Homosexuality is often seen as the worst of sins. But, what does the Bible say?
Homosexuality is often seen as the worst of sins. But, what does the Bible say?
1. Any sin is enough to condemn to eternal Hell
Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command. They ate something God told them not to, and billions of people will end up burning in Hell because of it. That should give us a small idea about God’s holiness and how He views sin.
James 2:10-11 is clear. Any sin puts us in the category of being law-breakers. We are criminals, and we will be judged. By nature and by choice, we all deserve Hell.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
However, notice that James 2:10-11 does not affirm what many claim it does, that is, that all sins are identical and that if you’ve committed one sin, you’ve committed them all. James does not say, “If you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you are also an adulterer”. But rather, James affirms that any sin, whether large or small, automatically places us in God’s courtroom as criminals—criminals who will tried and convicted as law-breakers.
2. Not all sin is equally heinous in God’s eyes
People often cite the Sermon on the Mount to say that anger is the same as murder and lust is the same as adultery. I challenge you to read Matthew 5:21-30 more carefully. He who is angry will be liable to judgement and everyone who lusts has already committed adultery in his heart. However, Jesus does not affirm that committing adultery in your heart is equally heinous in God’s eyes as committing it in your body, which, if you are a believer, is “a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:18-20).
God is a just judge, and He will judge every person without partiality in accordance with their individual sins. Romans 2:6 states, “He will render to each one according to his works”. The books will be opened and the dead will be judged “according to what they had done” (Rev 20:13). These passages make no sense if Hell will be equally terrible for all who end up there.
In fact, there are many passages of Scripture which make plain that some sins are indeed more heinous in God’s eyes. Perhaps the clearest place is Ezequiel chapter 8. I would encourage you to read the whole chapter if you question this reality. As God describes how increasingly wicked Israel had become, the echo throughout the chapter is: “You will see still greater abominations that they commit”. All sin is an abomination, but some sins are greater abominations is God’s eyes. Of this there can be no doubt.
3. Homosexuality is an especially debase sin
Romans 1 describes in no uncertain terms that homosexuality is a sin committed after one has so continued in their high handed defiance against the Almighty that He gives “them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves” (Rom 1:24-27). For this reason, Christians are right to see homosexuality as an especially debase sin that displeases God. It is contrary to His good plan for marriage, and cannot reflect the purpose for which marriage exists—to represent Christ’s relationship to the church (Eph 5:31). In addition, Scripture not only condemns the sin of homosexuality, but also condemns any who would “give approval to those who practice” it (Rom 1:32).
4. Your sin is worse than homosexuality if you don’t repent
Unfortunately, Christians have often twisted Romans 1 to view homosexual sinners as dirty, not worthy of our love and compassion. The words of Paul in Romans 2:1 could not be more appropriate. Just after describing homosexuality as a debase sin, he declares: “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” You too are a law-breaker. View yourself as such, not the judge.
But Christ makes an even more poignant point to those who claim to believe in God, but remain unrepentant. After preaching the good news and working many miracles in Galilee, Christ tells those religious people who refused to believe: “But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you” (Matthew 11:24).
Did you get Christ’s point? Some sins are worse than others, but God does not necessarily categorize sin like we do. The person who hears the gospel and rejects it is a far greater sinner in God’s mind than the heathen who lives a sinful life of homosexuality.
You, my friend and faithful reader of C-Gate, are in danger of far more judgement than the heathen man living in homosexuality, because you also sin, but do so under more of God’s light.
“And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:47-48).
5. How should we respond?
Though sins be large or small, the solution is the same for all—The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16-17). Make sure you understand it, believe it, live it, and proclaim it.
Just one final note on proclaiming the Gospel. Remember that the one disobeying God with his/her homosexual relationship is a sinner who needs the Gospel just like any other sinner. Just like you and me. And as homosexuality becomes more normative in our generation, and even more so in our childrens’, we need to make sure we see them as a mission field, not a group to be feared or hated.
What sinners need, is not some carefully crafted explanation of how our country has plunged into wickedness by approving homosexual marriage—politics cannot save. What they need is a compassionate call to repentance, coupled with the good news that though their sins be like scarlet, they can be white as snow through the blood of the Lamb. Make no mistake, we must warn them that God’s judgement is coming upon all those who practice immorality, but let’s make sure we give them the good news as well.
