sin. And like Brendan Eich, there may come a day when holding such a view will cost you your very livelihood and perhaps even your freedom. It is becoming costly to believe in the traditional Biblical view of sexuality. And the only way that we will have the strength to stand firm in our beliefs is if we are confident that our beliefs are based in God s word. I m not going to lose my job, money, and freedom over a mere opinion. But I am willing to give my life for the truth of God s word. So what does God s word say? Let s look at 1 Timothy 1:8-11 (New Living Translation). The apostle Paul is writing to a young pastor named Timothy about how to lead a healthy church. And Paul s first instruction is to get rid of false teachers who were misinterpreting the law. 8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious. The Law Of Moses: 3 Categories Paul is writing about the law. What is the law? Paul is referring to the Law of Moses, the first five books in the Bible (also called the Torah law; or the Pentateuch the Five Scrolls). It consists of hundreds of laws that can be divided into three categories. First, ceremonial laws rules about offering sacrifices and what you can and cannot eat. Second, civil laws rules that were to govern Israel when it was a theocratic nation. And third, moral laws laws that teach us how to relate to God and others, such as the Ten Commandments. When Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again, the Bible teaches that He fulfilled the ceremonial laws and civil laws so that they no longer apply to us. He is our sacrifice once and for all, and our purity before God comes not in eating kosher foods but through faith in Jesus Christ. And God s people are no longer the Jews as a nation. Now in Christ, God s people are the church of Jesus Christ. There is no longer any such thing as Jew or Gentile. Christians are 2
the true children of Abraham. So the ceremonial and civil laws no longer apply to us. But God s moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments still do. How do we know which laws in the Old Testament apply to us today, and which have passed away through Christ? It s not difficult. Simply read the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament. So Paul is specifically talking about God s moral laws. 3 Purposes Of God s Moral Law There are three purposes of God s moral law. And I want you to notice that all three of these purposes are helpful for sinners, but not for those who do what is right. First, the purpose of the law is to restrain sin. Essentially to protect individuals and societies from sin. Just as traffic laws keep everybody from dying, God s laws keep us safe. Without God s laws, our sin would cause us to self-destruct. God s laws keep us from hurting ourselves and each other. Second, God s law points to our need for a Jesus. When sinners compare their lives to the law, they will see that they are guilty and deserve to be punished. This will cause them to look to God for forgiveness. The third purpose of the moral law is to show us how to honor God; how to rightly relate to God and others. Again, none of these are helpful once you learn the law and start following the law. The law is very helpful and useful if you are deep in sin. It will keep you safe. It will show your guilt before God and your need for a Savior. And it will show you how to behave in a way that honors God. But if you are already following God s rules it can t help you, because there is one thing God s moral law can t do. It can t save you from sin. It can teach you right from wrong, but it can t save you from the power and penalty of sin. It can t change your heart and make you want to do what is right. There s only one thing that can do that. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died on the cross to destroy the power and penalty of sin. And now, by faith in Him, Jesus can do for us what the law can t. So Paul s point is that God s moral laws don t save us; we must not depend on our ability to obey the law to get us to Heaven. Instead, we must depend on Jesus Christ. However, the law is useful to restrain sin, to point sinners to Jesus, and to teach people how to honor God. A Vice List And then Paul gives us a vice list; a list of sins. This is who the law is for. The law is helpful; it is useful to sinners. Let s look at the list. 3
9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. In verse 10 Paul mentions the sin of homosexuality. It s not only the sin. All of these behaviors are sinful. Paul says that all of these behaviors, including homosexuality, contradict the wholesome teaching that comes from the glorious Good News. In other words, Paul is making it clear that homosexuality is a sinful behavior that God wants you to avoid. Other Verses Against Homosexuality Is this the only place the Bible teaches this? No. Go all the back to the first book of the Bible, in Genesis 19. God completely destroyed two entire cities called Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sin of homosexuality. Next, in the Law of Moses the Bible makes it very clear God s stance against homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin. Leviticus 20:13 says, If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense. Notice both of these verses say that homosexuality is a detestable act. Some translations use the word abomination. It means this is a behavior that is extremely displeasing to God. In the New Testament the book of Romans makes it clear that the Bible doesn t merely forbid male homosexuality. Look at Romans 1:26-27. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Notice the way this passage describes homosexuality: shameful, unnatural, and abnormal. Homosexuality goes against nature; it is not the way our bodies are made to function. 4
