Homosexuality in the Bible

Download an abridged version of this article.

Listen to Eugene Prewitt’s sermon “Gifts, Jobs, and Homosexuality”

The Origin of Sexuality and of Homosexuality

Human sexuality, along with a pleasing sexual imperative, is introduced at the very beginning of the Bible story. Mankind was created with gender. Gender was created with purpose.

Ge 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:

Compliantly, in the narrative, Adam “knew” his wife and she conceived a son, and then another, and then a third. And though we don’t have details about differing sexual orientations before the flood[1], it is certain that only heterosexuals were on the Ark.[2]

Ge 7:7  And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

Obviously the origin of same-sex attractions significantly predated its rise to the epic proportions apparent in Sodom four centuries after the flood. However rare gay practice must have been at its beginning, we find men and boys (na’ar) from “every quarter” of Sodom involved in the assault on Lot’s home.

How did homosexual practice come into existence? The Bible teaches that it rose as part of a judgment on those that invented idolatry. As they abandoned the true worship of Jehovah, their willful ignorance[3] was judged by God by a two-step process. First, God let them slide into same-sex practice. Then He permitted a “due penalty” (sexually transmitted diseases?) to take its toll.

For although they knew God, they …  exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26  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[4], 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 1:20-28, ESV.

Same-sex Attraction and Sodom

As we have already mentioned, four centuries was long enough to lead to a wholesale adoption of unnatural sexual experiences. Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the same plain, were particularly guilty of immorality. And more particularly, they were pursuing satisfaction of “unnatural” sexual desires, Jude’s word for gay desires.

Jude 1:7  just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. ESV

Some persons have denied that gay lifestyles ought to be fingered as the leading evil of Sodom. They quote Ezekiel as pointing to a different collection of sins. “They were proud, obese, and lazy”, say they, “and unconcerned with social justice.” To this I would reply that Ezekiel is not arguing with Jude and Moses.

Rather, Ezekiel exposes another path to homosexuality. It was a sinful self-indulging environment, something akin to our western idea of prosperity, that led to the rise of Sodom’s violent homosexual mobs.

Ezekiel 16:49  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50  And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

Someone says, “How do you define sexual orientation from the word ‘abomination’”? That is a good question. The convergence of all three lines of evidence points to this conclusion. Those evidences are the story (below), Jude’s phrase “unnatural desire,” and the use of the same Hebrew word in the catalogue of sexual abominations (Leviticus 18.)

In the story Lot entertains angels unawares. We pick up the story after their meal:

Genesis 19:4  But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Their evil serves to demonstrate the moral character of the urban center.

Moses, who authored the story of Sodom, also very directly connects Ezekiel’s word for “abomination” with homosexual practice in the catalogue of sexual perversions, Leviticus 18. There to’ebhah (abomination) is first used for what God abhors. (Earlier references are to what Egyptians abhor).

There God’s abhorrence of perverse sexual sin is offered as a leading reason why God expelled the Canaanites from their land.

Le 18:22  Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 23  Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. 24  Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25  And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27  (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) 28  That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. 29  For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations , even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30  Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable  customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Le 20:13  If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

When you considering these passages, when you think of Jude’s statement that the Sodom dwellers were pursuing “strange flesh,” when you read the Genesis story itself, it is not hard to identify Sodom’s notable sin. In view of these things there can be no reasonable doubt regarding the meaning of the “abomination” of Sodom mentioned in Ezekiel 16:50 as the immediate cause of their destruction.

Gender Confusion and Egyptian Habits

Deuteronomy identifies other abominations: idolatry (and such associated practices as burning infants in the fire), eating of unclean meats, profits from prostitution, experimental divorce[5] and defective offerings.

Additionally, Deuteronomy forbids prostitutes and “sodomites.” The ESV renders the word as “male cult prostitutes.” Regardless of the version, the word denotes homosexual ritual sex. And it is forbidden.

De 23:17  There shall be no whore {margin: sodomitess} of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18  Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog[6], into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

One other gender-oriented “abomination” is mentioned by Moses. That is the act of cross-dressing.

De 22:5  “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.

Think about this question: Why would cross dressing be particularly evil? How this would be immoral is difficult to conceive unless one accepts the idea that a confusion of gender roles is abhorrent to God.  Weighty are the implications as they relate to homosexuality.

