I once had a friend who was going through some terrible times in his life reconciling his religious beliefs with his sexuality, a daunting task for any serious Christian (or person of pretty much any fundamentalist faith). This issue presents special problems for homosexuals and bisexuals seeking resolve of their needs for love with their needs for spirituality, and it can exact a terrible emotional toll on those trying to understand their feelings about God and those around them. Unfortunately, the anguishing and torturous journey to find oneself have lead too many young adults to feelings of helplessness, low self-esteem, rage, depression, and suicide.
I created this page, after researching the topic for several months, for my friend. It is simply my own thoughts on the key points in the Bible that relate to sexual identity, or more often, those passages that the religious right use as their bludgeoning tool to perpetuate their own morals and values. On some topics I agree with them, but on many more I disagree with their interpretation, and have included my reasons here. I hope with this page to provide clear and accurate information to help people form their own informed opinions about their feelings and to help others understand how the Bible addresses these issues. I sincerely appreciate any and all feedback, comments, corrections, and criticisms alike, and they may be sent to me. I respect everyone's individual opinions, and I strongly believe every Christian and anyone interested in learning the new covenant of Christ should study and interpret the Scripture in their own way.
The Lord's destruction of the city of Sodom is one of the most often quoted passages decreeing the Lord's abhorrence of homosexuality. Genesis 18 (NIV) records a conversation during which the Lord proclaims to Abraham that He shall destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because "their sin [is] so grievous". The Lord then sends two angels disguised as men to find any righteous people who should be spared, and end up being convinced by Lot to come under the protection of his own roof. At this time the people of Sodom demanded Lot turn over the two men to them.
Genesis 18 and 19 do not specify what sin is 'so grievous'. Many assume that Genesis 19 (NIV) removes all doubt when the people of Sodom ask Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." Subsequent verses detail the wrath of God upon the Sodomites. Simple out-of-context observation would suggest that God's wrath was thrust upon the Sodomites because they demanded homosexual sex. However, other verses which explain the sins of Sodom do not mention homosexuality as a reason for God's destruction of Sodom, but more broadly, sexual immorality:
These verses establish that sexual immorality was the reason for the destruction of Sodom. So are all same-sex relations sexually immoral? 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NIV) gives a clear definition of exactly what sexual immorality is: "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God..." The lustful, same-sex desires of the Sodomites to have sex with the angels of God were not wrong in that they were for others of the same sex, but more broadly, they were wrong simply because they were lustful desires. The Bible has no prohibitions against loving relationships, not built upon lust or desire, between people of the same sex, and this silence is reinforced by this principle from Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV), "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Note: Some counter the argument that the destruction of Sodom was due to homosexuality with the argument that the true motivation behind God's wrath was a breach of the hospitality code by the Sodomites attempting to force themselves upon guests. I do not find this a particularly strong argument, as it too is an argument without a clear Scriptural basis. In any case Genesis 18 clearly indicates that the Lord already had plans to destroy the city before the two angels experienced the 'inhospitality'.
Powerful commandments against homosexual acts lie within the book of Leviticus, a special cleanliness code for the Israelite priests (the Levites). Leviticus 18:22 (NIV) states "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Leviticus 20:13 (NIV) states, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads." I agree these statements in this separated context are unarguable, and the Lord abhorred such activities because these were activities practiced by the nations the Lord was destroying so that the Israelites may have the land [Leviticus 20:23 (NIV)].
However, these passages are part of a larger context, as they are given along with prohibitions on tattoos, certain types of jewelry, blended textiles, cross-breeding livestock, sowing fields with mixed seeds, eating pig, rabbit, and some seafood, and men cutting their hair or shaving their beards. Christians are not required to live by the Holiness Code of Leviticus today because of the new covenant that Christ brought through his crucifixion, as detailed by the following verses:
Those who accept Christ and live in the Spirit of the Lord are subject to a new freedom and a new covenant. In determining the new covenant of Christ, it is important to note that Jesus himself never says one word about same-sex relationships. For further study, see Ephesians 2:1-22 (NIV), which affirms the abolition of the Law through the flesh of Christ, and, through grace and faith, those who are saved and 'do good works' are fellow citizens with God's people. Finally, note Romans 13:10 (NIV), which states: "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law."
Many who argue that same-sex relations are condemned by God rely upon Romans 1:24-27 (NIV) which states, "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." This is a very important passage to address because it is within the context of the New Testament. While these are not the words of Christ, but of Paul, they are still an important part of our understanding of the new covenant.
