Homosexuality has been around a long time. The discussion is very emotional in society, but we
are interested here in what the Bible says about it. Is it a viable alternate lifestyle? Does the Lord approve of it? What
has He said on the subject?
To put it
plainly, the Bible condemns homosexuality as immoral. There are many people who claim to believe in God and the Bible but
still practice homosexuality. They will "explain away" the passages that deal with the subject, then plead for compassion.
But we are not interested in emotional pleas. We want to know what God says, then base all of our views and beliefs on that.
When asked about marriage and divorce,
Jesus said, "Have ye not read that he which
made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall
cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?" Matt 19:4-5. Jesus said that the divinely appointed relationship
was for "male and female."
Sexual Immorality
Sexual immorality is defined in the Scriptures
as any sexual relationship outside of marriage. "Marriage
is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Heb. 13:4. As noted,
marriage consists of one man and one woman. Homosexuality does not meet marriage requirements; therefore any homosexual activity
is immoral, and God will judge them as fornicators and adulterers. What is to be done to prevent sexual immorality? "Nevertheless to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let
every woman have her own husband" I Cor. 7:2. Again, a man may have a woman and a woman may have a man, but there
is no provision given for a man to have a man, or a woman to have a woman. That falls under the sin of "Sexual immorality."
Sexual immorality (fornication and adultery) is listed with other sins that will keep one out of the kingdom of Heaven. Gal
5 19-21, I Cor. 6:9-10.
Homosexuality Specifically Condemned
The passages considered so far necessarily
imply that homosexuality is sinful and condemned by God, but that is not all that God has said about it. He has specifically
stated that it is sinful and will keep one from inheriting the kingdom of Heaven. Note the following Scriptures:
Leviticus 18:22: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind it is abomination."
Leviticus 20:13: If a man also lie with mankind also as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Romans 1:26-27: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which
is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another;
men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet"
I Corinthians 6:9-10: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Notice what God said about it. In Leviticus,
under the law of Moses, God said that men lying with men as with a woman is an abomination. In fact, under the law, God required
that homosexuals be put to death. In Romans, chapter one, the Holy Spirit describes homosexuality as being "vile affections...men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly." There can be no question that this describes
homosexual behavior. God says it is shameful and against nature. Such action will bring judgement from God. I Corinthians
6 tells us that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Bible categorically condemns homosexuality.
It is immoral, sinful, and will cause one to lose his or her soul as the "wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23.
A Plea
Homosexuality is a sin that will keep one
from inheriting eternal life. It is also a grievous sin that, if persisted in and accepted by society, will bring judgment
from God. It does not have to be this way.
We plead
with those who are involved in homosexuality, to come out of it. It is not genetic; it is a choice that anyone can make.
After telling the Corinthians of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God (including homosexuals), Paul went on to say,
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed;
but ye are sanctified; but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" I Cor. 6:11. The
sin of homosexuality can be forgiven; one who practices it can be washed, sanctified, and justified. In order for this to
happen, one must repent of the sin, renounce it, turn from it, and be resolved to live for the Lord. 1 John 1:9
We also plead with society in general not
to accept the sin of homosexuality. It is not a viable alternative as a lifestyle; it is a grievous sin that brings shame
on a nation. Those who accept it, even though not personally guilty of it, are also going to be judged. Be warned of the "judgment of God; that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." Rom. 1:32. We cannot afford
to encourage an immoral lifestyle. Instead, we must discourage it and teach what the Bible so plainly says about it.
A society that normalizes homosexuality
will find it hard to hold the line against adultery and heterosexual adolescent experimentation, which-by contrast-would then seem quite mild and inoffensive. The foundation of the family is exclusivity; the principle that sex confined to marriage
alone is legitimate. The acceptance of competing models undermines the only divinely established functional unit.
Divorcing sexuality from morality promotes
both family dissolution and gay liberation. Both are legitimate concerns of family advocates.
God has spoken we must listen.
"For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those
nations shall be utterly wasted. "Isaiah. 60:12. His arrangement is that one man be with one woman for life. Let us
learn to respect God’s laws concerning morality and marriage. Those who tamper with it can only expect the righteous
judgement of God to fall on them. May God help us to live righteously for Him.
Judging vs. Judgment
Acceptance of sin today is more tolerable
than yesterday. It seems as though because one is not immediately judged for
their sin a continuance of more sin follows. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore
the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Ecclesiastes 8:11. Most Christians and
nonbelivers alike have grown passive in the obedience of God’s commandments against an ungodly lifestyle. We go on sinning not aware that there are judgments from God happening all around us. “for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world
will learn righteousness.” Isaiah
26:9b.
It is not
for anyone in the finiteness of self to cast judgment on an individual that is snared by sin. As we are commanded to love
and care for one another the right spirit must be expressed. Not one is righteous outside of the grace of God. “Thy righteousness
is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. Psalm 36:6. It is wrong to think that because of an apparent sin in another's life
gives any one the right to call down fire from heaven to devour that individual. The Godly can judge, but not deliver judgment.
Rejoice not when thy enemy falleth, and let
not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” Proverbs 24:17-18.
A false sense
of peace from judgment will ultimately come to each one at its appointed time. Because
of the longsuffering of God toward mankind gives room for all to come to a point of repentance. Overcoming a sin doesn’t put anyone in the place of casting judgment. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God”. Romans 14:12
Change
It is all right to take one’s mask off. What mask? The mask that hides the one who you really are. One can never be found if they do not realize that they are lost. Most individuals walk around with a mask. At work. At school. Around friends and family. Even at church. Admittance to who you are and what makes you tic will allow Jesus Christ the Messiah
to get you on the correct path that one should walk. One must be willing to change.
Three False Beliefs About CHANGE
1. I cannot change because I have tried and failed.
2. It is not my responsibility to effect change in my life.
3. I am not as bad as I seem.
One
can change. It is not easy and it may take a complete removal of every thing
one thought was the right way. Repetition enforces change, but if one is repeating the incorrect way nothing positive will
ever happen.