Leviticus’ larger prohibition against homosexuality, already mentioned above, is found in a section of the Torah that deals with many types of sexual sins. That section is introduced with a prohibition of the evils that Egypt committed (Leviticus 18:3). Did these practices include homosexual activity as the chapter goes on to forbid? One of the more respected Jewish historians (Moses Maimonides) thought so.  He summarize an ancient midrash on Leviticus 18:3.

For women to be [married] with one another is forbidden, as this is the practice of Egypt, which we were warned against: “Like the practice of the land of Egypt … you shall not do” (Leviticus 18:3). The Sages said [in the midrash of Sifra Aharei Mot 8:8–9], “What did they do? A man married a man, and a woman married a woman, and a woman married two men.”[7]

Sodom II and Homosexuality in the Time of the Kings

Seven centuries after fire destroyed Sodom, history largely repeated itself in an Israeli town of Benjamin. Again travelers are hosted. Again the host is assaulted by would-be gain rapists with a same-sex preference. But no angels are there, so a victim dies at the hands of the mob. The narrative ends with the near extinction of the entire tribe of Benjamin.

God authorized and empowered this massacre of those who protected the wrong-doers. See Judges 19-20. Only a few hundred Benjamite males survived the war. The genocidal solution to the Benjamite abomination assured that the particular perversion would come to a dead end.

Nevertheless, less than two centuries later, homosexual activity appears again. The Bible again reminds us that it had been homosexual religious rituals that warranted the expulsion of the original inhabitants of Canaan.

1 Kings 14:22  And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23  For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. 24  And there were also sodomites ^<qadesh> in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

Two of the next three generations sought to remove the homosexual prostitutes from the land. Asa “took away the sodomites ^<qadesh> out of the land,” and his son removed “the remnant of the sodomites ^<qadesh> which remained in the days of his father Asa.” 1 Kings 15:12; 22:46.

Much later, the last good king of Judah again took up this work of removing abominations that threatened national stability. Josiah removed the “houses of the sodomites” that were in the vicinity of the temple. But it appears he was unable to uproot the gay practitioners from the nation generally.

2Ki 23:7  And he brake down the houses of the sodomites ^<qadesh> that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.24  And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

Josiah’s children witnessed Babylon’s complete victory over the forces of Judah and the scattering of the people. The heathen had been cast out of the land for abominations earlier. Now Judah was cast out for its abominations. The two that are mentioned repeatedly throughout their history were idolatry and ritual homosexuality.

Paul on Homosexual Behavior

When the remnant of the captivity returned to Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah, the idolaters (and apparently, the homosexuals) were not among them. Even in Jesus’ day, idolatry was yet despised by the Jews. And there is no record of homosexual interest of any type in Judah while Jesus was teaching. His frequent allusions to marriage are always to the union of a man and of a woman.

But the state of things in Judea differed a great deal from the state of things in the larger sphere of Rome. In the empire itself idolatry was everywhere prevalent. And sources outside of scripture confirm what we find implicitly in Paul’s writings, that homosexual practice also abounded.

This simple contrast, between the sexual orientation of Judeans and the sexual orientation of Roman persons, illustrates the connection between the religion of God and the sexual experience. Where His religion prevailed monogamous heterosexuality did also. Where paganism prospered, sexual immorality of every kind existed. Every list of serious sins in the New Testament includes one or more references to sexual evils.

In his letter to the Romans, the apostle addresses the joint origin of same sex attractions and idolatry. (See the first portion of this article.)

But he first contrasts the practical outworking of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17) with the guilty practice of “unrighteousness” by those that “hold the truth.” He warns the Roman believers that God is known in this world by the character of those that profess to believe in Him. And, accordingly, God’s wrath is kindled against wicked professed Christians. (Romans 1:18-19).

Even heathen, however, have enough evidence in nature of God’s power and existence to make them accountable for their moral choices. They should cherish what they can learn about God. Otherwise, their choices will lead them to greater darkness (idolatry) even while they think they are being enlightened. (Romans 1:20-23.)

From this introduction Paul moves directly into his statements on the unnatural[8] nature of same sex attractions. It is apparent, in their connection with the previous verses, that the Roman believers would merit wrath if they were to imitate the heathen in regard to indulgence of same-sex attractions. They would be like those who were changing the “truth of God” “into a lie” by idolatry.

Romans 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: 25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

Paul went on to explain that these homosexual idolaters, when they preferred not to “retain God in their knowledge,” were eventually handed over by God to their own desires. The result of that was a life filled with evil fruits including “fornication,” “murder,” “malignity,” etc. The long list of evil leads, the apostles says, to persons who are “proud, boasters, inventers of evil things, disobedient to parents, without natural affection.”

