Homosexuality (and lesbianism) is the sexual desire directed toward members of one's own sex. Female homosexuality is frequently called lesbianism, from Lesbos, the Greek poetess Sappho. Homosexuality had been condemned in both Leviticus (18:22; 20:13), where it is abhorrent to God, defiling, punishable by death, and in Deuteronomy (23:18), where it is forbidden to bring the hired harlot or homosexual into the house of God in payment of religious vows.. It is usually assumed that the male cult prostitutes were common in heathen shrines but forbidden in Israel (Deut. 23:17), though sometimes prevalent (1 Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7).

  Early Christian reaction is expressed by Paul: homosexuals "will not inherit the kingdom of God" (I Cor. 6:9-10); because of idolatry God gave the heathen up "to dishonorable passions. Any person spiritually born into the kingdom of God is totally cleansed by the blood of Christ. In his spiritual position before God, he is no longer a homosexual or murderer. Ultimately, he will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ with nothing to fear because his sin was paid in full. But in experience, his homosexuality must be crucified daily. He must die to self (old sin nature) and live by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 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 their own persons the due penalty for their error" (Rom. 1:26-27). The Sodom story recurs in Jude 7 ("unnatural lust") and 2 Peter 2:6-7 (lust of defiling passion), perpetuating the tradition that homosexuals were curse.

On the whole, the Church treated homosexuality as a spiritual sin needing spiritual cure rather than a crime for the judicial system to punish, unless linked with other crimes. Homosexuality is a crime against God, one which the voice of nature and reason and the express law of God determine to be capital. 

This is a universal not merely a provincial precept. In recent decades the prevalence of blackmail, suicide, murder, and various crimes related to homosexuality, the difficulties of detention and punishment sending homosexuals to prison is like sending alcoholics to a brewery.

The problem is so great engulfing the whole humanity. Private acts by submissive adults of responsible age without pressure are no longer considered crimes. Some interpret this change as unspoken public approval or indifference. Public tolerance of homosexuals has greatly increased, within and outside the churches and within the Christian ministry, largely through protestation, publicity, clubs, and by uninhibited discussion of the condition's causes.

 The following are essential factors that may contribute to homosexuality.   The attempt to understand these factors are essential to a Christian judgment. It is however very important to free your soul from any biased or prejudiced concepts and let the Word of God to correct your human viewpoint.

(1) Sexual experimentation factor.  The individual's earliest sexual curiosity and experience is usually with his own body, and then with others of the same sex, a puberty phase of homosexual interest is normal. Some adult homosexual interest may therefore concealed development, due to extreme shyness, introversion, and physical inferiority, fear of rejection, the child inability to socialize, or some physical deficiency. For some, such prolonged sexual experimentation becomes a destructive lifestyle.

(2) Sexual frustration factor.   When a normal sexually dissatisfied heterosexual turned to the same sex because of an unhappy love affair, an illness, pathological fear of women/men, or the like may lead to regression, a return to the secretive but safer relief of early puberty. Failure to face the reality of life seek justification and acceptance in the rank of the others who have the same experiences. Homosexuals are made, not born.

 (3) Environmental factors may include artificial all-male society in one-sex school, army, or prison; a wrong relationship between, or with, threat, or with any oversexed adult; male resentment, or protest, against aggressive, predatory, over dominating women, or by women against similar men; unfortunate conflict in childhood and or puberty, with relatives, guardians, teachers who repressed, scorned, terrified, or disgusted the growing mind. The society and environment are not responsible for the making of  homosexuals or lesbians because every person is responsible for his own decision. What you are now is the result of your decisions in the past.

 (4) Biological factors include genetic or hormone factors that condition the individual from birth to respond sexually to his or her own sex; there seems no doubt that in some cases the homosexual disposition can be inborn, prenatal in origin, wholly involuntary, as human observation is per se is concern. However, there is no sperm and egg cells combination that produces the third sex.

(5) Vicious factors include unbridled sensuality, flagrant exhibitionism, and the mischievous desire to shock; exploitation by the depraved of the young, the timid, the mentally unstable, for carnal indulgence; duress, bribery, or blackmail. A homosexual tendency arising from psychological, moral, environmental, accidental, or any influences is said sometimes to yield, as do some other deep-seated disorders, to psychological problems by enticing the underlying, subconscious cause into full consciousness and self-understanding.

All types of homosexuality are curable in the hand of God. But only Bible doctrine can renew the corrupted soul and the process is not easy. God created a 100% man and 100% woman; He created Adam and Eve, not Adam and "Johnny." Homosexual are male, and believers should always treat them as male. But in reality, much of homosexual inclination is spiritual problem that comes from human volition. It is the decision of the soul to become unnatural being rather than unconsciously translated into a homosexual by outside factors.

