What the Bible says about Homosexuality

  I am going to write this article in reverse. I will give you the answer before we explore the question.  The reason for this is it is important for all of us to understand where we stand with God.

The Bible says in Romans 2:1-3 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.  But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? The same thing that Paul is speaking  of is sexual sin. We are all guilty of one type of sexual sin or another. We are told not to judge other people regardless of their shortcomings, but we are to set a Christian example for them to follow. There are many of people who do not believe that homosexuals should be allowed in the church. If that is the case , according to these Bible verses, then none of us should be allowed. When it comes to being the pastor or minister of a church I personally believe that this person should be wholely surrendered to God. They should either be married or abstaining from sexual relationships.

It is very interesting that the chapter directly preceding the Bible verses above talk about the sin of homosexuality. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in  themselves the penalty of their error which was due.   And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind ( A morally unprincipled person ), to do those things which are not fitting;  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;  who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those  who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.  Romans 1:26-32

It is amazing how fast the lifestyle of homosexuality has spread throughout the world.  It is the popular sin of the times  and  is probably a continuance of the sexual revolution that started in the 60’s. Where it goes from here I have no idea, but I believe that sexual sins will continue to grow and be popular.  A sexual sin is one where you sin against yourself.

There is  an interesting  story  in Genesis  19 :1-11  The two angels arrived at Sodom ( this is where we get our English word sodomy) in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.  “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.  Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. ⁵ They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”

  Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him  and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.  Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

  “Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.

  But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.  Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.  Lot had lived in this city  of sin for many years. He raised his family in Sodom. He had a business in Sodom. He learned over the years to tolerate the sin that was there. I believe we do the same thing. When you are around something every day you get used to it and it doesn’t seem like such a terrible thing anymore. This behavior is appalling to God. He destroyed the city of Sodom and the city of Gomorrah, where similar things were occurring. People say things have changed now. That we have a right to pursue any lifestyle we want. I guess that is true. We have free will so we can decide for ourselves how we want to live, but I can tell you this, “God has not changed.” If you are living in sexual sin regardless, whether it be homosexuality, adultery or having sexual relations while not being married. God does not approve of this behavior.

I would like to step away from this for a minute and look at this from a different perspective. Why does our Heavenly Father Who loves us so much place all these requirements on our lifestyle?

From the beginning of time God has been trying to groom a group of people to be His friends, family and loved ones all wrapped up in one. He  had to develop us to a point where He could have a relationship with us. “God does not sin”.  For us to be close to Him He had to purge us of our imperfections.

God gave us the Law so we would realize that we were separated from Him because of disobedience or sin. The Law proved to every one of us that we are not capable of reaching God through our own ability. God loved us and wanted to have a relationship with us, so He gave us the greatest Gift of all,  He sacrificed His only Son. God did this because there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood. All we have to do is believe what God is telling  us is true and reach out to Him in a relationship through  faith. It can’t be just any faith because, after all, even Satan and the demons believe in Christ. They know they are living on borrowed time. It has to be saving faith. Faith that we receive from the Holy Spirit through Bible study and prayer. God is perfect in every way, and He can’t lower His standard  to reach us. So we have  to raise our standard to reach Him. We do that through repentance, which means to change direction from doing wrong to doing what we know in our heart is right.

Every single one of us can continue in the lifestyle of our choice while we are still alive on this earth. However, if we do not choose  to follow Gods advice ( He is not forcing anyone to follow Him), then life ends here.

I just want to make a clear statement here. There is a new tolerance for sin these days. People will just walk by someone who is getting mugged and not help.  We are wrapped up in our own world so tightly we are willing to overlook what is going on. The church has compromised its standards so much  that I think this is why so many people have left. Pastors are afraid to speak out. The idea today that you can be a Christian and still continue in your sinful ways is not true. God says that is impossible, and I believe the cities of Sodom and  Gomorrah were destroyed to set the example that God will not tolerate  this behavior.  Paul asks the question: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

People have failed to grasp how important Bible study is to their continued relationship with God. In simple terms, the mind is a storage system of knowledge. There are different bits of knowledge coming and going to and from the brain all the time. When you stop reading your Bible every day devotional knowledge takes up less and less space. Whatever there is in your mind that is not faith,   then it is sin and when sin takes control of your mind you  are no longer living in the will of God but are living in the will of Satan.

Now there is another definition for  a reprobate mind I am reluctant to use. The dictionary defines it as one who is predestined to damnation – rejected by God and without hope of salvation – to abandon to eternal damnation.  There come some serious consequences with this sin. I urge you to consider your actions, and if you can remove yourself from the association of this behavior, do it now. I want to believe in my heart that if you turn away from this type of relationship that your Heavenly Father will forgive you and bring you back into the fold. I have prayed very hard for this and I believe this to be true.  I know that the quality of His love is undeserving by all of us and the quantity of His love is unlimited. However, He has proved in the past that He will not tolerate this lifestyle.