Sin of homosexuality in the bible
What does the New Testament tell about homosexuality?
Answer
The Bible is consistent through both Old and Modern Testaments in confirming that homosexuality is sin (Genesis –13; Leviticus ; ; Romans –27; 1 Corinthians ; 1 Timothy ; Jude ). In this matter, the New Testament reinforces what the Old Testament had declared since the Law was given to Moses (Leviticus ). The difference between the Old and New Testaments is that the New Testament offers hope and restoration to those caught up in the sin of homosexualitythrough the redeeming power of Jesus. It is the same expect that is offered to anyone who chooses to accept it (John ; –18).
God’s standards of holiness did not change with the coming of Jesus, because God does not change (Malachi ; Hebrews ). The Brand-new Testament is a continuing discovery of God’s interaction with humanity. God hated idolatry in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy ), and He still hates it in the New (1 John ). What was immoral in the Old Testament is still immoral in the New.
The New Testament says that homosexuality is a “shameful lust” (Rom
The Bible on Homosexual Behavior
One way to argue against these passages is to make what I name the “shellfish objection.” Keith Sharpe puts it this way: “Until Christian fundamentalists boycott shellfish restaurants, interrupt wearing poly-cotton T-shirts, and stone to death their wayward offspring, there is no obligation to attend to their diatribes about homosexuality being a sin” (The Gay Gospels, 21).
In other words, if we can disregard rules prefer the ban on eating shellfish in Leviticus , then we should be allowed to disobey other prohibitions from the Aged Testament. But this argument confuses the Old Testament’s temporary ceremonial laws with its permanent moral laws.
Here’s an analogy to facilitate understand this distinction.
I think of two rules my mom gave me when I was young: hold her hand when I cross the street and don’t drink what’s under the sink. Today, I contain to follow only the latter rule, since the former is no longer needed to protect me. In fact, it would now do me more harm than good.
Old Testament ritual/ceremonial laws were love mom’s handholding rule. The rea
Was Homosexuality the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
The old bloke then responds just as Lot did, saying in verses 23 and 24, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t act this outrageous thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will carry them out to you now, and you can apply them and execute to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t undertake such an outrageous thing.”
Unfortunately, with no angels present this time to terminate the attack, the men in Gibeah are able to carry out their plans. Verse 25 horrifyingly tells us that “the guy took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they consent her go.” But she didn’t endure the brutal sexual violence. As the next verses interpret, in the morning, the Levite create her lying lifeless in the doorway.
This is among the most horrific stories in the Ancient Testament, and it’s impossible to interpret it without feeling sick to your stomach. But as gruesome and disturbing as it is, it provides us with a dispel picture of what the men of Sodom h
This article is part of the Tough Passages series.
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24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged spontaneous relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and 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.
28And 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.29They were filled with all way of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are packed of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, dis