WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT LGBTQ+?

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. (Hebrews 13:4, ESV)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality (1 Corinthians 6:9)

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination (Leviticus 20:13)

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Is God anti-gay?  

No, but God is against everyone who lives for and values themselves more than God (Ezra 8:22).  For those who embrace the identity of “homosexual,” “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” “transgender,” or “queer,” they have chosen an identity apart from God (1 John 3:9-10).  God is against their sin (Romans 3:10-12,23), and they are storing up His wrath for themselves (Romans 2:5).  The good news is that God is patient towards us, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4).  God shows us His amazing love through the sacrificial, substitutionary death of His Son Jesus on the Cross while we were still choosing to live life our own way (Romans 5:6-11).  God wants everyone who has chosen the identity of gay to admit and turn from their sin, believe He lovingly died on the Cross and rose from the grave, and confess Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9-10).

God “desires that all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

What does the Bible say about homosexuality?  

Homosexuality is repeatedly condemned as sin without qualification or nuance. Romans 1:24-32, Genesis 19 , Leviticus  18:22 ; 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 , Galatians 5:19-21 , Ephesians 5:3-6, 1 Timothy 1:9,10 , Jude 7.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.  For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; [27] 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.  [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.  (Romans 1:26-28)

Homosexuality is the embracing and practice of same-sex lusts, desires, acts, pride, and identity. Homosexuality is contrary to God’s portrayal of the Gospel in marriage and is contrary to His creation of nature, physically, anatomically, reproductively, and a perversion of His plan for sexual pleasure.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9 – ESV “nor men who practice homosexuality” (refers to passive & active partners in homosexual acts)

  • Malakos (Greek) – effeminate, of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man, submits his body to unnatural lewdness

  • Arsenokoites (Greek) – homosexual, one who lies with a male as with a female, sodomite, homosexual (1 Tim 1:10, 1 Cor 6:9)

This is not a new or modern day issue.  Paul writes to Christians in Corinth, saying (to include reference to the sin of homosexuality), “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 Corinthians 6:11).

Is someone born gay?  Does God create homosexuals?  

No, someone is not born gay or created by God to be homosexual.  God does not tempt anyone with sin or evil (James 1:13-15), such as the sin of homosexuality (Romans 1:24-32, Genesis 19 , Leviticus  18:22 ; 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:3-3 , 1 Timothy 1:9,10 , Jude 7).  Just as there is no genetic excuse for anger, murder, lust, adultery, greed, theft, or lying, there is no genetic excuse for homosexuality or any other sin.

Everyone is born with inherited sin with both guilt of and inclination towards sin (Romans 5:12, Jeremiah 17:9, Psalm 51:3-5).  We all then choose to sin against our Creator by failing to treasure and value God above any other thing.  We all morally rebel against God’s commands and will be held accountable according to His perfect, Holy standard (Romans 3:10-12, 23).

Our family and cultural environment may influence us toward a particular type of sin, but sin is ultimately a personal choice of law breaking that we make.  We should not be surprised or shocked when non-believers do not understand God’s truths or yield to obey His plans.  Such ongoing submission to and choice of sin as their practice and identity reveals their lost state.

Is same-sex attraction a sin?  

No.  Same-sex attraction describes the temptation towards choosing the sin of homosexuality.  When homosexual attraction is embraced as an acceptable desire, action, or identity, then it becomes sinful intent.  When same-sex attraction is recognized as leading towards sin, dishonorable passions, and unnatural actions, it can be resisted through the power of a relationship with Christ.  Thus, same-sex attraction is not a sin in itself, but is a temptation that must be resisted.  Accordingly it is often more helpful to refer to people as experiencing same-sex attraction rather than to identify them by the sin of homosexuality.

In a similar way, heterosexual attraction is not sinful in itself.  When heterosexual attraction is embraced as an acceptable desire, action, or identity outside of God’s plan of marriage between one man and one woman for life, it becomes lustful and adulterous sin (Romans 1:24-32, James 1:12-15, and Matthew 5:27-32).

Can someone be a gay Christian?  

No.  It is not possible to simultaneously embrace or identify with a sin while simultaneously claiming to having yielded their lives to Christ’s lordship.  It is possible to be a Christian who struggles with same-sex attraction yet recognizes homosexuality as sin and actively resists their fleshly desires.

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. [10] By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:9-10 ESV)

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.  (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Should Christians be for or against homosexual marriage, unions, and adoptions? 