The fact that society at large is full of these same fruits should not shock us. Jesus characterized even his own age as “adulterous and sinful,” Mark 8:38.

How does Paul tie off his discussion of sinful behavior? He shares two solemn thoughts.

First he reproves those “who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Christians are guiltier than others when they permit themselves to slip into perversion.

In fact, Christians may fellowship and befriend perverted persons in the world in an effort to help them. But when believers, members of the church, practice immorality (or other abhorrent and open sins) they are not to be fellowshipped. Friendly association with them, like eating together, that might communicate approval of their behavior, is forbidden to Christians.

1 Corinthians 5:9  I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—10  not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world[9]. 11  But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

This balances Paul’s other truth (Romans 2:1-4) that guilty persons are the least charitable in their evaluation of other people. They are the ones inclined to “judge” those with wicked behavior. And by their lack of mercy they show that they have no just appreciation of God’s mercy to them. This is the explanation of how they became hard-hearted: They never cherished God’s “goodness and forbearance and longsuffering,” the very traits that could have led them to repentance.

Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2  But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3  And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4  Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? — NKJV

To summarize the long passage (Romans 1:16-2:4), God’s gospel condemns sin especially in those who hold the truth. Homosexual activity is described as being originally part of the experience of backsliders. They are in danger of being abandoned to their desires. But while we recognize evil for what it is, we ought not to become what LGBT persons call “haters.” We know God’s lethal judgments against sexual sins, but we also cherish the fact that God has been forbearing and merciful to us. We know that God’s mercy is what led us to turn away from sin. And it is sensible, then, that it will lead others to do the same.

From Homosexual Acts to Holiness, the Gospel for Gays and Lesbians

To be tempted is to be tested. To fall is to sin. These two thoughts express the difference between sinful urges and sinful practice. By extension, they illustrate how a gay man may live a holy life. Though tempted, he may live victoriously.

But victory today never atones for sin yesterday. The man who wants holiness must turn away from sins. He must forsake both the thoughts and the actions that amounted to surrender to same-sex urges.

Isa 55:7  let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Is there any Biblical evidence that a man ever did gain victory over a homosexual lifestyle? Indeed, there is explicit testimony that in Corinth heathen homosexuals did find Jesus and the gospel to be powerful enough to set them free from their sin.

ESV 1Co 6:9  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, {The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts [10]}  10  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11  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.

Three of the condemned evils (four if we count both words for homosexual partners) are related to sexual conduct. Paul goes on to explain that the body was created with a purpose. It was created to be a habitation for the Lord Jesus. When Christ lives in us, we become “one spirit with him.” (1 Co 6:18.) And when the body of a Christian is used for immoral behavior (like visiting a whore), he wickedly unites himself as “one flesh” with the sexual partner. “Should members of Christ,” Paul asks, “becomes members of a harlot? Never!”

1Cor 6:13 The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14  And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!  16  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”[11] 17  But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18  Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.

Marriage sanctifies the union of a man with a woman. It is apparent that the bodies of both were made for such a union. And the complementary nature of the male and female person extends far beyond the obvious physical shapes of each. (Marriage complements the genders as thoroughly as they complement each other. When God makes things to go together, they fit well. “All his ways are perfect,” De 32:4.)

Paul’s argument about what the body was “meant for” (v. 13) relates directly to the issue of homosexuality. Does this need to be explained? The body wasn’t made for that. Men don’t complement each other. Neither do ladies complement each other. Laws permitting same-sex marriage can’t overcome this incongruity regarding what the body was “meant for.”

Various Aspects of Immorality and the Christian

Paul’s letters to Christian churches in pagan centers all mention “sexual immorality.” Often it is named under more than one heading, as in the letter to the Corinthians above that mentioned the “immoral,” the “adulterers,” the “effeminate,” (KJV) and the “abusers of themselves with mankind” (KJV).

To the Galatians, just before listing the famous “fruits of the spirit,” Paul listed the less-known “evident” “works of the flesh.” The first three of fourteen are sexual sins. And the last is “orgies.” He concludes the list with a warning that persons with these works “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Ga 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, Ga 5:20  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, Ga 5:21  envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Other lists of sins that exclude men from heaven include John’s mention of immoral persons outside the city (Revelation 21:8; 22:15). Similar thoughts are found in the letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 4:19, 5:4-5.) And in that letter we find the common-sense reason that Paul doesn’t describe sordid details of the immorality he condemns.

