What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

I want to note that it is my intention to understand the author’s original intent and whether that intent would carry to the conversation today.

Before mentioning anything else, let me comment that any biblical discussion of sex seems a little to me like talking Henry Ford about combustion engines or Col Colt about revolvers.  Of course I believe that God, as creator, “invented” sex.  When Ford tells you not to check the gas tank with a lit match or Col. Colt recommends not pointing a pistol at your head and pulling the trigger, it is wise to listen; they probably know what they are talking about!  In the same way, we often see God as the Cosmic Killjoy when it comes to sex.  Why would He have any opinion on human sexuality at all?

I don’t fully know…

but He does, and thus, it is very wise for us to listen when He has an opinion.

Homosexuality is just one of the many areas in which God gives instruction about human sexuality.  It just happens to be one that people ask a great deal about these days.  There are so many aspects to this discussion, but first we will take a quick look at what there is in the canon about this topic.  It seems that there are about half-a-dozen clear references in scripture to homosexuality in some form.

I want to analyze them and try to come away with answering “does the Bible teach that homosexuality (here I think the passages mean “engaging sexually with someone of the same sex”) is sin.”

So, this is really an article about what the Bible says about something, not an article about homosexuality, per se…

I also want to start with saying, as I should in every conversation like this, that I am also a flawed human being.  I am sharing here what I understand the Bible to be saying, and though I do think this is accurate, I have been wrong about things I thought were accurate before.  I have read what I think is the best material making other cases about this, but, after all, this is what I think the Bible says:

Here are the main ones:
The Story of Sodom and Gomorrah
“… Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” (Gen 19:4-5, NASU)

Levitical Laws
“You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to be defiled with her. You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.”  (Lev 18:20-23, NASU)

“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; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst. If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.”  (Lev 20:13-15, NASU)

 In the opening passages of Paul’s letter to the Romans
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 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, NASU)

In a list of former lifestyles in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians
 “Or 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 effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:9-11, NASU)
 

In a list of people in Paul’s letter to Timothy
“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.” (1 Tim 1:8-11, NASU)

There are a few others, but generally they are similar to these or are less obviously about strictly homosexuality.  I also want to reference this passage in the letter from James.  I think it is significant in this discussion:

“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;  for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” (James 1:21-24, NASU)

For some of you, there is no reason to read on.  The question asked was “what does the Bible say…”  and there you have it at face value.  Below I am adding some of my personal thoughts on what some of these passages mean (original intent) and don’t mean.
Some are my unprovoked thoughts and some are in response to various views of others.  There is a lot of thought about this, that’s for sure, but I accept the Bible as being a guide from God for us to understand His perspectives on things.
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In regards to scripture, it is very difficult for us to have personal honesty about what the Bible says about a subject we have an emotional attachment to, especially if it has a connection to our identity and doubly especially if it is connected to sex.  How many people have had a “crisis of their faith” because they are having sex with a boyfriend/girlfriend?  They believe the behavior is morally out of line, but they sure don’t want to break off the relationship… so something has to give.

In these times, we are also in danger of re-examining scripture with the new lenses of our own desires and behaviors and if we aren’t very careful, we will make scripture say what we want it to say.  This is not a concern for one side of any issue, but always for both sides.

I agree the many of these passages are not clear and leave a lot of room for discussion.  However, the fact that we cannot know every meaning in the Bible with certainly does not also mean that we can know no meanings in it.  I think these passages make it pretty clear that homosexual behavior is outside of God’s desire for right living, regardless of how we feel about it.

So note, I am not aware of any other reason to think of any sex act between consenting adults as immoral, outside of biblical (or perhaps some other religious books) accounts.

If you do not hold the Holy Bible as a guide to life and moral behavior, then of course you would, so far as I can see, have no reason to think of any of them as immoral.

So, let’s look at the list above with a little more detail.