Is it right to “force” biblical beliefs on a nation that is primarily non-Christian?  

The Bible is described as God’s voice.  Even though our nation and others are not primarily Christians, God is sovereign over them.  When a nation’s leaders or people disregard, disrespect, and disobey God, there are consequences.  When we ignore the Bible it shows we are ignoring God by shutting our ears to His voice.

God tells us through the prophet Samuel that: (1 Samuel 12:14-15) “If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well. [15] But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king.”

We (Christians) should want it to go well for our country, its people and its leaders.  We don’t want our God against our nation.  Moralism will not save our nation.  A God-centered heart will rescue our nation from further consequences of our sin.  We need to pray that our nation begins to fear, serve, and obey the Lord and stop rebelling against His good plan.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

How should we treat family and friends who are in homosexual sin?

Love them.  Do not hide the truth from them.  Do not avoid them, but be careful not to be drawn into whatever sins they are in love with.  Show them you care for them.  Be compassionate.  Be humble.  Be prepared to give answers to the questions they may have about God and His good plan of sexuality.  Pray for them. Intercede to God on their behalf, that God changes their hearts.  It is never too late for the Gospel.

What should I do if I am struggling with same-sex attraction or homosexual sin? 

  • Trust in Christ if you never have.  Moralism, or being good, does not save you.  Only an ongoing, trusting relationship with Jesus can save you.

  • Test yourself to ensure you are in the faith.  If you have a habitual, ongoing sin read the book of 1 John.  If you say you are a Christian, but you continue to walk in sin, you show you love the darkness and the world more than you love the light & Christ, and you are not be a Christian at all. (1 John 1:6)

  • If you are a Christian and are struggling with sin seek help.

  • Recognize that your sexual feeling is not your identity, you are much more than your sexuality.

    • Confess – Confess your sin. Be honest and open with God. (1 John 1:9)

    • Repent - Turn from the evil you’ve been practicing.

    • Be In God’s Word – It has all the answers.  Discover them.

    • Recognize that singleness is a gift from God (1 Corinthians 7).  Ask God to remove your same-sex attractions and to change your desires and attractions towards the opposite-sex.

    • Be In Prayer – Ask God for help.  You have God’s Spirit alive in you.  Stop grieving Him and start talking to Him.

    • Be In Church – Connect with a local, Bible-teaching church.  Outside of the church is referred to “Satan’s realm.”  Be connected with Christ through a local body of believers.

    • Be With Believers – Confess your sin struggle with a Christian.  Ask them to pray for you.  Ask them to help you.  Seek their encouragement.

 

What about gender identity issues? 

Similar to same-sex attraction, gender confusion itself is not a sin.  When someone embraces a gender identity apart from their biological, genetically verifiable, God-given identity, it is sin.  God created mankind “male and female” (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139, 1 Corinthians 6:9).  When someone identifies, acts, or dresses contrary to their biological gender, they have rebelled against God’s creative plan.  

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27  ESV)

Promoting gender as a choice does great harm with both earthly and eternal consequences (Jeremiah 7:23).  Rejecting God’s plan and instead choosing to trust in one’s feelings (Jeremiah 17:9-10) and following one’s fleshly desires (1 John 2:15-16) results in eternal death (Proverbs 14:12).

“A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5 ESV)

“But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’” (Jeremiah 7:23 ESV)

For more see: “What Does the Bible Say About Gender?” www.trustworthyword.com/gender


What about polygamy? Pedophilia? Bestiality? 

Although these issues may not be widespread in our current days, there has been both previous cultural embracement of such sin and clear biblical condemnation of such sin (Deuteronomy 17:17, Genesis 2:24, 1 Timothy 3:2,12, Titus 1:6, Ephesians 5:22-33; Galatians 5:16-21, Romans 1:31, 2 Timothy 3:2, Matthew 18:1-14; Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:15-16, Deuteronomy 27:21).  We are warned by Scripture that history repeats itself so we must be prepared for such a repetition of unlawful and unholy sexual activity.

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 ESV)

 

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR BIBLICAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND GENDER IDENTITY

www.covenanteyes.com     www.gotquestions.org

“10 Myths About Lust” by Jared Moore (http://cbmw.org/men/manhood/10-myths-about-lust )

Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions about Homosexuality, the Bible, and Same-Sex Attraction  by Sam Allberry

God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines, Edited by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert : An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

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