A Biblical Perspective on |
Homosexuality
In the past one would have thought it hardly
needs saying that homosexual behavior is sinful. But as in Sodom
where not even ten righteous men could be found so also in
modern Western society today where depraved, licentious,
shameful behavior is not only affirmed in society but increasing
in the "Christian" community. And so I thought to write this
article to point out the obvious.
The rise of feminism has led to rise in the affirmation of
homosexuality, firstly because both reject God's design of
gender. While feminism rejects God's design of the role
relationship between the genders established in Genesis and
affirmed in passages like 1Cor 11, homosexuality takes the next
step to reject God's design of gender with regards to sexual
behavior. And so we find the rise of sexually immoral behavior
likewise corresponds with the rise of homosexual behavior, both
being lawless. God restricts sexual behavior to marriage.
And God defines marriage as between one man and one woman for
the life of the spouse. Jesus argued this point in Mark
10:6,7 "At the beginning of
creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a
man will leave his father and mother and be united to his
wife, and the two will become one flesh.’" In saying
this
Jesus is also indicating that homosexual marriages are
illegitimate. And since sex is restricted to marriage, and since
homosexual marriages a Biblically illegitimate, the practice of
homosexuality is a form of sexual immorality.
In fact homosexuality is one of the most depraved of behaviors,
as indicated in Romans chapter 1 where because of people's
rejection of the knowledge of God, He gives them over to
increasing depravity with regards to their reasoning and to
their desires, with the end being this:
"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." Rom
1:26,27
In 1Cor 6:9,10 the Bible says, "neither
.. homosexuals, nor sodomites... will inherit the kingdom of
God." And just to elaborate on this, the first word for
"homosexual" in Greek is "malakos" which refers to the
effeminate. The NASB translates this word "effeminate".
It's also used for the word "soft" as in Mt 11:8 "A man clothed in "soft" garments"
These homosexuals are "girly men". It's the stereotypical
homosexual. It's the reason why they are referred to as "gay".
The other word translated sodomite in the NKJV is an"abuser of
one's self with mankind", as the KJV translates it. The NASB
simply translates it "homosexual". "If
a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them
have committed an abomination." Lev 20:13 The
phrasing used in Lev 20:13 in the LXX - the Greek translation of
the Old Testament used in Jesus' day - exactly mirrors the word
Paul uses here. The LXX uses the phrase "αρσενος κοιτην".
Paul uses
"αρσενοκοιται", which as you can see just joins the two
words together. Therefore he's referencing that same behavior
which the Law of Moses speaks of, namely men having sex with
men.
The word "sodomite" which the NKJV uses, comes from "Sodom" of
which was condemned in the Old Testament for such acts. "Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around
them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves
over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh,
are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of
eternal fire." Jude 1:7
And concerning Lesbians and Homosexuals it is written, as I
mentioned before, "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." Rom 1:26,27
The effeminate, homosexuals and lesbians are all hell bound,
along with those who affirm such behaviors. For the end of
Romans 1 says, "Although they know God’s
righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,
they not only continue to do these very things but also
approve of those who practice them." Rom 1:32
Do you or have you approved of homosexual behavior?
Jesus said, "I tell you that every
careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting
for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Mt
12:36,37