The Bible and Same-Sex Love

"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; 
male and female He created them."
Genesis 1:27

Setting the marriage question aside for a moment, let's address the question, do two people of the same sex have a right to "love" each other? This question of the "right to love" seems to be at the core of the same-sex marriage debate. As Christians, we need to know what the Bible says about this and not speak or act out emotionally. The real question is not about the right of two people of the same sex to love each other, it's about what kind of "love" they are involving themselves in. We read about the love of Jonathan and David. This was a brotherly love, a knitting together of the hearts, but not a sexual relationship.1 Samuel 18-20. God is not against same-sex friendships. The line is crossed when the relationship becomes sexual.

Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Romans. He says. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness..." He goes on to explain that there is evidence of God within every person and in creation as well. Yet when people chose not to honor God, but began speculations that led to worshiping creatures and creation instead of the Creator, then "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 persons the due penalty of their error." The homosexual desire came as a result of people dishonoring God and entertaining pointless speculations bringing deception to a foolish heart. We see this sin as specific evidence of a people who have rejected the holiness of God and "exchanged the truth of God for a lie." It's simply an outward expression of how far away from God the heart of a people have gotten. Historically, it's been the expression that has come right before judgement! (Noah, Sodom). God created male and female. He created us in His image. By distorting our maleness and femaleness we are distorting the image of God Himself. He doesn't take this lightly! Romans 1:18-32. See also 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

Paul continues, "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with..." and he lists many sins that any of us have committed at least one or two of. Things like greed, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, arrogance etc. Paul goes on and says, that "those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Whatever the sin, whether it's homosexuality, or any other sin, we must not only refrain from them, but not approve of those who continue to practice them. This is why Christians cannot condone homosexuality. And this is why Christians need to judge themselves as well. In fact, we should have been judging ourselves well before homosexuality became prevalent. 

Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." He commanded us to "love one another, even as I have loved you." John 13:34-35. Of course we know that God is all about love. God is love. Jesus died for all mankind because of this kind of love. We're instructed to love one another with this same kind of love. However, our love for God must trump any kind of love for another human being. God says, not to engage in acts of passionate, or sexual, love for someone of the same sex, and even of the opposite sex if it's outside of the marriage bed. If we are to love and honor God first above all, then we cannot participate or condone this kind of sexual behavior. We approve of same-sex friendship, but not same-sex sexual activity or marriage. 

If you need more Scripture to convince yourself of God's opinion on this, look at the laws God gave to Moses, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination...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. their bloodguiltiness is upon them." Leviticus 18:22, 20:13. If anyone says, yeah but we're not under the law anymore I would say this, do you really think God has changed His mind on this? Something He wanted the death penalty for under the law is not something He is going to change His mind about now! A true Christian is not going to try and find out how much He allows us to get away with, but cares about pleasing Him and building His kingdom according to His precepts and judgments, which are the only ones that will make a society work. 

"A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 22:5. 

Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality. The men of Sodom tried to forcibly take the two angels, who appeared as men and came to rescue Lot and his family, in order to have sex with them. Lot even offered them his virgin daughters but they rejected them and tried to break down the door to get to the "men." Of course we know they were all destroyed. God saw homosexuality as wicked, to the point that they were entirely destroyed because of it. Genesis 13:13, 19:4-9. 

Before the flood, sexual perversion was rampant, to the point that God said of man, "Every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:1-5. After Noah and his family got out of the boat and onto dry ground, the hope of completely wiping out man's wicked thoughts was lost when Ham molested his father. Genesis 9:20-24. It was this unrestrained sexual behavior that caused his son to be cursed. 

Jesus said, "the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark." Matthew 24:37-38. So it's not surprising that we are seeing all kinds of sexual sins today. This is how it was in the days of Noah.  

God cares about His seed, especially the seed of mankind. His design is for male and female to have children, creating families which make up nations. The family is the base unit, the ruling authority, in the earth. Of course this is why it is under such attack. The very first command given to Adam and Eve after God blessed their union, was for them to procreate--to have children. See my blog, The Marriage Blessing: Legal or Not? 

The legality of marriage was man's recognition of God's blessing on the union. Man gave the union a legal status, with resulting benefits, as an acknowledgement of God's blessing on this union, and a recognition that it is the basic governing unit. God's blessing on marriage came first, not the legal status. The legal status came because of the blessing, not the blessing because of the legal status! 

We need to remember that nothing will be able to take God's blessing off the union of a godly marriage, no matter what kind of laws man passes. There may be laws passed that allow legal status to marriages that are something other than the union of a man and woman, but that will not change the blessing of God upon a marriage union as He defines it. (Quote from The Marriage Blessing: Legal or Not?)

As Christians, we need to know what God really says about this issue and not just base our beliefs on what our Pastor or Christian friends say. This is becoming more necessary each day. Our convictions must be based on faith in the Word of God and a desire to please Him in all we do. This must be this kind of heart-felt convictions we have or we will never be able to hold true to them or speak truthfully.