By Tim Fleeman
In our day and age, we are hearing more about homosexuality than ever before in this country. My son brought home a book given to him at school and homosexuality was mentioned as one of the choices people make in sexuality. Nothing was said of it being sinful or wrong. Those living in this sin are demanding that their way of life be accepted as an alternate life style. Homosexuals are teaching our children in public schools and filling the pulpits in some religious organizations.
It is alarming to see many good people, even religious people, who will stand up and defend those who are living in this sin. In a discussion at work, the following statement was made on this subject: “You mean the Bible says something about homosexuality?” Evidently the religious leaders of our day have failed to proclaim the oracles of God on homosexuality. Does the Bible address this subject? The answer is yes!
Condemned In Both The Old And New Testaments
The first mention of homosexuality in the Old Testament is found in Genesis 19:1 -11. God sent two angels to Sodom to deliver Lot and his family out of the city before he destroyed it. Lot asked these angels to accept his hospitality and spend the night in his home (Gen. 19:1-3). Before they went to bed, men from every quarter of the city came to the door of Lot’s house. They called unto Lot, and said unto him, “Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them” (Gen. 19:5). The phrase, “That we may know them” means to have a sexual relationship with them (Gen. 4:1, 25; Matt. 1:25). Because of their wickedness, God destroyed these wicked cities (Gen. 19:23-29). God meted out vengeance on Sodom and Gomorrah because they committed fornication in seeking after strange flesh (Jude 7). Webster’s dictionary says that those who practice sodomy are called Sodomites.
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination” (Lev. 18:22). Under the old law, homosexuals were put to death (Lev. 20:13). God did not tolerate the whore or the sodomite (Deut. 23:17-18).
Paul spoke of the lesbian and the homosexual in Romans 1:24-32. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet” (Rom. 1:26-27). God’s judgment against men and women who practice this sin is that they are worthy of death (Rom. 1:32).
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). God here specifies four sexual sins that will keep one from inheriting the kingdom of God. W.E. Vine defines “effeminate” as a male who practices forms of lewdness and persons guilty of addiction to sins of the flesh, voluptuous. Thayer defines “effeminate” as a catamite, a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness. “Abusers of themselves with mankind” is defined as lying with a male (homosexuality).
Paul told Timothy that those who defile themselves with mankind (homosexuals) are acting contrary to sound doctrine (1 Tim. 1:8-11).
From this study we see that God has condemned homosexuality in both the law of Moses and the new Testament. Prior to the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6).
Are These People Harmless?
In most conversations concerning homosexuality, people hold the opinion that if they wish to engage in this sin, that it really is not anyone else’s business. Most feel that homosexuals are harmless and pose no threat to society. Bible example will show as this sin increases, crime, abuse, and violence will also increase.
When the men of Sodom came to Lot’s house, he refused to send the two angels out unto them. They pressed sore upon Lot and came near to break the door (Gen. 19:9). These men were determined and certainly not harmless.
In Judges 19 and 20, a Levite and his concubine went into the city of Gibeah to lodge all night. An old man showed them hospitality and invited them into his home to lodge (Judges 19:20-21). The homosexuals of the city compassed, the house and beat, at the door saying, “Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.” The old man offered them his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine, but they desired the Levite. Finally they accepted the concubine and they knew her and abused her all night until the morning and then let her go (Judges 19:24-25). The Levite later made this statement to the children of Israel: “And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced (raped), that she is dead” (Judges 20:5). The children of Israel were outraged by this sin and asked the tribe of Benjamin to deliver the homosexuals to them to be put to death. The children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren. They chose to protect these wicked men and give them sanctuary in the city. As a result, over 65,000 men were slain (Judges 20:149). It is alarming to see society, government, and churches condoning and protecting those who engage in homosexuality. These Bible examples demonstrate the violence and abuse that accompanies this sin. These people are not harmless. Homosexuality is running rampant in this country. Rest assured that abuse, property damage, crime, violence, rape, and murder will increase accordingly.
Homosexuality, A Sickness Or A Sin?
Some excuse the sin of homosexuality by saying it is just a sickness and these people cannot help themselves. We can read of several sicknesses in the Scriptures: palsy (Matt. 4:24), issue of blood or hemorrhage (Mk. 5:25), leprosy (Mk. 1:40-42). These, as well as many other sicknesses, are listed in the Scriptures. God has never referred to homosexuality as a sickness in His word. I know of no sickness mentioned in the Bible that would cause one to be damned in eternity. The Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin, not a sickness.
How does God describe homosexuality in the Scriptures? To act wickedly (Gen. 19:7); iniquity (Gen. 19:15); abomination (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Deut. 23:17-18); wickedness and folly (Judges 19:23); lewdness (Judges 20:6); evil (Judges 20:13); vile (Judges 19:24); uncleanness (Rom. 1:24); vile affection (Rom. 1:26); against nature, unseemly, error (Rom. 1:26-27). Homosexuals have a reprobate mind and do things which are not becoming (Rom. 1:28); worthy of death (Rom. 1:32); unrighteous (I Cor. 6:9); shall not inherit the kingdom of God (I Cor. 6:9- 10); contrary to sound doctrine (1 Tim. 1:8-10); ungodly, filthy, wicked, unlawful, unjust (2 Pet. 2:6-9).
Homosexuality is not described as a sickness in the Scriptures. God shows time and time again that it is a sin that will keep one out of heaven.
Can The Homosexual Be Saved?
The answer to this question is yes. Anyone can be saved that will comply with the law of God on salvation. Some of the Corinthians had been guilty of homosexuality but were saved from that sin. Paul said, “And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye, are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
Sin separates one from God (Isa. 59:2; 1 Pet. 3:12). Sin causes one to be dead spiritually (Eph. 2: 1). We have shown in this issue that homosexuality is a transgression of the law of God and thus a sin (1 John 3:4). Homosexuals need to be reconciled to God and obtain His forgiveness (Eph. 2:16; Acts 5:31).
How is one saved from sin? God sent Christ into the world to be a sacrifice for sin (Heb. 9:12, 22-28). Jesus tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9). Jesus came to save us from our sins (Matt. 1:2 1). The Scriptures teach that faith in Christ
is necessary to salvation (John 3:14-17; 8:24). The homosexual must repent of his sin in order to be saved (Lk. 13:31; Acts 17:30). When one truly repents he will make the needed changes in his life. Paul instructed men to repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance (Acts 26:20). A homosexual could not continue to practice that sin and be pleasing to God. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19). The sinner needs to confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Matt. 10:32-33). One must be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptizedshall be saved” (Mk. 16:15-16).
Guardian of Truth XXIX: 8, pp. 236-237
April 18, 1985