Sodom.  This first example in the Bible references homosexual behavior, but also is referencing rape.  Which is being condemned?  Is Sodom being doomed because it is full of homosexual people, or because it is full of deeply twisted, abusive, perverted and wicked people?  In this case, I think the latter.  Is the homosexuality part of the symptoms of the sickness of Sodom?  Certainly the audience of the time would have thought so, and I think the Romans passages backs this up.  At the same time, I personally think this is not a great passage for proving that God disapproves of homosexuality per se’, but of this kind of radical disregard for human dignity.  For this reason, let’s move on.  Plus, there are other passages that point out that the problem of ignoring hospitality traditions was part of the sin, as well.  I think the passages clearly is wrapping all of that into a big mess of condemnable behavior, but I can see the argument against any one aspect in particular.

Levitical Laws.  This passage is pretty clear, at least about male homosexuality (as well as other sexual immorality, like bestiality, incest, and adultery).  One of the main arguments against this passage is not actually against the passage itself, but rather then application of it.  “Nobody follows all of the Levitical laws, so why would we pick and choose which ones to follow?”  Nearby passages, for example also mention tattoos (19:28), sex during a woman’s period (18:19), mixing of materials in clothing (19:19), and even side burns (19:27)!  I can sympathize with this argument, though I think it is too simplistic.  I believe it is possible to look for and discover real insights for right and moral behavior in these laws.

For the Christian, though, the most important reference is Jesus.  When a First-Century Jewish Rabbi used a phrase like “sexual immorality”, what would he have been referencing?  Almost certainly the sexual components of these passages!  Jesus likely is referencing these passages that talk about sex when he references “sexual immorality” as well.  I would think that a first century rabbi would be thinking of these passages anytime that phrase was dropped. (eg. Matt 5:32, 15:19, 19:19)

As believers, we are not “under/enslaved” to these Hebrew laws (that is a crazy complex conversation that Christians argue about the details of incessantly, and I am not going to expand here), as they are fulfilled in Christ, but they are still very helpful for seeing some of God’s perspectives for setting a group of people apart to be a blessing to the rest of the world, a people of worship for Him, and a good life for these people, and, as I mentioned, Jesus was probably referencing them as a guide to right behavior.

Notice, for example, that in these passages, God also includes treatment of the handicapped (19:14), protection of personal property (19:11-13) sexuality (most of chapter 18), protection against being cheated (19:35,36) right treatment of foreigners (19:33,34) elderly (19:32) and even needy and homeless (19:10)!  It would be foolish to throw out any of these just because we don’t want to abide by them.  They must be honestly examined for their value to our society and to our lives as individuals and their interpretation through the rest of scripture.

There is a great wealth of wisdom and guideline in these passages, and the passages about sex perhaps most of all, since there is so little in the way of a “guidebook” anywhere else!  Though these clearly teach that homosexual behavior was considered immorality, does that argument move into the present, or first century.  It seems that in some ways yes, but in others perhaps not, so…

But Jesus has the authority to interpret the Hebrew law.  He does so about food (Mark 7:19, Acts 10), divorce (Matt 5:32), Sabbath practices (Mark 2:27), and others.  Sometimes He determines them to be NOT applicable in the way people were applying them.   In other times, He makes it clear that other laws were still in clear application as written.  Sexual immorality was one in which Jesus was clear.   They still apply.  I think we are left with the same sexual restrictions and freedoms taught in these passages – sex is a gift and totally free when between a husband and wife, but still must never include sex outside of the marriage, sex in times of sacred dedication, sex with family members, sex with animals, or sex with someone of the same genetic sex.

All in all, I readily concede that these passages are not certain evidence that it is morally wrong in our day and age to engage in homosexuality… but at the same time, they are not easily ignored because of the teaching of Jesus…

Romans 1.  This passage teaches very clearly that people who have rejected God, chosen not to honor Him, to worship what He has created rather than worshiping Him, have been allowed to wander free out into the wilderness of their own lusts and impurities.
God apparently does not stop them from following whatever direction their whims lead them.  Paul, in this case, uses homosexuality as an extreme example before he offers up some other examples of the way people rebelling against God’s way live.  In verses 1:28-32, we can see this more extensive list.  They are in par with homosexuality, which should be a reminder to all of us that we need a savior.

In fact, I believe that the main reason homosexuality is mentioned here may be to create a false sense of superiority in the original readers (and perhaps many now), so that when someone is tempted to say “yeah, those sinners”, God is going to bring a resounding “ALL HAVE SINNED and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).  Homosexual behavior, even in the Bible, would not be some kind of “special” sin – but placed precisely alongside any other sin.

