Is homosexual sex wrong even in the context of two loving people in a committed relationship?

Defining the Issue

Some people will say the Bible prohibits homosexual sex that is promiscuous, adulterous, or exploitative of other people, but claim the Bible is either silent or affirming of monogamous, loving homosexual relationships. A community of gay Christians has emerged who contend that it is acceptable to live within the moral constraints of a monogamous relationship or same-sex marriage. Such arguments claim the Bible has been badly misunderstood to prohibit all homosexual intercourse. Does the Bible prohibit homosexual sex, even in the context of a loving, committed relationship?

Biblical Ethical Principles

The Bible teaches that God designed sex to be experienced within the covenant of a heterosexual and monogamous marriage (Genesis 1:26–28; 2:24–25). Christian sexual ethics is narrow and not expansive, advocating a restrained vision of sexual ethics that embraces limits imposed by Scripture. 

The Christian view is readily distinguished from the culture’s unrestrained view, in which sexual ethics is released from virtually all limitations. The Old Testament and the New Testament are uniform in teaching that homosexual intercourse is always forbidden. No homosexual relationships are depicted positively in the Bible.

In the Old Testament, Leviticus 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Leviticus 20:13 adds, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” 

While Leviticus 20:13 basically repeats the prohibition of Leviticus 18:22, there is an important difference in wording. Notice Leviticus 20:13 says, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.” Leviticus 20:13 specifically mentions both parties in male homosexual intercourse. Thus, the prohibition here can’t be written off as merely prohibiting homosexual rape or other forms of coercive sex. The text prohibits consensual homosexual intercourse in general.

In the New Testament, both male and female homosexual intercourse are forbidden. In Romans 1:18–32, Paul describes the downward spiral of human sinfulness, explaining how God has revealed himself (Romans 1:18–20) and how humans have rejected God and embraced idolatry (Romans 1:21–23). Romans 1:24–27 then gives an example of what happens when humans worship creation instead of the Creator: they engage in homosexual sex.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:26–27)

Both male and female homosexual acts are condemned as examples of rejecting God’s purposes for humans.

First Corinthians 6:9–11 includes male homosexual acts as characteristics of people outside of the kingdom of God. In this passage, Paul lists ten types of people characterised by vices, and the fourth and fifth specifically apply to male homosexual acts, which the ESV translates by one phrase—“men who practice homosexuality.” 

In 1 Corinthians 6:9, two Greek words are used, describing both the passive and active partner in male homosexual intercourse—malakoi (NASB “effeminate”) and arsenokoitai (NASB “homosexuals”). The word malakoi refers to the male playing the passive role in homosexual intercourse. 

The word arsenokoitai is derived from the Greek translation of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 and refers to the dominant partner in male homosexual intercourse. Paul’s point becomes clearer when understood in the context of ancient Rome. For the Romans, the dominant partner in male homosexuality was not considered to have lost his masculinity, nor was he looked down upon as long as he was the inserting person. In contrast, the passive partner in male homosexuality was scorned and ridiculed. 

When the two words malakoi and arsenokoitai are used side by side in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, the implication is plain: the culture at that time may have affirmed the dominant partner while condemning the passive partner, but from God’s perspective both roles are sin.

Additionally, having a loving feeling toward someone else does not justify a sexual encounter. Biblically, sex is permitted only between a husband and a wife. A feeling of love does not trump biblical moral parameters.

Suggested Moral Stance

Homosexual intercourse is not a permitted option for Christians. A same-sex marriage is not actually a marriage from a biblical perspective. Though some Christians may indeed experience same-sex attraction, they should not act on this desire.

Christian ethics has long limited sex to marriage between one man and one woman, a position that is reviled by our culture. Christians are called to share God’s truth with gentle firmness. We never have the liberty to be unkind. When we are criticised and ostracised for our ethical stance, our correct response should be to love those who hate us and to pray for them (Matthew 5:44).