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul leaves no doubt that homosexual behavior is out of bounds for God s people. 9 Don t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Notice that verse 11 says that some in the church used to be practicing homosexuals, but that God changed them! Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed. Other passages in the Bible teach us God s plan for human sexuality without mentioning homosexuality. Jesus clearly lays out God s plan for sexuality and marriage in Matthew 19:4-6. 4 Haven t you read the Scriptures? Jesus replied. They record that from the beginning God made them male and female. 5 And he said, This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. Jesus is actually quoting from Genesis 2, the second chapter in the Bible. He is saying that God s plan for human sexuality has never altered: One man and one woman in the context of marriage. Any sexual behavior outside of that formula, whether it is adultery, pornography, pre-marital sex or homosexuality is against God s will. Let s take a look at 3 objections that people who are pro-gay raise against the traditional Biblical teaching that homosexuality is a sin. These are the arguments for homosexuality that are heard at school, at work, in magazines, and on TV. ANSWERING COMMON OBJECTIONS 1. The textual objection: The Bible doesn t really condemn homosexuality. Some people attack the traditional Biblical interpretation of the verses on homosexuality. They have come up with all sorts of creative ideas in order to make Scripture say what they want it to 5
say. Primarily, they argue that the Bible doesn t actually condemn homosexuality between two consenting adults in marriage. Instead, they say, the Bible only condemns behaviors such as homosexual prostitution, or pederasty (a man with a boy), or unfaithful relationships. But here s the best way to overcome this objection. Many of the best and brightest pro-gay Bible scholars admit that the Bible clearly condemns all homosexual acts. 1 They can t honestly deny the plain truth. Listen to the words of Luke Timothy Johnson, a respected scholar from Emory University and a pro-gay advocate. The task demands intellectual honesty. I have little patience with efforts to make Scripture say something other than what it says, through appeals to linguistic or cultural subtleties. The exegetical situation is straightforward: we know what the text says I think it important to state clearly that we do, in fact, reject the straightforward commands of Scripture, and appeal instead to another authority when we declare that same sex-unions can be holy and good. By so doing, we explicitly reject as well the premises of the scriptural statements condemning homosexuality namely, that it is a vice freely chosen, a symptom of human corruption, and disobedience to God s created order. 2 Did you catch that? This scholar, who is a pro-gay advocate, says it is obvious, very clear, without a doubt the Bible s teaching that all homosexual behavior is a sin. And he is saying to other pro-gay advocates (my own paraphrase), Stop trying to twist the Scriptures; it is a losing battle. Instead, just come out and say that you reject what the Bible says. 2. The genetic objection: People are born that way, so how can it be a sin? Many object to the sinfulness of homosexuality by claiming that gay people are born that way. It is genetic. They might even say something like, This is the way God made me; it is who I am; so how can it be wrong? In other words, instead of taking responsibility for their behavior and repenting of sin, they blame God. There are three problems with this objection. Not only has science not found a gay gene, or any proof that homosexuality is determined before you are born, but the opposite is true. Science has proven that homosexuality is not genetic. How? Scientists have studied identical twins, two people who have the exact same genetic makeup, and there are countless examples 1 For quotes by many leading liberal, pro-gay scholars against alternate interpretations, go to www.narth.com. 2 Christianity and the Church: Scripture and Experience, Commonweal, June 15:2007. 6
where one is homosexual and the other is not. If homosexuality was genetic, then that would be impossible. There is no such thing as a gay gene. God doesn t make people gay. Not only that, but there s an easy way to scientifically determine your sexual identity. Simply look south. What kind of equipment do you have down there? If you have male equipment, then you were born, you were made, you were crafted to fit with a female. If you have female equipment, then you were born to fit with a male. That s just science 101. It s called observation. Why are people making this so complicated? The second problem with the genetic objection is that even if you were born with a gay gene, that doesn t justify your behavior. Being born with a proclivity or impulse to act a certain way doesn t make that action good and right. If you can justify one behavior by saying you were born that way, then what s to stop a murderer from saying, I was born a murderer; I guess that means it s not a sin? What s to stop a thief from saying, I was born with the desire to steal, so who are you to judge? What s to stop an adulterer from saying, I was born to be unfaithful; don t condemn me? What s to stop a pedophile from saying, I was born with these desires and attractions; I can t change! A third problem with the genetic objection is that there are countless examples of gay people who, through the power of Jesus