Eph 5:12  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

When Paul did not detail in his letter to the Ephesians, he did describe more fully in his letter to their lead pastor, Timothy. From that letter it appears likely that even sex slavery existed in that city. (Children and young ladies have always been the persons victimized by slave makers in urban centers. Only they are typically weak enough to be so abused.) Timothy is also apprised that general immorality and homosexuality are both “contrary to sound doctrine” and out of harmony with the “glorious gospel.”

1 Timothy 1:8  Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9  understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10  the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexual behaviour, enslavers, {That is, those who take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery [12]} liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11  in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. – ESV

Cause and Prevention of Immoral Behavior: Fantasizing and Masturbation

Jesus didn’t mention homosexual behaviour, except by his direct affirmation of male-female marriage. But the Savior did touch on sexual sin in a way highly relevant to the question of same sex attractions. Jesus explained that sexual sin begins in the mind with lustful thinking about someone other than one’s spouse.

Mt 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

From this we can gather that fantasizing about someone other than your spouse is a violation of the seventh commandment. This is, by a simple extension, an explanation of the demoralizing power of masturbation. The practice of autoeroticism is part of the evil of fantasizing. It is an addictive behavior that weakens moral power.

The relation of this to homosexual activity is not stated by a prophet. But neither was it unperceived by the translators of the King James Bible. When they called the active person in gay sex an “abuser” of one’s self “with mankind,” (1 Corinthians 6:9) they were using phraseology that was a thinly veiled allusion to what was called “self-abuse” and “self pollution” in the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Autoeroticism is, in other words, a same-sex sexual experience. It is an indulgence practiced, not as a result of warm care for one’s self, but of a hunger for sexual stimulation. Practiced largely by heterosexuals, it shows how straight orientation can find a perverted satisfaction in sex devoid of true love.

The result of its widespread practice cannot but be expected to weaken morality to an alarming extent. And as a cause of same-sex attraction, weakened morality is certainly fingered in Romans 1.

The letter to the Hebrews doesn’t mention homosexual activity. But it offers an insight into the root cause of immoral behavior. Bitterness in the home is like a plague, or like a weed that grows up and causes problems to many persons (not just to the bitter one.) One of those problems is sexual immorality. And as bitterness causes immoral behavior, so a careful considering of Jesus represses both the bitterness and its varied fruits.

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;  16  that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

A few verses later Paul shares two other correctives to the moral degradation of society: promoting a universal respect for the marriage institution and warning persons regarding the judgment of God against the “immoral and adulterous.”

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

These practical ideas are not to be confused with the gospel. It is the ultimate cure for immoral habits and addictions. And while it is not the purpose of this article to explain righteousness by faith, it certainly fits within its scope to recommend a study of the topic. Before I conclude this study, let me cite one most-precious statement from the pen of Ellen White:

All are free moral agents, and as such they must bring their thoughts to run in the right channel. Here is a wide field in which the mind can safely range. If Satan seeks to divert the mind to low and sensual things, bring it back again and place it on eternal things; and when the Lord sees the determined effort made to retain only pure thoughts, He will attract the mind, like the magnet, purify the thoughts, and enable them to cleanse themselves from every secret sin. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).  {2MCP 595.2}

Conclusion

Monogamous heterosexual activity was created in Eden as God’s plan for mankind. The couple’s joint worship of their Creator fulfilled the second of two of the purposes God had for the human body. The first was to be a physical complement to a spouse. The second was to be a spiritual complement to the indwelling Spirit of God.

But from Eden things went downhill fast. God’s plan for marriage gave way to bigamy (Genesis 4:19), and then to widespread disregard of God’s wishes even by the descendants of Seth (Genesis 6:1-7.)  Then came the flood. Jewish sources mention same-sex marriage as existing both before the flood (and also in Moses’ time in Egypt.) Whether or not these are reliable, we know that by the time of Lot, same-sex lust was highly prevalent in Sodom.  Jude styles homosexual desires as “going after strange flesh.” Jude 1:7.

Men did not want to retain thoughts of a holy God. So they escaped feelings of conviction by honoring images. God punished this unnatural worship attraction by an equally unnatural sexual orientation. Men and women were abandoned to same-sex attraction.

What God illustrated by the destruction of Sodom, Moses spelled out in Leviticus 18 and 20: God condemns homosexual activity and classes it with the deadly abominations.