The aforementioned people are those who "...knew God, [but] neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him..." [Romans 1:21 (NIV)] God gave these people over to their 'sinful desires' and 'shameful lusts' because of idolatry, as is clearly evident in Romans 1:18-23 (NIV). However, more importantly, why are these desires and lusts for others of the same sex sinful and shameful? The answer lies not in that they desired for and lusted for others of the same sex, but simply because they desired and lusted at all. The Bible makes a clear distinction between lust and desire and love. A simple word search for the word 'lust' in the NIV reveals it is almost always associated with words such as 'promiscuity', 'prostitute', 'harlot', and 'lewdness'. More concretely, the Bible strongly condemns lust in various verses, such as:
Colossians 3:5-6 asserts that both lust and evil desires are forms of idolatry, which are worldly and sinful. Paul's subjects of discussion did not necessarily physically worship idols, but rather worshiped each other's bodies. Their desires were sinful and their lusts were shameful only because all desires are sinful and all lusts are shameful. The Bible does not differentiate between homosexual and heterosexual lust - all lust is equally idolatry and is of worldly origin (see Colossians 3:5-6 and 1 John 2:16). The sin and shame scorned in the Romans 1 passage is a result of a worship of something other than God: either lustful men or lustful women lusting after either other men or other women would be committing the same idolatry.
Love is a very different issue. Psalm 136 and Psalm 138 repeatedly emphasize the enduring love of the Lord - something heavenly and good. Proverbs 3:3-4 (NIV) indicates that love is a gateway through which one may know God, as stated: "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." Love is not a sin [see Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)]. Scripture draws no distinction between same-sex and opposite lust and desire, nor does it draw a distinction between same-sex and opposite-sex love. Lust and desire are consistently condemned, while love is held as something to attain. Since love is not categorized on any gender basis in the Bible, there no Scriptural basis for arguments that love is exclusive to people of opposite sex.
How are same-sex relations unnatural? Firstly, in what context is the word "relations" being used? If we were to take the word in the context of the passage on idolatry and sexual immorality, it would be logical to conclude "relations" are referring to acts of sexual intercourse. However, even if it is used in the context of a long-term relationship built on love (which is highly doubtful, given the characteristics of the people described), the Greek word "paraphysin" actually translates in meaning to 'uncharacteristic', whereas the NIV translation converts this to 'unnatural'. Even if 'relations' refers to loving relationships (extremely unlikely), the suggestion that they were 'uncharacteristic' does not carry a negative connotation itself, and referring to something as uncharacteristic is certainly not prohibiting it. The issue at hand is that of idolatry: characteristic idolatry and uncharacteristic idolatry, or natural lust and unnatural lust, are equivalent.
Lastly, the verse, "Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion" does not condemn homosexual relationships. We have already established that the sins of these people are of desire and lust, and that God frowns upon these sins equally. Causation is definitely evident: men received a penalty for committing perverse acts. These acts were indecent and perverse in the way all sexual immorality is, and lustful homosexual intercourse was not the reason a penalty was endured: any lustful intercourse - any sexual immorality - would exact a penalty for indecency and perversion. (To argue there is a difference would require an inductive logical fallacy.)
Corinthians seems to have a very clear indication that those who engage in sexual acts with partners of the same sex shall not enter heaven. 1 Corinthians 6:9 (NIV) reads: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders." However, 1 Corinthians 6:9 contains a gratuitous mistranslation. The Greek word "arsenokeeteh" literally means "abusers of themselves with mankind" and is more likely a synonym for a shrine prostitute, since Paul repeatedly condemned cult temple prostitution that was prevalent at that time. It is extremely unlikely this word means "homosexual" in this context since nothing of the literal interpretations implies same-sex contact and other Greek words existed to actually describe homosexual behavior.
The bible is clear in its condemnation of lust and desire, as is detailed by many prohibitions against both heterosexual and homosexual lust. The only clear prohibition of homosexual sexual activity that is not limited to acts of lust or desire is part of the Levite priest Holiness Code, which has been overridden by the new covenant bought by Jesus Christ's crucifixion and realized by the acceptance of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:14). With the knowledge that the new covenant through Jesus Christ is accepting of those free from engaging in lust or desire, to those who love others (no matter whom they may love), I hope you realize in your heart that you have the ability, with a clear conscious, to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, who died to bring to you a new hope and to expunge your sins through Him.
Romans 3:23-24 (NIV): "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." There is but one way to be saved: "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man [salvation] is impossible, but with God all things are possible." [Matthew 19:25 (NIV)]. How is one saved? Romans 10:9-13 (NIV):
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
It really is that easy. The choice is yours, but if you believed salvation was unattainable because of your love, know (and study for yourself) that the Bible proclaims love as the greatest commandment (Mark 12:31). I believe there is a truth found in the Scripture that is perhaps different from a 'truth' others have tried to persuade you to believe. The most important things to draw from the Scriptures and remember are:
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