Concerning Homosexuality

Concerning Homosexuality

When God created man, He made him so that he could choose how to live his life. We call this "free will," and we can understand that this is also why God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden. God not only gave us free will in this way, but He also taught us what the way of life is and what the way of death is, guiding us so that we may walk in the way of life... We cannot forcibly stop those who want to live according to same-sex desire. That is their own choice. But what we must remember is this: if we are to obtain life, we must forsake what we like and follow the word of God. Jesus also, in order to save us, forsook His own will and took up the cross according to the will of God (Luke 22:42). As "creatures," we must all the more live in obedience to the word of God, who is our "Creator." This will be for our profit, because God’s "life" and "blessing" will be upon those who obey the word of God (Deut. 30:15-20).

Same-sex relations have not existed only in our present day. The first place in the Bible that mentions sexual acts with the same sex is recorded in Genesis 19.

Genesis 19:1-5 "1And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them."

As shown in the words above, before God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire, He first sent two angels to examine the city of Sodom. Abraham’s nephew "Lot" recognized the two angels and earnestly urged them to come into his house. But at night, the men of Sodom gathered and demanded that they be brought outside, saying of the reason, "that we may know them." Here, "know them" means a sexual act. This can be considered one of the passages through which we can understand why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

In addition to this passage, there is also a record that in the days of King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon [the first king of the southern kingdom of Judah], there were those described in the KJV as "sodomites" in Judah (1 Kings 14:22-24). There is also a record that in the days of King Asa [the third king of the southern kingdom of Judah], he removed the sodomites out of the land (1 Kings 15:11-12). And this was said to be something that was right in the eyes of God. Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa [the fourth king of the southern kingdom of Judah], is also recorded as having removed the remaining sodomites from the land in the days of his father Asa (1 Kings 22:45-46).

As shown in the words above, sexual immorality contrary to God’s order has existed from very ancient times. And in the Bible, such things are directly described as acts committed by those who, because of their own lusts, changed the truth into a lie. Scripture says this is because they worshipped and served the creature more than God the Creator, did not like to retain God in their knowledge, became vain in their imaginations, their foolish hearts were darkened, and professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And through the words below, we can also know that God has declared that those who do such things are "worthy of death." It is also said that the law was made because of those who commit lawless deeds, such as those who defile themselves with mankind (1 Tim. 1:9-10).

Romans 1:21-32 "21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

It is also said that those who defile themselves with mankind shall not inherit the kingdom of God. This is because God regards such a thing as an abomination.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Leviticus 18:22 "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

Just as in this world we receive a corresponding punishment when we break the law, it is only natural that those who do not follow the law of God will face the solemn judgment of God, as shown in the words above.

The "way of life" is the path we must walk by forsaking ourselves and following the words of Jesus, just as Jesus, though He was in the form of God, emptied Himself for our salvation, appeared in the form of a man, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:5-8; Luke 9:23). Perhaps for this reason, even though this is the way of life, Jesus said that few find it (Matt. 7:13-14). In the end, in order for us to walk this way of life, even if something is what we ourselves want to do, if the word of God forbids it, then we must exalt the word of God and humbly lower ourselves (James 4:10). This is, in fact, our duty as creatures. Moreover, because every word of God has been given for our profit (Heb. 12:10), if we can receive the words mentioned above concerning this matter with thanksgiving, grace, and faith, then surely those words will become a great profit to us.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 "15See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Finally, we must all know that a life that exalts "Jesus," the Word of God, and humbles oneself (Col. 3:17) applies not only to those who struggle with same-sex desire, but to all of us who live on this earth.

Colossians 3:17 "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Amen.