Soon after the days of Moses, homosexual practice reared its head in the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe harbored the violent sexual offenders to their shame and nearly to their tribal extinction. Thus was rewarded their bravado in facing the wrath of the whole church over their protection of the sinners.

The gospel adds to Moses’ prohibition a promise of pardon to those who will turn away from their sin.

Joh 1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

While the gospel offers pardon, it does not condone the sin. Sexual evils are pointed out and condemned in the epistles. Among those described are homosexual activities.

In our day, those who take the Bible as their rule of life have no reason to be confused regarding God’s view of same-sex attraction. It is unnatural. And they have no reason to doubt how God regards homosexual fantasizing and practice. It is evil. And they have no reason to hate or despise those who sin sexually. The whole world sins sexually.

But Christians that sin sexually and openly are not to be fellowshipped lest the moral values of the church be misrepresented. (Disfellowshipped persons should be loved and cared for. As part of the world, they may be treated with the same grace extended to other worldly persons. See 2 Corinthians 2.)

Why are persons confused on the topic of same-sex sexuality? If they trust in the “wise men” of the world, they are outwitted until they can’t see anything in the Bible on the topic. If they trust their feelings, they sympathize with persons who have same-sex attractions and no apparent legitimate outlet for their affections.

But feelings mislead as surely as do the wise men of the world. God has provided proper social satisfaction to gay men and to lesbian women in celibate living[13], and in some cases, in heterosexual love. This article, on what the Bible teaches, is not a venue for testimony. But venues can be found.

And it will be seen that those that turn from their sin, no matter how preciously it has been held, never have cause to regret it. God’s holy plan at Creation is the only truly satisfying one.

The End

[1] It does appear, however, that homosexual practice prevailed to some extent before the flood. “[Around us] there is a strange abandonment of principle, the standard of morality is lowered, and the earth is fast becoming a Sodom. The Sodomitish practices which brought the judgment of God upon the world, and caused it to be deluged with water, and which caused Sodom to be destroyed by fire, are fast increasing.” {TSB 120.3}. It should be noted, however, that Ellen White uses phrases similar to “Sodomitish practices” in plural, and at least once to describe sexual abuse of children. See TSB 124-125.

[2] Ham’s unnatural crime of viewing his father’s drunken nakedness in sport, was singularly punished by a curse on his descendants. But though this was a same-sex incestual-like viewing, the text treats it rather as base disrespect than as incestual attraction.

[3] “They did not like to retain God in their knowledge…” Romans 1:28, KJV.

[4] LGBT scholars have labored to mute the Bible’s teachings on homosexual activity. This has been done, often, by appealing to various Greek and Hebrew words and arguing that they are not properly translated in Bibles that associate them with homosexuality. In other arguments they suggest that the idea of “gender” is a recent one and therefor any reference to same-sex acts must be to presumed heterosexuals committing them. In other cases they argue that it the violent aspect of same-sex interest that is condemned, not the interest itself. To all these vain arguments the Bible narrative gives a direct rebuttal. The homosexual individuals of Romans burned in their same sex attraction.

[5] My phrase for divorcing someone without Biblical grounds, trying out someone else as a marriage partner, and thinking better to leave her and come back to the original wife. See Deuteronomy 24.

[6] Some understand the parallelism between verse 17-18 to make this a derogatory word for male prostitute. And this would cast some light on Revelation 22:15. But I don’t know what to think of this.

[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_and_Judaism; accessed 6/26/14

[8] Unnatural, in this context, means “contrary to God’s created order.” It does not mean, “contrary to the urges one honestly feels.” There is another way to use the word “natural.” Many adulterers, for example, feel very “right” about adulterous sex and find it perfectly natural to gravitate to their guilty partner. They naturally (by feelings) commit an unnatural (unlike God’s created order) act.

[9] See verse 1. The Corinthian contained immorality that scandalized even heathen ears.

[10] Textual note by the translators, not by the author of this paper.

[11] See Genesis 2:24. The phrase “cleave unto his wife” is similar to what God asks of us, that we “cleave” to him. Deuteronomy 10:20.

[12] Textual note by the translators.

[13] Some persons born with cerebral palsy, and others born as “eunuchs,” are handicapped. But we understand that they may have hope of a fulfilling and unhandicapped afterlife. Likewise, some gay and lesbian persons may have to look to heaven for their ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction. Being born with a weakness never has been a legitimate excuse for a Christian to misbehave. It is just a reason to cherish hope for a better tomorrow.