“Why is God against homosexuality?” That could have been the question she asked. Instead, after sharing how much she enjoyed the community and lessons of Christianity, she revealed that she was taken aback after hearing a sermon that condemned homosexuality as sin. She stared at me puzzled, wondering what could ever be wrong with homosexuality. After all, she knew gay people. That was reason enough to know that what they were doing wasn’t wrong. And for that same reason, she couldn’t fully embrace the faith.
Even as believers, we sometimes fall into this trap. Someone close to us comes out of the closet, a sibling, a friend, even a parent, and suddenly the action that we regarded as sin a minute ago is suddenly virtue. Interestingly, we don’t take this perspective with laziness, addiction, gossip, arrogance, or other sins. Only homosexuality.
Why the special treatment?
If we turn away from our culture and toward Scripture, we see a clear-cut depiction of why homosexuality is sinful. First, Jesus explains what sin is with, “So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.” And homosexuality is specifically condemned in various passages in both the Old and New Testaments:
“You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable.” (Leviticus 18:22)
“If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed a detestable act. They must be put to death; their death is their own fault.” (Leviticus 20:13)
“Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males...” (1 Corinthians 6:9)
“For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.” (Romans 1:26-27)
“...for the sexually immoral and males who have sex with males, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.” (1 Timothy 1:10-11)
In the various depictions of marriage in the Bible, homosexuality is never one. If God were a proponent of this, why omit such a union?
Though Scripture is clear that homosexuality is sinful, what is not so clear is why. The reasons why God is against homosexuality are not so defined, and require some additional digging.
Let’s take a look at 5 potential reasons God is against homosexuality:
Not God’s Design for Sex
One of the most apparent reasons homosexuality is against God’s will is the inability to procreate. Supporters of homosexuality correctly cite that not every straight couple can have babies. Yet, while select couples cannot have babies, reproduction is still possible in such a union. In fact, that’s the only way to produce children. God gave the commandment to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). Homosexuality prevents this from happening.
We can all agree that sex can be pleasurable, but sex also serves the vital purpose of creating life.
Not God's Design for Marriage
There are no examples of gay marriage in the Bible. Not one. Whenever homosexuality is shown or described, the writers portray these actions as sinful. Why would God in all His wisdom, want Scripture to portray homosexuality as bad if He supported the idea? Why omit any positive examples of gay marriage or gay relationships?
The answer is that God specifically designed us as male and female, and in this design, He made us compatible with one another. He made males and females different, yet made us for one another. Marriage is the ultimate expression of such a union (Mark 10:6-9).
Pride
As the LGBTQ+ community continues to reveal, when we accept our sin and decide not to repent, that sin becomes hardened. And as the sin hardens, another sin enters the picture - pride.
There’s a reason Scripture talks so much about the humble being exalted (Matthew 23:12). God helps those seeking change. When we become prideful in our sin, we lack a desire to change. Instead, we’ve come to accept our own behavior and expect the same of others. Scripture warns, however, with pride, comes our own destruction (Proverbs 16:18).
All Love Is Not God
Supporters of homosexuality often say, “Love is love.” At a glance, this vague statement sounds reasonable, or at the very least, feels true. However, as most people know, you cannot properly define a word with the word itself. So, what is love?
Scripture defines love as sacrificial, putting the will of another above your own. Jesus is a perfect example, and there are a great many passages that speak to the concept of love.
Some people say love is love and they simply mean they want to pursue whatever attraction they feel. That’s not love. That’s lust, unbridled desire. We could say that all anger is anger, but as Scripture makes clear, not all anger is good (James 1:19-20).
When we apply the actual definition of love to relationships, there is no doubt that a man could put the will of his boyfriend above his own. However, relationships are not limited to the two people involved, God is in the mix. Are you putting God’s will above your own?
Scripture Says So
The most obvious and self-evident reason is that Scripture calls homosexuality sin. Moreover, homosexuality along with sins like lying, are considered an “abomination” to God (Proverbs 12:22). We won’t know the why behind every word spoken by God, but we know His stance.
Supporters of homosexuality often cite that being gay is “natural” and “inherent”. Science has never and will never identify a “gay gene,” however, they are correct. Sin is natural, but natural doesn’t equal right.
For some people, lying feels natural, abuse, cursing, laziness. We all have our sins that we do naturally (Romans 3:23). Doing the right thing may even feel unnatural. However, right is right, and wrong is wrong.
Sometimes the lines are blurry, but not with this issue.
In Conclusion
Similarly, to a future alcoholic born out of an alcoholic and abusive family, this is often the case for people who come out as gay. Often there is a father missing from the picture and sexual abuse that occurred at a young age. Sin does indeed produce more sin, in ourselves and potentially in ourselves. The course of sin can be reversed, however.
There is a God who sees and knows the trauma that each of us carries. He is not blind to our suffering or callous. God cares. While we may never understand the why behind everything that happens, we can rest assured that God will use all of it for our good (Romans 8:28).
Thus, the next time someone comes out to us as gay or anything else under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, the proper response is not to accept and encourage. The proper response is to accept and admonish. This does not mean bashing someone over the hand in an effort to be right every time you have an opportunity. This means standing strong in your convictions and desiring what’s best for the other person, even if they don’t realize it.
Scripture makes clear what sort of sexual activity is appropriate for humanity. Homosexuality is undoubtedly not on the list.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Ocskaymark
Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes work to iBelieve, Crosswalk, and supports various clients through the platform Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo. Check out his short story “Serenity.”