The above mentioned factors contributed to the rise of the homosexual but the root cause is the soul dominated by emotions fueled by the old sin nature.  This discrimination between condition and conduct is essential to a fair Christian reaction. Homosexual acts continue to arouse disgust. Though ignorance, and fear for the vulnerable, mingles with it, moral repulsion is sometimes a healthy reaction, as that toward wanton cruelty.

 Homosexual activity is essentially unnatural, a perversion of the natural order linking sex with procreation, and so defiance of divine and natural law. Society still disapproves, but discovery of homosexual situations involving those we have loved, trusted, and admired does affect our judgment of their character, trustworthiness, and quality. 

 Known homosexual behavior alienates from normal society, making normal relationships difficult to establish, thus leading to frustration and despair. The acceptance of myths, lies, superstitions, mystical and the unnatural made it easy for mankind to accept homosexuality as normal.

The Christian impersonal love must condemn the use, for sensual purposes, of another's body, mind, and emotions if, as seems inevitable in unnatural relations, that degrades and undervalues the partner. Finally, in the constant conflict between flesh and spirit in Christian life, deliberate cultivation of homosexual sensuality can have no defensible place. For all these reasons, homosexuality is wrong.

 Like all congenital deviations from the normal, established homosexuality has to be lived with. The resulting problem is acute, just in the same way of the immoral heterosexuals. For all such, prostitution or promiscuity may offer constant temptation, but one to be resisted by the help of God. As Christian, we accept the person in every homosexual, but we reject the homosexual in any person. Homosexuality is a mental attitude sin that defies God, His creation and His Bible doctrine by insisting on something abnormal and unnatural before God and men. By negative volition they became homosexuals, by positive volition they can regain their masculinity.

For neither heterosexual nor homosexual is the situation culpable; but the action to which the situation may incline them remain sinful, as unnatural, degrading, contrary to Christian principles, and disadvantageous to the spiritual life and growth. But to say this is to acknowledge that the existence and acuteness of the problem challenge Christian compassion and ministry, and call for ever improving sex education in a Christian context.

The Christians must recognize that prevalent homosexual activity is not liberation but as a symptom of spiritual corruption; an alert church will not exclude but welcome those whose circumstances make Christian living harder for them than for most.

^{J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries}

Verses on Homosexuality

If a man also lies with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them (Lev. 20:13).

'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable (Lev. 18:22)

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 (1 Kings 14:24)

And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as did David his father. And he put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made (1 Kings 15:11-12).

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever praised. Amen. 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. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion (Romans 1:24-2:5).

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 (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). 

JR Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries

 

The Perils of Homosexuality

Homosexuality is a self-destructive lifestyle

The Bible on homosexuality:  People have different viewpoints or opinions, but the final authority is the Word of God, the Bible. Homosexuality is an abomination to God. Homosexuality and lesbianism is a genius satanic scheme designed for destroying the individual and the family. It is a satanic attack on the divine institutions of marriage and family which form the foundation for humanity. When these institutions collapse, all that remains is chaos. The Bible tells us that God ordained marriage starting with the first man and woman.

“A man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

Marriage is  the union of one man and one woman, not the union of one man and one man, both playing the role of woman. Any  union other than this is not marriage in God’s eyes. God designed the male and female bodies to complement each other, to fit. He designed sex for recreation and pro- creation, but only within the boundaries of marriage. When God created human beings, He created a one hundred percent male and a one hundred percent female, and not a 50% percent male with a 50% percent female composition.

Let marriage be held in honor among all and the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge (Hebrews 13:4)

Homosexuality is totally offensive to God as demonstrated by His commandment to the Israelites to execute homosexuals. Homosexuality is a direct violation of divine plan and purpose for human beings. It is more than social or sexual sins; it is a mental attitude sin that violates the design and system established by God.

If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death.  You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. And the Lord said, the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave (Lev.  20:13, 18:22, Gen. 18:20)

In Genesis chapter 19, God Himself exterminated this sexual perversion by destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah where homosexuality was rampant. 

Two angels were sent to Sodom to rescue Lot. The Sodomites wanted to have sex with the angels, but Lot offered them his virgin daughters instead. They insisted on having sex with the angels and tried forcing their way into Lots house until the angels struck them blind.  The next day the angels escorted Lot, his wife, and daughters to safety, and God destroyed the wicked cities.

Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and the entire valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these, indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in under going the punishment of eternal fire (Gen 19:24-25, Jude 1:7)

Abraham was many miles away when he described what he saw in verse 28 of Genesis 19. The Dead Sea now covers the area once known as Sodom and Gomorrah.

And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the valley, and he saw the smoke of the land ascend like the smoke of a furnace (Gen. 19:28)

None of the daughters of Israel shall be a sons of Israel be a cult prostitute. You shall not bring the hire of a harlot or the wages of a dog into the house of the Lord your God . . . for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God (Deut. 23:17-18).

The Hebrew term for dog is used for a male prostitute, sodomite or homosexual. The Hebrews regarded the dogs as unclean animals and the homosexuals as unclean people.

And there were also male cult prostitutes in the land.  They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel (1 Kings 14:24)

God has given each one of us free will; therefore, we are responsible for our own actions. While we are free to engage in homosexuality, the Bible warns that there are consequences for doing so. In Romans 1:26-27, the phrase “God gave them over” means that He allowed, and still allows, free will to function, even to be lascivious, or engage in illicit sex with the same sex and whose minds are occupied with sexual lusts and passions

 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they (homosexuals and lesbians) exchanged the truth of God for a lie... For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own bodies the due penalty of their error (Romans 1:26-27).

Notice the responsibility required by God; to this day, He turns people over to their lusts so that they receive in their own bodies the due penalty of their error. The Christians who ignore this fact suffer divine discipline such as venereal disease, sexually transmitted diseases, or AIDS that may results to sin unto death.

God does not create homosexuals; it is ludicrous to think that He would create something He abhors. It is unnatural for males and females to be physically intimate with others of the same sex. This is not a matter of opinion but of absolute truth, as clearly stated in Romans 1:26-27. Homosexuality and lesbianism are not the will of God for human beings.

It is heartbreaking to see our nation accommodating and open to the homosexual lifestyle, protecting then through legality, giving them recognition and even promoting it.  Same-sex marriages are being performed across the world; gays are admitted into the military; actors, sports personalities and politicians are applauded for being gay; and some denominations are ordaining gay ministers. Some previously conservative countries (like South Korea) are now tolerant and moderate about the gay issue. Homosexuality is now globally acceptable and waiting its explosion.

 

A word of counsel; though shaken or disgusted by these issues, Christians are not to be antagonistic towards gays. “Gay punching” in thought or deed is outside our line of responsibility. Christians are to love homosexuals, but loving them does not mean accepting their degenerate lifestyle. To acknowledge a homosexual is to disregard homosexuality. God commands us to disengage in order to protect ourselves from such degeneracy.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law!

 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you separate from every believer who leads an undisciplined life that is not according to the tradition you have received from us. If anyone does not obey our teaching in this epistle, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he may be put to shame (2 Thess. 3:6, 14)

It is difficult to detach from someone you care about, but to ignore this principle is to encourage them to remain in a lifestyle that is self-destructive. To embrace them is to embrace the lifestyle that is destroying them.

Some people erroneously conclude that homosexuals are going to hell because of their sinful lifestyle. But, God’s grace extends to everyone because His Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for all sins.  Homosexuals are saved the moment they believed in Jesus Christ. In reality, by their non-meritorious act of faith to accept the free gift of salvation they can be saved. On the contrary, the legalistic religious people who rejected the grace of God will be in hell forever.  

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.  He that believeth on the Son has eternal life; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved (John 3:16, 3:36, Acts 16:31).

Believers who engage in homosexuality defy God’s authority; they continually grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. Their continual rejection and resistance against the Word of God keeps them in a perpetual state of carnality so that they cannot grow spiritually. Sooner or later they will experience the unbearable suffering of divine discipline that may results to sin unto death.

What the homosexual believers can do to get out of this dejected state? God’s grace provides the answer. By simply confessing their sins to God, they are totally forgiven and restored to fellowship with Him. Recognizing their sins before God the Father in prayer will make the filling of the Holy Spirit possible so they can receive spiritual nourishment from the Word of God.  There are four simple steps to recovery from homosexuality:

  First  - Confession of sin.. Execute the command to rebound.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)

 Second  - Consistent and persistent submission to accurate Bible teaching

 Third  -   Applying Bible doctrines to life’s issues and problems

 Fourth  - Separation from homosexual or lesbian contemporaries

These steps are simple, but not necessarily easy to follow.  Should a lapse back into previous behavior occur, step number one is the immediate solution to get back on the road to recovery.  Those who have succeeded have repeatedly relied on God’s help.

God extends saving grace to every person, but He judges every nation that accepts homosexuality; ours will be no exception. If our nation is to survive, we must stand firm on the Word of God and refuse to accept homosexuality as a legitimate, acceptable lifestyle.

JR Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries