June is gay pride month, and everyone seems on board. But there’s at least one person who is not okay with gay, and that is God. And if God is not okay with gay, then we shouldn’t be either. Discover what the Bible really says about homosexuality and how Christians should handle one of the most controversial issues of our time.
GOD IS NOT OKAY WITH GAY
By Andy Manning
June 2019
June is Gay Pride Month all over the world. So it is the right time for us to talk about homosexuality in the church.
It seems like everyone is celebrating the homosexual lifestyle today.
This month Taylor Swift released a new song called “You Need to Calm Down” in which she condemned people who do not affirm homosexuality. She said that people who don’t approve of homosexuality are “stressin’ and obsesin’ ‘bout somebody else,” and they are “mad” when they could be “GLAAD”, and you need to “control your urges to scream about all the people you hate”, and that people who don’t affirm homosexuality are living in the “dark age.”
Corporate America is all about Gay Pride.
Macy’s homepage says that the LGBTQ community is “Macy’s Pride and Joy.” And it has a link many of the Pride Month events all around the country.
Target is promoting Gay Pride Month on their website with an entire department of Pride and rainbow clothing and accessories.
Walmart has the same thing.
Barnes & Noble has an entire page on their website this month dedicated to promoting LGBTQ books.
Starbucks is celebrating Gay Pride by promoting the Born This Way Foundation.
UPS is recognizing Gay Pride by encouraging their employees to volunteer their time at Pride celebrations. Their website reads, “UPS brings commitment and support to pride month.”
DSW shoe store is celebrating Gay Pride by redesigning their company logo in rainbow colors. Their website says, “Whoever you are, whoever you love. We’re here for it. Let’s go.” They direct you to a page that sells a host of rainbow colored and pride designed products. That page says, “Every pair is perfect.”
In 2017 McDonalds celebrated Gay Pride Month with rainbow colored French fry boxes.
Burger King celebrated Gay Pride by selling a new burger called the Proud Whopper wrapped in rainbow-colored paper with a message on the inside that read, “We are all the same inside.” In 2014 they gave away close to 50,000 rainbow-colored Burger King crowns during the annual Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco.
Even the city of Lafayette was trying to get in on the fun. Earlier this month (June 2019) Lafayette Parish council member Kenneth Broussard authored a new resolution (R-040-2019) to recognize June as the official LGBTQ month in Lafayette Parish. Fortunately the council voted “No.”
But is homosexuality something we should celebrate? What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
I used to think that the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality was obvious; it was common knowledge. Not anymore.
In December of 2018 Christian singer Lauren Daigle was being interviewed on iHeart Radio. She was asked about her views on homosexuality, on whether it is a sin. Listen to her answer. “I can’t honestly answer on that, in the sense of I have too many people that I love and they are homosexuals. I can’t say one way or the other. I’m not God. When people ask questions like that, I just say, ‘Read the Bible and find out for yourself. And when you find out let me know because I’m learning too.'” This is a girl who was raised in a Southern Baptist church right here in Lafayette, LA. And she didn’t know what the Bible said about homosexuality. She said to read the Bible and find out for yourself, and then let her know. She doesn’t know?
Okay. It looks like many Christians are unsure of the Bible’s position on homosexuality. So let’s talk about that today.
Here’s the big idea: God is not okay with gay.
Let’s take a quick look at thirteen Biblical arguments for the sinfulness of homosexuality. These are thirteen reasons Christians believe that it is a sin.
13 ARGUMENTS FOR THE SINFULNESS OF HOMOSEXUALITY
ONE: Homosexuality is condemned in the Old Testament. Leviticus 18:22 “You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable.”
TWO: Homosexuality was illegal in ancient Israel. Leviticus 20:13 “If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed a detestable act. They must be put to death; their death is their own fault.”
Not only does the Old Testament condemn homosexuality, but in ancient Israel it was against the law.
THREE: Homosexuality was a capital crime in ancient Israel. Leviticus 20:13 “If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed a detestable act. They must be put to death; their death is their own fault.”
