Sermons
The Christian View of Homosexualty
Series: HomosexualityThe Christian View of Homosexuality
I. Introduction
In the first two lessons, we looked at the main passages that come up when dealing with homosexuality in the Bible, as well as some of the arguments that have been put forward by the pro-same-sex marriage crowd. As we’ve seen, it’s not just a question for civil government regarding a person’s individual rights as an American. Many are indeed saying “you can have your religious convictions, but don’t force them on others.” But the issue comes even closer to home because there are those in mainstream denominations who are saying that the Bible doesn’t condemn same-sex marriage. As we saw in the first lesson, a female pastor associated with the Southern Baptist Convention performed some of the very first same-sex marriages in Huntsville.
And sadly, what happens in the denominations tends to find its way into churches of Christ in a generation or so. We may wish that this issue would die down and go away, but I predict it is here to stay, and we may even see false teachers come from among our own brethren who will try to justify and accommodate homosexuality. Therefore, we need to understand very clearly what the Scriptures say.
To briefly summarize what we’ve studied so far, the definition of marriage is found in the first two chapters of Genesis. God created them male and female and said that a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh. That’s it, very simple, very clear.
Homosexual behavior was strictly forbidden under the Law of Moses, although we understand that we are no longer under that Law.
When it comes to the NT, Jesus’s own teaching about marriage in Matthew 19 goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden to show that this was God’s intention for marriage all along. Even though he doesn’t specifically address homosexuality, it is obviously against the very design and definition of marriage.
Finally, we spent quite a bit of time on Romans 1. In this chapter, Paul describes how the nations had rejected God in favor of idols, and therefore God let them go, resulting in their rejection of his design for sexuality as well. Men and women both abandoned what is natural and instead were given over to vile passions leading to shameful acts.
As much as the proponents of same-sex marriage try to twist this passage around, there’s no denying the clear, inspired teaching condemning homosexuality.
There are two other passages that mention homosexuality, and we’ll get to those in tonight’s lesson. But this lesson will be a little different than the other two. In this one I want to address how we as Christians should interact with someone who struggles or is given over to this sin. As society becomes more and more accepting of it, and even promoting it, we can expect to have more opportunities to talk to people who are openly homosexual, or perhaps those who have close family or friends who are. This presents a challenge to us as Christians. How do we stand for what is true, while still doing it in a Christ-like manner?
In order to answer that, we need to have the proper Christian perspective of homosexuality. With that in mind, we’ll look at these topics:
- Super-sin?
- Reaching the Lost
- Born this way?
II. Super-sin?
First of all, let’s ask this question: what kind of sin is homosexuality? We have established very clearly that it is sinful, but is it in its own category of being more evil than other sins? Is it something that only the most wretched, wicked person would ever be tempted with?
I believe the answer to these questions is “no.” The Bible doesn’t put homosexuality in a category of its own. Let’s look:
Rom. 1:26-32 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
In this passage, homosexuality is right in between a passage about how they worshipped idols and this long list of sins, which includes such tings as deceit, envy, gossip, boastful, and disobedient to parents. How bad is lying? How bad is gossiping about someone? How bad is being boastful? Being disobedient?
Don’t we see those as bad, but not really THAT bad? And yet the Bible lumps them all together with homosexuality and says they are all worthy of death!
Let’s look at two other such lists, which are also the other two NT passages that mention homosexuality:
1 Tim. 1:9-10 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
Here again is homosexuality in a list of sins, including lying.
1 Cor. 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Look how homosexuality is lumped in with being greedy and a drunkard. All those things will keep one out of God’s kingdom. But homosexuality is included with other sins and other sexual sins. It is not somehow treated as a worse transgression.
Sometimes people who support homosexuality will say that Christians and churches are being hypocritical because they turn a blind eye to a lot of these sins, but just mention homosexuality and everybody gets fired up. If there is truth to that, it simply means that we are not as fired up as we should be about all sins.
Lying is far worse than people imagine. God hates it. So is gossip. Being disobedient and proud. It’s not that we’ve made homosexuality out to be worse than it is, it’s that we don’t appreciate that all sin is terrible.
The one thing that does set homosexuality apart is that it is unnatural. We know that a man and a woman who are not married should not have sexual relations, but at least we know that is a natural desire. Homosexual desires go against God’s design. This is true, and that is probably why we have such a disdain for it.
For a similar example, look at the previous chapter:
1 Cor. 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
Paul says even unbelievers know this is not right. Some things are obviously unnatural and wrong. But the Corinthian church was boasting, probably just as some today are boasting in how accepting and tolerant they are. Paul instructs the group to withdraw from this man:
1 Cor. 5:9-10 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
Notice that we are to shun Christians who are sexually immoral, not people in the world. But even this withdrawing is not only for some super-sins.
