Biblical Answer

The Bible's Teaching on Homosexuality

The Bible is clear in its condemnation of homosexual behavior. In Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, it is stated that a man shall not lie with a male as with a woman, and in Leviticus 20:15-16, it is written that if a man lies with a male as with a woman, they shall surely be put to death. In Romans 1:26-27, Paul writes that God gave them up to dishonorable 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. The Bible also uses the example of Sodom and Gomorrah to illustrate the consequences of homosexual behavior (Genesis 19:1-29).

The Silence of the Bible on Homosexuality

Some may argue that the Bible does not explicitly condemn homosexual behavior, but this is a misunderstanding of the Bible's teaching. The Bible does not condone or approve of homosexual behavior, and its silence on the issue is not a tacit approval. The Bible is a big book, and the rightness or wrongness of homosexual practice is not at the center of it. If you read through the 1,189 chapters in the Bible and the more than 30,000 verses, you will find only a dozen or so passages that deal explicitly with homosexuality. However, these passages are clear in their condemnation of homosexual behavior.

The Implications of the Bible's Teaching on Homosexuality

The Bible's teaching on homosexuality has significant implications for Christians. It means that Christians must reject homosexual behavior and instead affirm the biblical standard of heterosexual marriage. This does not mean that Christians should be hateful or judgmental towards those who identify as LGBTQ+, but rather that they should love and serve them with the same love and compassion that they would show to anyone else. The Bible's teaching on homosexuality is not about condemning people, but about calling them to a higher standard of living and to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.