One of the most enduring moral issues in the Christian tradition is sexual diversity. For many Christians, one of the most frequently asked questions on this topic is, “What does the Bible say about same-sex attraction?”
So, is being gay a sin? Now, let’s analyze this question in light of a common belief: the Bible.
Is Being Gay a Sin?
No! At least for today’s times, that’s an absolute yes. However, many years ago, homosexuality was frowned upon and even verbally abused.
What did Jesus say to homosexuals?
“God loves you more than you can imagine, and he calls you to walk with God in love and to love one another,” as he said to everyone else.
Jesus also said, “Whoever sees a woman and has lustful thoughts about her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This means that for a normal male, even though he is heterosexual, to have sexual fantasies in his heart when he sees a member of the opposite sex is a sin.
So, is being gay a sin? If so, then why is heterosexuality not a sin?
How the Bible described?
Although it is unlikely for many people of faith that the writers of the Bible had any concept of sexual orientation (for example, the word homosexual was not coined until the late 19th century), the Bible is still seen as a timeless guide to explaining what sexual orientation means. Glorifying God with our lives surely includes our sexuality.
The Bible says in Romans 1:27, “So likewise the men, when they have abandoned the submissive use of the woman, and have lusted after one another, and men with men have done shameful things, have received in themselves the recompense which is due to them for this presumption.”
It is clear that Paul calls such behavior by gay men “an unreasonable thing.” This irrationality itself is contrary to God’s creation and physically offensive to God, so it is necessarily sinful.
However, when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the sin of betrayal against God entered human life.
Because of sin, it led to problems in man’s relationship with man, as well as problems in man’s relationship with God.
Romans 5:12 says, “It is as if sin entered the world from one man, and death from sin, and so death came to all men, for all have sinned.”
David also said, “I was born in sin. In sin was sin in my mother’s womb.”
Sin is the behavior that separates us from God; sin is the behavior that keeps us from loving our neighbor as ourselves. Bullying is a sin, hating others is a sin, putting ourselves in God’s place, and judging others is a sin. However, homosexuality is not a sin.
Does the Bible condemn homosexuality?
There are some, but no need to be concerned.
There are very few passages in the Old and New Testaments that refer to God’s condemnation of specific sexual behaviors, and these passages condemn cults, prostitution, gang rape, and homosexuality in certain words.
However, sexual orientation is not sinful for anyone. It was wrong for the Church to misuse the Bible to condemn Galileo, and it is wrong to misuse the Bible to condemn LGBTQ+ people.
What You Can Find in the Bible?
Leviticus 18 & 20
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
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.
Romans 1:18-32
For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 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.
Corinthians 6:9-10
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, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Homies You Need to Know:
“Christians can conclude from the Bible that ‘God doesn’t like same-sex unions.’ Christians can disagree from a religious point of view, but not socially hinder the rights of homosexuals.”
The Bible was written over 2,000 years ago in a much different social environment than today, and modern society is filled with many things that the Bible does not mention. Does the Bible say anything about people being able to take airplanes and fly in the sky?
Therefore, when modern people read the Bible, what they should learn is the “spirit” of it, not the literal meaning.
God did not create a perfect man, and when a man sets his mind to change his state of life and get out of the lowly things, the rest of God will be responsible to the end. Jesus came to save every sinner, including homosexuals, of course, and when a person is willing to leave his or her original state of life and live holy in all things, this must be a matter of great importance to God.
Tanya L Bressette