1 Cor. 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
Sexual sins, including homosexuality are indeed bad, and some are more unnatural than others and perhaps indicative of a society that has drifted farther from God’s laws, but it is not Biblical to think that it is somehow more evil than other sins.
Now I can see someone wondering, “what difference does this make?”
Here’s why it matters. How will we ever reach someone with the Gospel of Christ if we treat them like they are sub-human scum? If we think of them as un-redeemable?
Look at what Paul goes on to say:
1 Cor. 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
There were people in the church in Corinth who had come out of this lifestyle. They were not Christians, brothers and sisters, saved, sanctified.
And how do you suppose that happened? Because someone, like Paul or Apollos, or Peter, saw them as a lost soul and cared enough about them to share the gospel with them.
But how many people today would be like Simon in Luke 7?
Luke 7:36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
Simon is just sure Jesus is no prophet, because if he was, he would know what kind of person she is. And the implication is, he wouldn’t be letting her touch his feet!
But of course Jesus knew who she was and what she had done. But he also knew that she was sincere.
Luke 7:47-48 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
On another occasion, Jesus said it is the sick who need a physician. Imagine a doctor who didn’t want to be around sick people. Or who was afraid of them. Or disgusted by sick people. How effective would he be?
The Christian perspective on homosexuality is to see it as sinful, something that will keep one from the kingdom of Heaven if not repented of, like all sins. Yes, it is unnatural and shameful, but it is not something that cannot be repented of and forgiven. We should see that person as a soul who needs saving, as someone whom Jesus died for. And have the mercy and compassion that Jesus had for us.
III. Born this way?
But wait a minute. I can just hear it now. If you tell someone that homosexuality is a sin and that they must repent of it, many people will say, “Repent? What do you mean? This is who I am. I was born this way.”
Indeed many homosexuals will say that they have been different as long as they can remember, and that they cannot help who they are attracted to. They say it’s not something they have chosen for themselves.
What does the Bible have to say about that?
Well, clearly in 1 Cor. 6, it says “such WERE some of you,” so they had repented and were no longer involved in the sin of homosexuality. But does this mean that they went on to marry someone of the opposite sex and raise a family and all that? Not necessarily.
Let’s go back to Matthew 19, where Jesus defines marriage.
Matt. 19:9-10 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”
They seem shocked by Jesus teaching that marriage joins a man and a woman for life, with no way out (other than fornication). They say maybe it would be better not to get married at all. Look at how Jesus responds:
Matt. 19:11-12 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”
A eunuch is someone who is unable to have a normal sexual relationship. Jesus names three ways someone could become a eunuch. They might be made a eunuch by men, such as the case of servants who worked in a king’s palace. Or maybe they’ve made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom, which most take to mean that some people choose to remain single so they can devote themselves to serving the Lord. Many of God’s servants were single, like Paul.
But notice that he says some were “born this way.” He’s not talking about homosexuality here, but rather that some people were born with some sort of inability to have normal marital sexual relationship. How? I don’t know. But it’s interesting. And if someone says, “well this isn’t fair, I can’t be married to a woman because I’m not attracted to them.” Well, I’m sorry, but that doesn’t change God’s law or definition of marriage.
For the record, I don’t believe anyone is born attracted to the same sex. People don’t have sexual desires at birth as far as we know. That comes later. But people are born with different personalities and tendencies. Just look at any family with multiple kids. One may have a temper, one may be very rowdy, etc. And perhaps some personality types are more susceptible to the temptation of homosexuality. But that doesn’t mean that we can break God’s law.
Matt. 5:29-30 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Think about this. We are all born with eyes and hands. So if someone’s eye or hand caused them to sin, they could try to justify themselves by saying, “but I was born with this eye! I was born with this hand!” I realize Jesus is using figurative speech here, but it seems to make the point very clearly that just because something is part of your biological makeup doesn’t give you an excuse to sin. You have to get rid of whatever in your life is causing you to sin. Even if, hypothetically, you were “born that way.”
So you’re saying these people are just supposed to be lonely and unhappy? Well, if that’s what it takes to follow the Lord, then yes! We must deny ourselves. But I do think that it’s possible for them to repent and later have a normal family. But even if that is not in the cards for someone, they must still choose to follow the Lord if they want to be saved. It will be well worth any price we pay in this life. That’s Jesus’ point.
IV. Conclusion
So here’s what we can take away from all this. The Bible condemns homosexuality specifically and clearly. It is wrong.
But it is a sin that can be repented of. It may be difficult, but it can be done. Jesus will help us overcome every temptation.
People who are involved in homosexuality or have those desires need to know that Jesus died for them and wants to forgive them. They need to see in us a loving, caring people who want to share our faith with them and welcome them into our fellowship. Yes, they must repent, just like every other sinner, and just like you and me. We don’t all have the same temptations, but we all have the same Savior.
INVITATION
