HOMOSEXUALITY
DEFINITION: Homosexuality is sexual attraction and sexual intimacy with the same sex–men with men, women with women. The term “homosexual” is used to denote men who engage in such practices, and the term “lesbian” is used for females. In some cultures homosexuals are also referred to as being “gay”. Related terms are “transvestite’–one who wears clothing of the opposite sex for sexual gratification–and “transsexuals”, people who claim to be of the opposite sex and sometimes seek surgery and hormone therapy in order to become so.
FACTS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY:
Views about homosexuality. In the past, homosexuality was viewed by most people as being abnormal. In many nations now, the trend is towards acceptance. But the attitudes of people and society are not the important issue. What God says about homosexuality has not changed: “Forever, O Lord. Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89, NKJV).
Homosexuality is sin. Romans 1 explains how homosexuality develops. It is not learned behavior and you are not born that way, neither do you become that way because of your environment. We are all born with the basic sin nature, and homosexuality is one manifestation of sin. As with all sins, forgiveness from God must be sought by one engaging in such activities.
Homosexuality is classified as fornication in the Bible. Fornication is sexual intercourse between people who are not married according to the biblical definition of marriage–which is one man with one woman. Any form of sexual activity outside of marriage is considered fornication by the Bible. Homosexuality is just one of several sins that are called fornication.
Jesus condemned fornication. In Matthew 19:1-8, Jesus condemned any sinful sexual relationships outside of marriage–which includes homosexuality. The established order was to be one man married to and engaging in sex with one woman for life. Homosexuality is a departure from God’s established order for the sexes.
The book of Jude condemns “strange flesh.” It describes how certain men in the church had gone after “strange flesh”, which means “another flesh with the same quality.” A so-called “gay or homosexual church” is not part of the true church because they are not teaching and living by the mandates of God’s Word.
A practicing homosexual who refuses to repent is not a Christian. If you are a practicing homosexual, you are sinning according to God’s Word. As with any sin and other acts of fornication, a true believer can be tempted and drawn into this sin through his lust. But, as with all regressions into evil, you must seek forgiveness and extricate yourself immediately from the sinful lifestyle.
A person who claims to be bi-sexual–desiring and having relations with both men and women–is committing fornication according to the Word of God.
Homosexuality, as all sin, will be judged by God. The good news is that you can be forgiven and escape this judgment: “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 6:9-11).
You can be set free from homosexuality. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, TLB)
You can overcome homosexual temptation. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
DEALING WITH HOMOSEXUALITY:
Do not reject a relative or friend if they are a practicing homosexual or lesbian. Continue to love and pray for them just as you would someone who is unsaved and bound by drugs, prostitution, or other immoral conduct. Condemn the sin, not the sinner. You must, however, take a firm scriptural stand when questioned.
If you are a homosexual or lesbian seeking help, the first step is to agree with what God says about it. It is sin. It is not learned behavior and you were not born that way.
Ask God for forgiveness. Homosexuality is sin, and as with any sin it must be confessed and forgiven. If you are not a born-again believer, accepting Christ as your Savior is the first step towards eliminating homosexuality. If you are a believer who has been tempted and/or committed homosexual acts, ask God for forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9).
Pray a prayer of deliverance. Ask God to deliver you from homosexuality and to restore a healthy, God-given sexual desire.
Do not associate with practicing homosexuals. Seek friends who are not involved in or sympathetic towards the homosexual lifestyle.
Do a spiritual housecleaning. If you have any music, videos, pictures, literature, or clothing that promotes homosexuality, get rid of it. If you are a member of a “gay” group, resign. Remove any homosexual sites from your Internet links.
Renew your mind and keep your new commitment through the Word of God, prayer, and affiliation with a Bible-believing church.
Know that you will be tempted again. Satan will return to tempt you, but you can be assured on the basis of God’s Word that…”No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). When Satan comes with temptation, take control of your mind immediately, submit yourself to God, rebuke Satan, and he will depart (James 4:7). Take the way of escape!
WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY:
They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.” (Genesis 19:5-7)
Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. (Leviticus 18:22)
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable… (Leviticus 20:13)
For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. (Proverbs 5:21)
The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom (a city that flaunted homosexuality); they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. (Isaiah 3:9)
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. (Romans 1:26-27)
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:11-14, 22-23)
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 6:9-11).
The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13)
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-19)
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17, TLB)
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5)
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3)
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
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; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:6)
