Calvary Bible Study
What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
by Matt Slick
The Bible doesn't speak of homosexuality very often, but when it does, it condemns it as sin. Let's take a look.
Lev. 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."1Lev. 20:13, "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; ..."
1 Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Rom. 1:26-28, "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."
Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible. It undermines the basis of God's created order where God made Adam, a man, and Eve, a woman -- not two men, not two women -- to carry out his command to fill and subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28).
Homosexuality cannot carry out that command. It also undermines the basic family unit of husband and wife, the God-ordained means of procreation. It is also dangerous to society.
Unlike other sins, homosexuality has a heavy judgment administered by God Himself upon those who commit it - and support it. This judgment is simple in that those who practice it are given over to their passions - which means that their hearts are allowed to be hardened by their sins.
"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error," (Rom. 1:26-27).
As a result, they can no longer see the error of what they are doing. They will not seek forgiveness. They will die in their sins and face God's holy condemnation. But, that isn't all. In addition to the judgment of being given over to their sin, those involved in it also promote it and condemn others who don't approve of their behavior.
"...and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them," (Rom. 1:32).
So, in their hearty approval of homosexuality they encourage others to be trapped in their sinfulness. This means they will reject Christ's redemptive work on the cross. Without Jesus, they will have no forgiveness. Without forgiveness, they will have nosalvation. Without salvation, there is only damnation in eternal hell. We don't want this for anyone.
The only hope for the homosexual, and all people who break God's laws, is to realize that God is holy and he will rightfully judge all who have sined against him by breaking his law (1 Kings 8:32; Ps. 9:8; 1 John 3:4). If he did not do this, then he would be approving of wrong doing. However, God is loving (1 John 4:8) patient (Rom. 2:4), wanting people to repent (Acts 17:30) and come a saving knowledge of him so they might be redeemed. What this means is that the sinner must turn to Christ, who is God the Son in flesh (John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9), who bore our sins in his body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), died and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4), and made it possible for sinners to be saved from the righteous judgment of God by faith in what Jesus did on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21) and be forgiven of their sins (Eph. 2:8). This is done receiving Christ (John 1:12), by believing in him and his sacrifice that is a payment for our sins to God the Father.
Like any sinner, the homosexual needs to repent, receive Christ by faith, and be saved from God's righteous judgment by trusting in Christ and the judgment that fell upon him on the cross. They need to pray and ask the Lord Jesus to save them.