The Truth about What the Bible Says regarding Homosexuality

No Hate Speech and No Compromise

By Rev. Kirby

 There is much discussion today regarding sexual orientation, gay, lesbian and homosexual rights and privileges including marriage. This subject intersects with all of our society’s most basic institutions—government, home, religion, and even the most basic elements of our faith.  The subject of gay marriage is a highly charged and emotional debate which is not finished, continues to grow, and promises to have a long-range impact on our society.

 There is a flow in history and culture and that flow is rooted in the thoughts of people. These thoughts are based upon a person's presuppositions. Everyone has presuppositions. They rest upon that which a person considers to be the truth about what exists. We acquire these presuppositions through our exposure, experience, and perception of our family and society. Our presuppositions need to be revealed and examined for their validity. 

My presuppositions must come under the submission of the authority of Holy Scripture.  I'm a conservative Christian, therefore I believe in the God of the Bible.  The Bible is my source of truth.  I attempt in every area of my life to have a biblical, Christian worldview.  And I don't pretend to think that everyone is going to agree with me.  However, you can believe that I will be consistent in my approach on the subject, because I have an objective source of truth on which my presuppositions are based.  And I know that most conservative Christians who understand their faith and the Scriptures would agree that the Bible is our rule of faith and practice. 

Before proceeding to specific passages of the Bible that speak to homosexuality, there are a few things I would like to communicate. 

1.    The Bible is the only authority by which we can measure and determine what the correct stand is on the subject of homosexuality. 

2.    Jesus is the key to the forgiveness for the sin of homosexuality, and any sin, for that matter.

3.    God loves the homosexual, but will not approve of the sin of homosexuality. 

Both the Old and New Testaments speak very clearly about how God dealt with homosexuality among the people of Israel, His chosen people. 

(Leviticus 18:22 NIV)  'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.’ 

The underlying principle here is that it is not natural for a man and a man, or woman and a woman, to be together in a sexual relationship.  Their physiological makeup, determined by their Creator, makes that plainly obvious. 

The penalty for those who practice this type of sin is the death penalty, because this is an abomination to Lord.  Incidentally, there are approximately 35 different sins according to the Mosaic law for which one could be sentenced with the death penalty, including adultery, bestiality, rebellion, etc.  I know several people who would not be here today if we still punished crimes the way they did back then. 

(Leviticus 20:13 NIV)  'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.’ 

The people of Israel were ruled by a theocracy.  In other words they were under the rule of God.  The priests mediated the laws and punishments for the infraction of God's laws.  However they had a difficult time consistently maintaining God’s standards.  Because the Israelites were disobedient in properly applying God's laws with the appropriate punishments, sin began to flourish, amongst the Israeli people and God brought judgment upon them. 

The apostle Paul was instrumental in writing much of the New Testament under God's influence.  The following are some of the verses that indicate the continuation of God's moral law into the New Testament period and are still relevant to this day and age. 

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV)  Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 

(1 Timothy 1:8-10 NIV)  We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.   We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 

Some have tried to argue that they can be both a Christian and a homosexual.  The above verses clearly indicate that is not the case.  There is a long list of sin that is detailed here that excludes one from inheriting the kingdom of God. Obviously homosexuals are not the only ones that need to beware. 

The following verses found in the book of Romans detail a three-stage progression in the proliferation and effects of sin on the life of an individual, and eventually on the health and welfare of a culture. 

(Romans 1:21-30 NIV)  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised.  Amen. 

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 

In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 

In our culture we often think that we are very wise and sophisticated by opening our hearts and our minds to all kinds of things that are sinful and allow them to be acceptable.  Although I agree we should be somewhat broad-minded, to say that sin is acceptable is destructive to us personally and culturally, and will affect us for eternity. 

There is a three-stage progression relative to sexual sin: 

Stage 1 

When the culture becomes overly promiscuous, God gives them over to that depravity. 

(Romans 1:24 NIV)  Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 

Stage 2 

The next stage indicates that when a culture is so permeated with sexuality as is ours, it further degenerate into homosexuality, as the next verses detail. 

(Romans 1:26 NIV)  Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 

(Romans 1:27 NIV)  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 

Stage 3 

The final and most dangerous stage of this degeneration is evidenced by the fact that there is a loss of ability to reason and understand what is right and wrong. 

(Romans 1:28 NIV)  Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 

America is on a collision course with the judgment of God.  One can see the progression in our culture over the last 35 or 40 years. 

Rome is a fine example of a powerful nation and society that caved in upon itself because of its moral depravity.  America, I fear, is headed down that same path.  Our best hope lies with the one person that can save all of us from our sins and change of all of our lives.  Jesus Christ. 

As you read the following verses, let me say that I believe from the bottom of my heart that Jesus would say the same thing to a gay or lesbian person as he said to this woman who was caught in the act of adultery. 

(John 8:1-11 NIV)  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 

In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 

They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 

Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 

"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." 

For those who are gay or lesbian and are reading this: I promise you this: God loves you, he sent Jesus Christ his only son to die for you on the cross and save you from your sin. If you'll come to him, he will not turn you away. 

(John 6:37 NIV)  All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 

Responses to this paper can be sent to:  ixoye2@charter.net.