“…Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:9-11).
1. Any sin is enough to condemn to eternal Hell
Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command. They ate something God told them not to, and billions of people will end up burning in Hell because of it. That should give us a small idea about God’s holiness and how He views sin.
James 2:10-11 is clear. Any sin puts us in the category of being law-breakers. We are criminals, and we will be judged. By nature and by choice, we all deserve Hell.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
However, notice that James 2:10-11 does not affirm what many claim it does, that is, that all sins are identical and that if you’ve committed one sin, you’ve committed them all. James does not say, “If you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you are also an adulterer”. But rather, James affirms that any sin, whether large or small, automatically places us in God’s courtroom as criminals—criminals who will tried and convicted as law-breakers.
2. Not all sin is equally heinous in God’s eyes
People often cite the Sermon on the Mount to say that anger is the same as murder and lust is the same as adultery. I challenge you to read Matthew 5:21-30 more carefully. He who is angry will be liable to judgement and everyone who lusts has already committed adultery in his heart. However, Jesus does not affirm that committing adultery in your heart is equally heinous in God’s eyes as committing it in your body, which, if you are a believer, is “a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:18-20).
God is a just judge, and He will judge every person without partiality in accordance with their individual sins. Romans 2:6 states, “He will render to each one according to his works”. The books will be opened and the dead will be judged “according to what they had done” (Rev 20:13). These passages make no sense if Hell will be equally terrible for all who end up there.
In fact, there are many passages of Scripture which make plain that some sins are indeed more heinous in God’s eyes. Perhaps the clearest place is Ezequiel chapter 8. I would encourage you to read the whole chapter if you question this reality. As God describes how increasingly wicked Israel had become, the echo throughout the chapter is: “You will see still greater abominations that they commit”. All sin is an abomination, but some sins are greater abominations is God’s eyes. Of this there can be no doubt.
3. Homosexuality is an especially debase sin
Romans 1 describes in no uncertain terms that homosexuality is a sin committed after one has so continued in their high handed defiance against the Almighty that He gives “them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves” (Rom 1:24-27). For this reason, Christians are right to see homosexuality as an especially debase sin that displeases God. It is contrary to His good plan for marriage, and cannot reflect the purpose for which marriage exists—to represent Christ’s relationship to the church (Eph 5:31). In addition, Scripture not only condemns the sin of homosexuality, but also condemns any who would “give approval to those who practice” it (Rom 1:32).
4. Your sin is worse than homosexuality if you don’t repent
Unfortunately, Christians have often twisted Romans 1 to view homosexual sinners as dirty, not worthy of our love and compassion. The words of Paul in Romans 2:1 could not be more appropriate. Just after describing homosexuality as a debase sin, he declares: “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” You too are a law-breaker. View yourself as such, not the judge.
But Christ makes an even more poignant point to those who claim to believe in God, but remain unrepentant. After preaching the good news and working many miracles in Galilee, Christ tells those religious people who refused to believe: “But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you” (Matthew 11:24).
Did you get Christ’s point? Some sins are worse than others, but God does not necessarily categorize sin like we do. The person who hears the gospel and rejects it is a far greater sinner in God’s mind than the heathen who lives a sinful life of homosexuality.
You, my friend and faithful reader of C-Gate, are in danger of far more judgement than the heathen man living in homosexuality, because you also sin, but do so under more of God’s light.
“And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:47-48).
5. How should we respond?
Though sins be large or small, the solution is the same for all—The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16-17). Make sure you understand it, believe it, live it, and proclaim it.
Just one final note on proclaiming the Gospel. Remember that the one disobeying God with his/her homosexual relationship is a sinner who needs the Gospel just like any other sinner. Just like you and me. And as homosexuality becomes more normative in our generation, and even more so in our childrens’, we need to make sure we see them as a mission field, not a group to be feared or hated.
What sinners need, is not some carefully crafted explanation of how our country has plunged into wickedness by approving homosexual marriage—politics cannot save. What they need is a compassionate call to repentance, coupled with the good news that though their sins be like scarlet, they can be white as snow through the blood of the Lamb. Make no mistake, we must warn them that God’s judgement is coming upon all those who practice immorality, but let’s make sure we give them the good news as well.
“…Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:9-11).