A capital crime is a crime that is punishable by death, and homosexuality was a capital crime in ancient Israel. Capital crimes are the worst crimes.
Not only does the OT condemn it, but it outlawed it, and it made it a capital offense.
FOUR: Homosexuality is a detestable act to God. Leviticus 18:22 “You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable.”
The Bible says that homosexuality is detestable. Other translations say it is an “abomination.” The Hebrew word is toebah, and it refers to an action that is extremely displeasing to God.
All sins are offensive to God, but some are more offensive. Some are more dangerous; some do more damage.
Homosexuality is one of those sins that is not just immoral, but detestable. It is extremely displeasing to God.
FIVE: Homosexuality is condemned in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.”
Not only is homosexuality condemned in the Old Testament, but it is condemned in the New Testament.
It cannot be said that homosexuality was part of the Old Covenant that Christians no longer need to follow, such as offering sacrifices and not eating pork and only wearing certain types of cloth. Homosexuality is part of the eternal, immutable, unchanging moral law of God. And we know that because it is reiterated in the New Testament not once, but multiple times.
SIX: Homosexuality is condemned with the strongest language in the New Testament. Not only is homosexuality condemned as sinful in the New Testament, but it is condemned with the strongest language.
We just looked at 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, which describes homosexuality with the word “unrighteous.”
Romans 1:26-27 “26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.”
This passage uses four words to describe homosexuality. Disgraceful (v. 26); Unnatural (v. 26); Shameless (v. 27); and Error (v. 27).
1 Timothy 1:9-11 “9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.”
Paul mentions homosexuality in a list of vices that are “contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the gospel.” Homosexuality is contrary to the teaching of Scripture.
SEVEN: Homosexual offenders will go to hell. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.”
Not only does the Bible condemn homosexuality, but it says that unrepentant homosexuals, along with all unrepentant sinners, will not inherit God’s kingdom. In other words, they will not go to heaven; they will be punished in hell.
EIGHT: Homosexuality is condemned in a list of other sinful behaviors.
It is important to notice the types of sins that homosexuality is grouped with in the New Testament. Two of the passages that condemn homosexuality are vice lists – lists of sinful behaviors.
The vices in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 are sexual immorality; idolatry; adultery; theft; greed; drunkenness; verbal abuse; and swindling.
The vices in 1 Timothy 1:9-10 are lawlessness, rebellion, ungodliness, sinfulness, unholiness, irreverence, those who kill their parents, murder, sexual immorality, slave trading, lying, and perjury.
Nobody would argue that these behaviors are no longer sinful; that these were just sinful for people back then. This is not a list of behaviors like, “Don’t eat pork; don’t eat shellfish; don’t cook a goat in its mother’s milk, etc.” These behaviors are all obviously wrong. They were wrong then, and they are still wrong today. And homosexuality is listed among these behaviors. So why should we treat homosexuality any different? If all the other behaviors in these lists are still sinful, then so is homosexuality.
Notice as well that all the vices in these passages are not mental illnesses; they are not immutable characteristics that we should excuse because some people are born that way. All of these behaviors are treated as moral choices that Christians must willfully avoid.
NINE: The Bible says that it is possible to repent of homosexuality. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. 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.”
Notice the phrase, “And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed….”
In other words, not only does this passage say that it is possible for a homosexual to change, but that there were Christians in the first century church who were saved by the power of God from the homosexual lifestyle.
Some people say that it is immoral to condemn homosexuality because those people can’t help it. They are born that way. They didn’t choose to be gay.
This is Biblical evidence that homosexuality is not immutable; people are not born gay and are not stuck that way. Homosexuality is a morality issue, and Christians can and must repent.
I’m not saying that people choose to have homosexual desires. But God can give a person the power to resist those desires; and God can even change those desires so that you no longer desire evil, but good.
TEN: Homosexuality falls outside the bounds of Biblical sexual morality.
