The Bible condemns the sin of Homosexuality
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. (1 Corinthians 6:9–10) But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, 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. (1 Timothy 1:8–10)
The apostle Paul wrote to a number of Christian congregations spread across the Roman empire. As he addressed the many issues facing the primitive church, he was bound to address the topic of morality, especially when writing to those churches in cities known for their promiscuity and debauchery. None was better known in the ancient world than Corinth, so much so that the name of the city was a synonym for sexual sin and immoral behavior. The presence of centers of pagan religion associated directly with temple prostitution in the city led to every kind of sexual license and activity.
The church at Corinth was plagued with many problems. Paul’s correspondence to this particular congregation takes up the largest portion of his epistolary literature. The issues he was forced to address read like an elder’s nightmare list of congregational problems.
Everything from doctrinal errors to internal strife to moral failures found a place in the laundry list of Corinthian church ills. And it is in this context that we encounter a reference to the topic of homosexuality.
Beginning in chapter five of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians we see that from the apostle’s viewpoint, the church at Corinth was to be held responsible to exercise discipline in her ranks, a discipline that involved the application of the moral principles specifically laid out in the Pentateuch. Paul cites directly from Deuteronomy 17:7 in 1 Corinthians 5:13, expecting his readers to fully understand the relevance of these words to their situation.
But especially relevant to Paul’s discussion is the Holiness Code of Leviticus 18–20. We have already noted the frequency with which New Testament writers make reference to this section, including Jesus’ citation of Leviticus 19:18 in Matthew 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; and Luke 10:27. Paul cites the same summary in Romans 13:9 and Galatians 5:14, and James quotes it in James 2:8. Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians assumes the authoritative application of God’s law (particularly this portion in Leviticus) and that the church in Corinth is familiar with this section of the law and, indeed, knows it is to be held accountable to living in light of its guidance.
Paul is teaching the young believers at Corinth that they are to live lives of separation and holiness to God, just as the corresponding section in Leviticus gives guidance as to how Israel was to be distinct from the Gentile nations. Paul speaks of how the Christians should not be entrusting judgment to unbelievers when they themselves will exercise judgment (6:1–7). Judging assumes the existence of a standard of judgment, and Paul’s allusions to the Mosaic standards within the very same section point us to the standard that was obviously in his mind. It is in this context that Paul writes,
9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And 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.
The introductory phrase “do you not know” speaks of a given in Paul’s thinking and teaching. Furthermore, he expects his audience to already know the truths he is about to reiterate. He has obviously already covered this ground with the Corinthians, and hence upbraids them for not clearly seeing the centrality of the concept he must once again enunciate. Paul is well aware of the need to warn the Corinthians of the danger of deception. False teachers have been known throughout the history of the church for teaching that God’s moral standards are no longer binding or should be reinterpreted.
In his second epistle, Peter speaks of false teachers who “arise among the people” and secretly introduce destructive heresies (2:1). False teachers malign the way of truth (2:2), exploiting others through false words (2:3). Peter describes these false teachers as doing far more than merely mangling words; they are fueled by the sensual rather than the scriptural:
“but these like unreasoning animals … having eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin … forsaking the right way they have … followed the way of Balaam … for speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality … promising freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2:12, 14–15, 18–19).
Jude likewise warned against this very danger (Jude 4).
Paul repeats a basic, almost simplistic axiom: the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of righteousness, just as God is a righteous King. Those who remain in opposition to God and His will cannot expect to be a part of His kingdom. The entire message of the apostle is that God has provided perfect and complete righteousness in the person of Jesus Christ, and that through His saving work on the cross. The cross shows the seriousness of holiness and righteousness to God, and hence to those who would follow Him.
What Paul means by “unrighteous” is explained by the list of vices that makes up the bulk of verses 9 and 10. It is vital to note that the only sin listed in these verses that is not likewise listed and identified as a sin in the sight of God in Leviticus 18–20 is drunkenness. Obviously, then, the entire teaching of that passage must be allowed to have its full weight in the interpretation of Paul’s list of sins that defines the lives of those who are “unrighteous.”
Outside of the constant assertion that the Christian Scriptures are simply not able to address the “modern” concept of homosexuality (including orientation), the controversy over the passage is summed up in the meaning of the term translated by the NASB as homosexuals.
The Greek term is arsenokoites, and almost every revisionist attempt to remove 1 Corinthians 6:9 (and 1 Timothy 1:10) from the discussion of homosexuality in the Bible is focused on narrowing the meaning of this term in such a way as to allow for at least forms of homosexual expression if not the entirety of a homosexual lifestyle—a clear case of assuming that which they are trying to prove. As one works through the offerings of Boswell, Scroggs, Countryman, Scanzoni and Mollenkott, and other revisionists, the constant emphasis is on forcing the term into a narrow range that will not have any impact upon “modern” concepts of homosexuality. But can this be done in fairness to the text itself?
White, J. R., & Niell, J. D. (2002). The Same Sex Controversy: Defending and Clarifying the Bible’s Message about Homosexuality (pp. 141–146). Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