Christ, have found freedom from homosexuality and are living happily as heterosexuals. Michael Glatze was a former gay activist and the editor/founder of a gay magazine aimed at youth in San Francisco. After he had a health scare and no one to turn to, He turned to Christ. Christ radically saved him and changed him. He resigned from the magazine, left his sexual partner of over 10 years, and in October of 2013 he got married to a woman named Rebekah. When he quit his job he left a note on the computer that read, Homosexuality is death, and I choose life. 3. The feelings objection: I didn t choose these feelings, so how can they be wrong? The issue is not feelings, it is actions. I didn t choose to be attracted to the opposite sex; that s just way I feel. And I m sure it s the same way with homosexuals. They don t choose to feel attracted to the same sex. That s just the way they feel. But here s the problem with feelings. Ethics is not determined by feelings. We don t distinguish between right and wrong with feelings. Feelings don t justify behavior. Just because I feel a certain way doesn t mean it would be right to act on those feelings. If I was sitting in the audience in the middle of a funeral service and suddenly got tickled and felt like laughing my head off, that doesn t mean it would be okay to let loose. That would be 7
inappropriate behavior. If I felt like punching somebody in face after they were rude to me, that doesn t mean I should act on those feelings. Feelings don t justify actions. Instead, we need God s moral law to tell us what to do with our feelings. If you feel like making love to your spouse, God s law says it is God-honoring to act on those feelings. However, if you feel like killing someone, the Bible says it would be wrong to act out. If you feel like committing adultery on your spouse, the Bible says it would be wrong to act out. If you feel like stealing, the Bible says it would be wrong to act out. And if you feel like practicing homosexuality, the Bible says it would be wrong to act out. The Bible tells us that this kind of behavior is sinful, so don t follow through on those feelings. Now What? 4 Applications The clear teaching of the Bible, and even the best pro-gay Bible scholars admit to this, is that homosexuality is a sinful behavior that God wants you to avoid. That God s plan for human sexuality is one man and one woman in the context of marriage. That doesn t mean that homosexuality is the worst sin. It doesn t give us the right to be unkind and disrespectful to homosexuals. It doesn t mean that homosexuals aren t welcome in the church. On the contrary, the church exists to reach people far from God, whatever their sin. We exist to lead people into a saving relationship with Jesus, and help them repent of their sins and love God in every arena of their lives. Instead, what this truth means is that the church must be faithful to teach that homosexuality is a sin. We don t get to avoid this topic simply because it is politically incorrect. Second, this truth means that homosexuality is not God s best. Remember, God s will is good, pleasing and perfect, and if God says to avoid homosexuality, it s because it is not good for us. Some people object by saying, What s the big deal? They aren t hurting anyone. Leave them alone. Some people might even say, The gays I know are such good people; they are some of the nicest people I know. This is where we need to trust God. All sin leads to suffering. When you choose to sin, you choose to suffer. Homosexuality is a sin that is harmful to individuals, to marriage, to family, to children, and to society. Third, this truth means that Christians must not be intimidated by those who criticize us for our beliefs. As I mentioned earlier, our society has become so focused on tolerating homosexuals that it has become intolerant to those who holds the traditional Biblical viewpoint. Our culture is so focused on equal rights for homosexuals that it has forgotten 8
about equal rights for conservative Christians. And it might get worse. People are losing their jobs over this. But we must not back down from the truth. We must speak the truth in love, but we must not change our views simply because it is unpopular. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:10-12. 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you[c] and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. Finally, this truth means that sinners must repent. Those who are practicing homosexuality must turn from their sins follow Jesus in obedience. And here s the good news for all sinners. The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you. In other words, if God calls you to repent, He will also give you the power to do so. You simply have to decide. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. This verse is about repentance. It says that if we confess our sins to God, whatever they might be, that He will forgive us and cleanse us. He will change us. We need to remember the power of Christ over sin. Whatever sin you struggle with, whether it is drugs, alcohol, pornography, or homosexuality, if you will continue to go to God and confess admit your sin to God and ask God to help you repent then God will forgive you, and He will help you change. God s purpose is not to punish sinners. His purpose is to save sinners from the power and penalty of sin. All we have to do is decide to turn and trust turn from our sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation. Then we will find mercy and grace in our time of need. If this article has been helpful to you in your spiritual growth, I d love to hear from you. Email me at andy@churchacadiana.com. 9