While it should not be denied that homosexual behavior is vividly described here as symptomatic of a mind that is wandering far from God, I think this passage indicates that homosexuality, along with greed, envy, murder, gossip, arrogance, (and giving approval to these things) and the rest are things God considers wrong.  This one makes a pretty strong case.   It is not a good argument to say “well, other people do these other things.”  Correct, and we are wrong too.

Paul’s other letters.  The passages in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy make it clear that, in plain English, homosexuality is listed along with adultery, idolatry, fornication, thievery, drunkenness, con artistry, people who kill their parents, kidnapping, lying under oath, rebellion, etc. In 1 Corinthians, they are not inheritors of God’s Kingdom, in 1 Timothy, they are in need of the law, apparently to control them and show them that what they do is wrong – I personally believe both passages are describing the same condition – still being a slave to the law and thus not a child of God’s.

Clearly, these are not being organized or linked or equated by severity, but by putting everyone in the need for a saving God. These, like the Romans, passage make it pretty clear that all of these things that should be avoided in our lives.  They are not fitting for a follower of Christ. And the Christian would not need to condemn these in the life of someone NOT trying to follow Christ.  I Corinthians 5 makes this abundantly clear and specifically references “sexual immorality” (I Cor 5:9-10).

There is certainly a difference between messing up in any one of these areas – the person need to see that each of these things are messing up and that all mess up!  It is not appropriate for a follower of Christ to embrace any of these as acceptable or to teach that they are.  If someone claims to be a believer and yet embraces one of these as a right lifestyle, I must assume they are either in denial of scripture and the Holy Spirit’s call for a period of time in their lives, or they are not believers at all.

Again, let me say that if someone is a believer and struggles in one of these areas, that is a normal part of the battle against the flesh.  The key is that a disciple will struggle with them, not embrace and accept them.  The Greek word for “homosexual” in these passages is often translated “sodomite”  but “sodomite” can be confusing in this day and age.  The Greek word is arsenokoites (ar-sen-ok-oy’-tace); it combines one of the Greek words for “man” with a Greek word for “sex” or “sperm” (from which we get the word “coitus” – you can see it in the Greek word above). You can imagine there is endless debate on the translation of this word and others.

Whether an individual accepts or respects the Bible is utterly between them and God.  But I got this question enough that I determined to write down thoughts on this specific topic of what I think the Bible says.  I know that much of what the Bible says, or even Jesus says, can be offensive… and that was known then and predicted for later.

Some notes and Bible passages were taken from: Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

I would love to strongly recommend the writings and talks on these topics of:

Sam Allberry

Ed Shaw

Mark Yarhouse

Rosaria Butterfield

 A couple of additional notes:

The ‘Born gay” question
I would like to add a personal thought about the idea of people being “born gay”.  I assume that this question should actually be asked like this: “are people born with a genetic predisposition to being attracted to the same sex?” Many Christians initially reacted negatively to this idea, but I am not sure why.

It is a core tenant of Christianity that all people are born fallen.  That is not a judgment on a homosexual – it is a judgment on all of humanity!  Therefore, at least for the Christian, being born with an inborn predisposition or a desire that emerges at some point in development would not be part of the argument for moral decision making.  It would be assumed that all of us share this (perhaps the very point of the beginning passages of Romans – remember 3:23?).

How should Christians behave toward people practicing homosexuality?

Christians should love and care for people who have decided to live a homosexual lifestyle.  We should NEVER speak slurs, name-calling, or condemn of them as people.  They are treasure, loved by God; and sexual attractions and behavior could never change that!  We should be interested in them as people created in God’s image and loved by Him.  My prayer is that as Ambassadors of Christ, “gay” (I sometimes put this in quotes merely to say that different people have very different definitions for the idea – so I am using someone else’s word here.

I mean it to create clarity or at least acknowledge the lack thereof) people would know they are loved and welcomed by Christians… and though we see their lifestyle as “less than God’s best for them” and could therefore not see it as our highest wish for them… I hope that they would see and experience that our thinking on it is based on our love for them. Our faith motivates us to want the best for them.  Let’s make sure that we are praying for them and provide safety for them when they need us.

As a therapist and for others, I recommend the current APA guideline, especially: