Approval of Homosexual Relationships.
Approving homosexual relationships is denying God’s creative design. Homosexual behavior is a sin. It is “against nature,” against God’s creative design. It is a form of self-worship and idolatry (cf. Romans 1:26). It is written in Leviticus 18:22:
“You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
Let’s set aside the objections of some interpreters to this prohibition, and their arguments that we are now “no longer under the law but under grace.” If so, they should then explain why we should not also disregard the prohibition of incest, adultery, bestiality, and human sacrifices. All of these are condemned in other verses from the same chapter.
The New Testament also disapproves of homosexual practices. Here is what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:26-28:
“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, committing indecent acts with other men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”
Paul further writes in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: “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 have sex with men… will inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Many reinterpret these Scripture passages, claiming they only condemn aggressive homosexual or heterosexual behavior. However, if only aggressive homosexual acts were bad, why does Paul, in the same passage, refer to adultery, idolatry, etc.?
The Apostle Paul couldn’t be clearer when he describes homosexuality as impurity, perversion, when he speaks of degrading passions, and indecent acts! Or when he uses harsh and unequivocal words about the lusts of their hearts (cf. Romans 1:24-28). The practice of homosexuality is wrong because it goes against God’s will for His creation.
It cannot be justified by Scripture. And this remains true even when it occurs within a “loving” lifelong relationship. Heterosexual adultery can also be experienced as lasting love; that doesn’t justify it either.
It is common today to hear arguments of injustice when holding homosexuals accountable for an orientation they may not have chosen. But that misses the point. Whether homosexuals are responsible for their sexual orientation or not has nothing to do with whether their behavior is right or wrong. Explaining behavior is one thing. Justifying it is another.
Many books have recently been published claiming that the Bible never disapproved of same-sex “marriage.” They argue that the Bible only condemns certain homosexual behaviors: rape, temple prostitution, debauchery. They assert that nowhere does the Bible condemn homosexual attraction as such, nor relationships between two consenting adults of the same sex.
These books overlook God’s original design for sexuality and His plan for marriage: the union of a man and a woman to become one flesh, thereby making the emergence of new life possible. In other words, sexual love, as God intended, is more than just strong mutual attraction or a romantic sexual journey.
If that were the meaning of marriage, then “open” and adulterous partnerships, incest, polyamorous relationships with multiple partners should also be approved. After all, such relationships can also be experienced in “love” and over the long term. But obviously, even if that were the case, it wouldn’t make them right or biblical…
This text is an excerpt from the book “Sexuality, Marriage, and God“ written by Johann Christoph Arnold.
We invite you to read the following article “The Hidden War.”
Homosexual Relationships.
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