The Bible is very clear that there is only one type of permissible sexual relationship – within the marriage of one man and one woman. Matthew 19:4-6
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created them in the beginning made them male and female, 5 and he also said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
The language here is very clear. First comes marriage, and then comes sex. First a man is joined to his wife – that’s marriage. And then the two become one flesh – that’s sex.
The Bible’s position on sex is very clear, from start to finish. Never before marriage – that’s called sexual immorality, or fornication; never outside of marriage – that’s called adultery.
And then the Bible very clearly defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Never two people of the same sex.
ELEVEN: When God made a partner for Adam, He made a woman, not a man.
When God created the first man, Adam was alone. He had nobody. Not a wife, and no friends.
Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.’”
God said two important things.
First, it is not good for man to be alone. God made man for fellowship with others; for community; not for isolation.
Second, God decided to make a “helper corresponding to him.” God decided to make for Adam the ideal life partner.
• Someone who balances him – a counterpart who is suitable and complementary for him (AMP).
• Someone who is perfect for him (CEB).
• Someone to fulfill his needs; someone just right for him (ERV).
• Someone who is fit for him (ESV).
• A helper suited to his needs (TLB).
• A well-matched helper for him (TLV).
• A perfectly suited partner (VOICE).
So who did God make for Adam? Not a man, but a woman. Genesis 2:21-22 “21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. 22 Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.”
When God made the perfect partner for Adam, he did not make another man. He made a woman. Men and women are made to compliment one another; two men or two women are not.
TWELVE: The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their homosexuality.
In Genesis 19 God destroys two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, which were filled with homosexuals. He rained down on them burning sulfur from the sky.
Some people think that God punished them for a different reason, but the Bible is clear that the main reason was their sexual perversion.
Ezekiel 16:49-50 “49 Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable acts before me, so I removed them when I saw this.”
Homosexuality is not the only sin. There proud and stingy. But notice it says they did “detestable acts” before the Lord. What word does Leviticus use to describe homosexuality? Detestable.
Now let’s turn to the New Testament. Jude 1:7 “Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”
How does Jude describe the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? Sexual immorality and perversions. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of God’s severe wrath against a city or a country that is overtaking by sexual immorality and homosexuality.
THIRTEEN: Homosexual Bible scholars agree that the Bible condemns homosexuality.
There are some people who have written books claiming that the traditional interpretation of all these passages is wrong.
Matthew Vines is probably the most well-known. He argues that the passages are speaking against certain types of homosexuality – such as pederasty (man-boy sexual relations); male prostitution; and a man having sex with his male slave. However, they argue, the Bible does not condemn committed, monogamous homosexual relationships.
But that’s simply not true, and even many pro-gay Bible scholars admit it. Listen to the words of Luke Timothy Johnson, a respected scholar from Emory University and a pro-gay advocate.
“The task demands intellectual honesty. I have little patience with efforts to make Scripture say something other than what it says, through appeals to linguistic or cultural subtleties. The exegetical situation is straightforward: we know what the text says… I think it important to state clearly that we do, in fact, reject the straightforward commands of Scripture, and appeal instead to another authority when we declare that same sex-unions can be holy and good…. By so doing, we explicitly reject as well the premises of the scriptural statements condemning homosexuality – namely, that it is a vice freely chosen, a symptom of human corruption, and disobedience to God’s created order.”3
Did you catch that? This scholar, who is a pro-gay advocate, says it is obvious, very clear, without a doubt the Bible’s teaching that all homosexual behavior is a sin. And he is saying to other pro-gay advocates (my own paraphrase), “Stop trying to twist the Scriptures; it is a losing battle. Instead, just come out and say that you reject what the Bible says.”
WHY IT IS NOT HATEFUL TO BELIEVE HOMOSEXUALITY IS SINFUL
Now we aren’t finished yet. As soon as you say that you believe that homosexuality is sinful, you will be condemned. People will say that you are hateful, and therefore you are not a good Christian. Let me give you 6 reasons why it is not hatefully to believe homosexuality is sinful.
ONE: We do not condone violence or derision against homosexuals.
Mark 12:31 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We are commanded to love our neighbors, and homosexuals are our neighbors.
Just because we believe their behavior is sinful doesn’t mean that we condone violence or derision against them.
They are human beings worthy of dignity and respect.
TWO: We all love people without approving of their choices.
Parents don’t always approve of their children’s choices, but they still love them.
Friends don’t always approve of their friend’s choices, but they still love them.
I don’t approve of all my wife’s choices, but I still love her.
We do not approve of homosexuality, but that doesn’t mean that we hate them.
You can hate the sin and love the sinner, and that’s what we try to do.
THREE: We do not single out the sin of homosexuality. We preach against homosexuality, but that’s not the only sin that we preach against. We preach against all sin. If the Bible says it is a sin, then we believe it is a sin, and we preach against it.
FOUR: We welcome homosexuals to attend our church. If we hated homosexuals, then we wouldn’t welcome them into our church. But we do welcome them. We have had several homosexuals attend our church over the years. I’ve had some of them attend Bible studies in my home. We won’t let them join the church without repenting, but they are welcome to attend and learn, and we will be very friendly to them.
FIVE: We believe it is sinful because the Bible says so. We don’t believe homosexuality is sinful because we are homophobic; it’s not because we are disgusted by homosexual behavior. We believe homosexuality is a sin because the Bible says so.
The Bible says that God is love, and He loves everyone, and yet He is the one who said that homosexuality is sinful. We are just trying to be obedient to Him. We cannot condone what God condemns.
SIX: We warn people of the sinfulness of homosexuality because we care about them.
The reason we preach against homosexuality is because we care about homosexuals.
The Bible says two things about homosexuality.
First, unrepentant homosexuals go to hell (1 Cor 6:9-11).
Second, the best life is the obedient life (Ps 112:1).
We preach against homosexuality because if they don’t repent, they will miss out on the best life on earth, and they will go to hell for eternity when they die.
We don’t preach against homosexuality because hate them, but because we love them. If we hated them, we would just leave them to their fate.
ANSWERING THE ARGUMENTS
ONE: How can homosexuality be wrong if they were born that way?
First, science points to the opposite conclusion – it is not unchangeable. If people are born gay, then all identical twins would share the same sexual orientation, but that’s not the case. There are many studies of identical twins that show the opposite. Most of the time when one twin is gay, the other is not.
Second, the Bible says that it is not immutable. 1 Cor 6:9-11 says that people can and have changed.
Third, having an innate desire to behave a certain way does not mean that behavior is moral. If it is proven that people are born with the desire to be serial rapists, or pedophiles, then that does not mean that those behaviors should be viewed as good and moral.
We all have sinful desires that we must suppress in order to show love to God, our neighbors, and ourselves.
TWO: The Bible says it is wrong to judge.
Jesus did say that in Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.”
The question is what did Jesus mean? To judge is to determine the morality of a behavior.
But when we say that homosexuality is a sinful behavior, we are not judging, because we are not determining the morality of homosexuality. God is the one who has determined the morality of homosexuality.
All we’re doing is obeying His judgments and proclaiming His judgments so that we will be spared the wrath of God on the day of judgment.
We must not judge, but we must proclaim God’s judgments. Psalm 119:3 “With my lips I proclaim all the judgments from your mouth.”
APPLICATION
The Bible explicitly states that homosexuality is a sin. And that has several applications for us:
• If homosexuality is a sin, then it must be condemned, not celebrated.
• If homosexuality is a sin, then people should not be condemned or punished for refusing to affirm it.
• If homosexuality is a sin, then business owners and employees should not be forced to participate in gay events (such as a gay wedding or a gay parade) or produce gay messages or works of art (like a T-shirt or a wedding cake).
• If homosexuality is a sin, then it is not a human right, nor a civil right.
• If homosexuality is a sin, then it is about morality, not identity.
CONCLUSION
While the world is celebrating the sin of homosexuality and condemning those who don’t march in the parade, we must stand firm with Jesus Christ.
God is not okay with gay.