How Shall We Think About Homosexuality?

 

This subject  continues to occupy  the mind of the church. The LGBT+ agenda is forceful  and  demands  the church's  attention. The Namibian government is under a lot of pressure by international and national LGBTQ lobby groups. Big nations attach  conditions  to their donor giving  and these include  that our country needs to embrace  the LGBT+  agenda. The   Christian church in Namibia is becoming increasingly divided over this issue. We need a clear statement on which the Bible has to say on this subject. The Bible is our  final authority upon this subject.

A BIBLICAL  FRAMEWORK 

• We must recognize that homosexuality along with all other sexual deviations is a sin in God’s eyes. Sexual perversion includes homosexuality   (Romans 1:24-32).
• We must consider this subject in a redemptive / pro-active manner. We believe that homosexual people can be redeemed by the grace of God.
• We must recognize that we are all sexual beings with a fallen nature. The greatest sin in life is not homosexuality. The greatest sin is that we are all, by nature rebels against God and His Word. By nature we go against that which God has created.  This primary sin is behind all the sins of life.
• We must recognize that the Bible never considers  homosexuality (or any  other  sinful or deviant  practices) as a ‘genetic deviation’ or  an alternative  option or expression of  human sexuality. Homosexuality, along with any other deviant practices (e.g. such as are listed in Gal. 5:19)  and  must be  confessed and submitted to the grace and power of God  who helps us in all our weaknesses.

Biblical Texts  Which  Clearly Teach That  Homosexuality  Is Sin

• Genesis  19:1-13 à Sodom and Gomorrah
• Judges 19  à homosexual abuse  at Gibeah.
• Leviticus  18:22 ; 20:13 à homosexuality is  rejected by the Levitical holiness code
• Romans 1:18-32 à  homosexuality is a state of being ‘handed over’ by God.
• 1 Cor 6: 9,10
• 1 Tim 1: 9,10 

 Homosexuality And The  Created  Order

• In Genesis 2 we find God’s clear purpose and  design  for  sexual relationships from the perspective of creation order.
• Genesis  2:24  outlines  for us   the constituent   parts of human sexual  relationships:

      (i)    a man  (Adam)

      (ii)  shall leave his parents

      (iii)  to be united to His wife (Eve)

      (iv)  And they shall become one flesh

God’s original design for sexual relationships is to be found in the context of  ‘one man - one woman - for life‘. 

Sexual relationships outside of this context are considered as unnatural (i.e. against created order) and therefore sinful, because they go against God’s purposeful design.

The Bible defines homosexuality as “dishonorable” and “shameless” and “contrary to nature” (Romans 1:26-27).

Sex within the confines of marriage by way of contrast is to be “held in honor” (Hebrews 13:4). The biblical marriage relationship does not produce shame and it is not contrary to nature. It conforms to God’s design and it is therefore normative.

Homosexuality by way of contrast is against God’s design and therefore not normative. It is in fact an inversion of God’s created order. It explicitly goes against that which God has commanded. 

There is therefore no such thing as  “homosexual marriage”  in the eyes of God.

For this reason Christians cannot  subscribe to  the idea homosexual marriage  — no matter what the  LGBT community, society  or what the state says.

Consider also  that no homosexual relationships are ever spoken of in a positive light in the Scriptures.  The Bible clearly teaches that  such a who  continue in such practices  will  not   inherit eternal life:

"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 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were. 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 Corinthians 6:9,10,11] 

Please note that this list does not only speak about homosexual sin. It also includes those that are sexually immoral. 

This includes: 

• all forms of deviant sex 
• idolaters (i.e. who substitute God for man-made gods) 
• adulterers (those who break up marriages)  
• male prostitutes
• thieves
• the greedy
• drunkards
• slanderers
• swindlers (con artists). 

All those that continually practice these things are all outside the kingdom. 

Homosexuality is not the Unforgivable Sin

1 Corinthians 6:11 says, "…and such were some of you". The  Corinthian church was a group of people who were delivered from these kind of sins. All these sins are forgivable, once we repent of them, turn our backs on them, and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s provision for cleansing us from all sin and unrighteousness of which we are guilty. 

