Jesus and Homosexuality
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| Our Lord Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
In Romans 1:18–32 Paul writes of the wrath of God that has been revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. The reason for His wrath is that people have perverted the revelation of God. This perversion substituted the glory of the true God with gods made in images of people and birds and animals and crawling creatures, which people themselves made.
As a result, God passed sentence on the world. Three times Paul says that God gave people over to various lusts and perversions, which include homosexuality and lesbianism (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28). “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).
Notice the words Paul uses to describe lesbianism and homosexuality: “degrading,” “unnatural,” “indecent.” Even though homosexuals and lesbians say that such conduct is not degrading or unnatural, that does not change the character of these sins in God’s eyes. Lesbianism and homosexuality are in themselves wrong.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 Paul writes: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall 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, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” “Effeminate” refers to men and boys who allow themselves to be misused homosexually—the passive partners. “Homosexuals” means those who are the active partners in homosexual relations. Paul’s specific use of words leaves no question as to what he is referring to and condemning.
Paul uses the same word for homosexual in 1 Timothy 1:10 and states that such people are lawless, rebellious, ungodly, sinners, unholy, and profane. They are not simply genetically different or people with an hormonal imbalance.
The New Testament also refers to the sin of Sodom as gross immorality and going after strange flesh (Jude 7). “Strange flesh” means different flesh, that is, other than what is allowed or natural. What occurred at Sodom is analogous to what some angels did when they had relations with the daughters of men (Gen. 6:1–4). That was unnatural and strange (though in the case of the angels it was not homosexuality). But the sin of Sodom was homosexuality, for the natural use of flesh is heterosexual relations.
THE TEACHING OF OUR LORD
Prohomosexual writers make a great deal of the fact that Christ did not mention homosexuality in any of His recorded teachings. Nevertheless, our Lord was not silent on the subject of sex. He condemned adultery (Matt. 5:27–28), and exalted the heterosexual relationship God created when He made Adam and Eve (Matt. 19:3–6; Mark 10:6–9). From the time of creation God’s standard has been male with female, which our Lord clearly endorsed.
IS RECOVERY POSSIBLE?
Experts are divided on whether or not recovery from homosexuality is possible. Among major articles devoted to this subject in Christianity Today one clear, detailed testimony was from one who “was once homosexual and now experience[s] heterosexuality.” Recovery statistics ranged from 30 to 90 percent in groups that minister to ex-homosexuals, though statistics are difficult to be certain about for understandable reasons.
Recovery can means several things. It may mean, as in the case above, an orientation to heterosexuality. In other cases, it may mean being in the process of change. Too, it may mean abstinence from the practice. Undoubtedly, recovery may involve lapses along the way, but that is true for other sins as well.
Paul apparently observed that recovery is possible, for he wrote to the Corinthians who had been homosexuals that “such were some of you” (1 Cor. 6:11). Lifestyles can be changed because of the washing, sanctifying, and justifying work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ryrie, C. C. (1991). Biblical answers to contemporary issues (pp. 116–118). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
