Is Homosexuality a Sin?
10/11/15
Introduction: As Christians we must make a choice to either go along with our society’s standards or to go by the standards of God’s Word. As Christians we must be informed about what the Bible says about homosexuality. Some claim the Bible has little to say about it; some say that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. Let us take a good look at what the Bible says.
Scripture: Romans 1:24-28
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
27 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.
28 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,
I. God’s Plan and Design for Sex
A. God created male and female (Matthew 19:4)
4 And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,
B. God designed marriage (Matthew 19:5-6)
5 and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?
6 “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
1. God’s design for marriage is heterosexual
2. God’s design for marriage is monogamy
3. God designed sex for marriage
C. All deviation from God’s design is sin
1. Fornication: sex outside of marriage
2. Adultery: sex with someone other than your marriage partner
3. Rape: a forceful sexual act without mutual consent
4. Homosexuality: sex between people of the same gender; man with man, woman with a woman
5. Prostitution: engaging in sexual activity for profit or as part of cultic worship
6. Bestiality: Sex with an animal
II. How does the Bible Describe Homosexuality?
A. Man’s terminology or God’s terminology
1. Man’s terminology removes any moral connotation to make it more acceptable
“sexually active” vs. fornication or immorality, “hooking up” vs. being promiscuous, “gay” vs. sodomy or homosexuality
2. We lose ground opposing sexual sin when we use amoral terms
B. Terms the Bible uses to describe homosexuality
1. “Impurity” (Romans 1:24)
24 “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
2. “Dishonoring the body” (Romans 1:24)
3. “Degrading passions” (Romans 1:26)
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
4. “Unnatural” (Romans 1:26-27)
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
27 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.
5. “Indecent acts” (Romans 1:27)
6. “Wickedness” (Genesis :13:13)
13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD.
7. “Abomination” (Leviticus 18:22)
22 ‘You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
“abomination:” “extreme disgust and hatred”
C. Homosexuality mentioned in lists of sins
1. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
2. 1 Timothy 1:9–10
9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers
10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,
III. Exposing the Lies about Homosexuality
A. Lie #1: People are born homosexual
1. Truth: homosexual lifestyle is a choice
2. Truth: sexual orientation is primarily influenced by childhood sexual experience.
3. Truth: We are all born with a sinful nature, with weaknesses towards certain sins
B. Lie #2: Homosexuals cannot change their lifestyle
1. Truth: Any sinful lifestyle is very difficult to change
2. Truth: Change may be impossible with man but not with God (1 Corinthians 6:11)
11 “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