The Corinthians were a living proof of this. 

So, if it is true that homosexuality along with many other sins defines life outside the kingdom of God, then  it is also true  that  all such may be redeemed by God.

The Open Acceptance of   Homosexuality in Society is a great Warning Sign!

While homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin, the unconditional acceptance and prevalence of it in our society nevertheless  points to  disturbing  facts.

Considering Romans 1:18-32, we learn about the progressive nature of sin. 

• It all begins with idolatry (1:21-23). 
• From this follows the fact that God hands such a society over.
•  That state of “being handed over” expresses itself in terms of “sexual impurity” (lit. ‘uncleanness’) in the use of our bodies which were originally designed to glorify God. 
• This culminates in  1:26,27 where we  specifically  see   that sexual impurity is described in terms of homosexual acts.  This is the wrath of abandonment – the state of being handed over.  It is that judicial act of God whereby He stops convicting the sinner. He lets them do what they choose to do.  Such was the state of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, when God’s wrath came upon them.

So,  while homosexuality is a forgivable sin, and in a sense no worse than others, yet when it reaches unquestioning  levels of acceptance in a  society,  this it is evidence that God has  handed that society over to a point of no return.  One only has to survey the history of nations to confirm this.

John Mc Arthur says this about his own country: “If you look at America you can look back to the sexual revolution of the 60's, which has now become a homosexual revolution of the 21^st century in which the homosexuals have redefined themselves as a minority, like a racial group of people demanding rights.”  

You see the progression of this also in our neighbouring country, South Africa, which has become the first country in Africa to allow gay marriage,  approving by law the rights of   homosexual  practice in society.  In a number of countries  it now becomes a criminal offence to say anything against homosexuality. It is termed ‘hate speech’ and it is punishable  by law, and may  issue in jail sentence. 

When it becomes the accepted norm for a society, it is clear evidence that God has handed that society over.  Such a society has become irredeemable, because it has heaped up so much sin upon itself that God’s  judgement will certainly come soon. The increasing world- wide acceptance of the LGBT norm tells us that the judgement of God is not far in coming.

What  Should Christians Do?

1. Christians must regard homosexuality as sinful because of its contrariness to the clearly revealed will of God.  Christians affirm that homosexuality is a tragic disorder of God’s creation. We must affirm that homosexual behavior is a sinful departure from God’s will along with all other sinful deviations  such adultery,  fornication, etc.
2. Christians must remember that they too are sinners saved by grace, and therefore they must have compassion for the homosexual person, helping such   to come to repentance and faith in Christ. Christ heals and redeems all those that come to Him. Christians must long for that distorted image of God to be renewed in all sinners.
3. Christians should be involved in the processes of law-making. We should pray and work to shape our culture, its customs and laws, so that it reflects the revealed will of God. We should pray and work that the biblical institution of marriage would be understood by our laws/ government as a lifelong union of one man and one woman.
4. Christians must not give up on or become negative in a society that is overcome with much promiscuity   because we know that Christ really is the sovereign Lord of the universe. Christians are convinced that God will establish justice and purity in due time. Christians groan in anticipation, as per Romans 8:23.   “We ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies”.
5. Christians must not become cynical at the results that this immoral culture produces.  John Piper says, “The salt of the earth does not mock rotting meat”. Where it can, it saves and seasons. And where it can’t, it weeps.” Christians must weep and pray and work for reformation   by God’s power.
6. Christians in the battle against sinful human behaviour must not become hardened with anger.  Christians understand that this is phenomenon is nothing new. Christians are not surprised when our counter – cultural message is interpreted  as ‘hate speech’, for after all that is what Jesus said, “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13).
7. Christians, with loving hearts and weeping eyes must preach the gospel of Christ’s judgement and forgiveness to this sex-crazed society. And with hopeful hearts and open arms we  must welcome sinners  to the Father’s house.