What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality?
The following are just a few Scriptures and commentaries from the New King James Version (NKJV) of The MacArthur Study Bible (MASB) and The Global Concise Bible Dictionary (GCBD) which concern the subject of homosexuality. Since the words "homosexual and homosexuality" were not invented until the 1800's, you may not find these words in some Bibles, especially the King James Version which was translated in 1611. Nevertheless the concept is well discussed in ancient Scripture.
In the Bible, sex outside of marriage is condemned. The only marriage relationship which is recognized as appropriate in the Bible is marriage between a man and a woman. Nowhere does the Bible say that same sex marriage is permitted. Adultery, sexual relations with a married person who is not one’s spouse, and fornication, sexual relations between unmarried persons, is forbidden by God.
The GCBD states that homosexuality is sexual intercourse with a person of the same sex. Nearly every reference in Scripture to homosexuality is to the actual performance of sex acts with a person or persons of the same sex. Scripture does not concentrate on the "desire" for others of the same sex. Although Matt. 5:28 indicates that it is sinful to look at another person to lust for them for it is as you have already had sex with them in your heart.
Homosexual acts are condemned in the strongest terms in both Testaments. Old Testament Law says in Lev. 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination" (NKJV). An abomination is something abhorrent to God. It is revolting; it makes God sick and provokes God to anger (GCBD). Lev. 18:29 says "For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people"(NKJV). All the sexual perversions discussed in chapter 18 of Leviticus were worthy of death, indicating their loathsomeness before God (MASB). Lev. 20:13 adds "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them" (NKJV).
New Testament Scripture reveals that Romans 1:24-27 states "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie ... . 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"(NKJV). MacArthur states that sexual immorality begins in the heart and moves to the shame of the body (MASB).
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God" (NKJV). The terms homosexuals and sodomites refer to those who exchange and corrupt normal male-female sexual roles and relations. While believers can and do commit these sins, they do not characterize them as an unbroken life pattern True Christians recognize and repent (turn away from and try not to do) these sins. They do not continue to practice sinful acts as active homosexuals do.
Since many people in our society believe that homosexuality should be accepted as a normal alternate lifestyle, should Christians learn to tolerate such behavior? Should we try to reinterpret what the Bible teaches in order to fit our changing societal beliefs, or should we try to change what our society believes back to what the Bible teaches? Ethics, morals, and values taught in the Bible, are they absolutely true, or should Christians be allowed to believe whatever they want to believe? Romans 1:22 says "Professing to be wise, they became fools" (NKJV). Man rationalizes his sin and proves his utter foolishness by devising and believing his own philosophies about God, the universe, and himself (MASB). A wise man accepts the Bible, God’s word, as true and follows its teachings.
