The following question was sent to me to be answered during the March 2020, 5th Sunday evening Question & Answer lesson. Due to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation that began before that time, this question was not answered so I have chosen to answer the question in this month’s article. Question: “Homosexuality. Looking through Facebook I read something saying it being a sin may not be true. So, instead of just pulling up my pant legs and jumping in, I decided to look it up. Is this correct? Thank you.”
The questioner when asking the question inserted a link to a Wikipedia article they had referenced regarding this topic. One must recognize that there are articles on Wikipedia that are often written by those who are seeking to further their own agenda and are not written objectively. The only true source of what God thinks on a topic is to consult the Bible because that is God’s standard. So, we answer the question, “Is Homosexuality Sin”?
In Leviticus 18:22, 24, 26 we read, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination…Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you…Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations”. Leviticus 20:13 says, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Also, Sodom and Gomorrah clearly indicates God in the Old Testament did not approve of homosexuality and it was (is) sin.
In the New Testament we read in Romans 1:26-27, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed 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 unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.” (ASV) Paul is describing that homosexuality is contrary to the natural order (i.e. against nature) started at the Creation, one man and one woman. See Genesis 1:26.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul told the Corinthian Christians “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators (a broad word for all sexual sin – JDS), nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (i.e. passive homosexual partner – JDS), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (i.e. active homosexual partner – JDS), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 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.” To not inherit the kingdom of God means to die lost. Notice though, that some of the Corinthians needed to make a change and did so (and such were some of you). They were not “born that way” regarding any of the sins listed in Paul’s “sample list”. When they obeyed the Gospel (i.e. wash, sanctified, justified) their sins were forgiven. See Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21.
The Lord has spoken, and He is clear that practicing homosexuality is sin, it is a choice. Nonetheless a person can choose to cease the practice of homosexuality (or any sin), obey the Gospel and be forgiven, and by remaining faithful, look forward to heaven someday, 2 Timothy 4:7-8. Turn from sinful lifestyles, turn to the Lord. We are praying for you.
-Jerry D. Sturgill
(An outstanding article on this topic can be found at Apologetics Press – http://apologeticspress.org, “An Investigation of the Biblical Evidence Against Homosexuality”)
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