The Untouchables - Homosexuality Part 3 Series

“Homosexuality Part 3”

Gladstone Baptist Church – 17/9/06 pm

Well tonight I want to wrap up our short series on homosexuality. If you were with us 2 weeks ago, you’d remember that we talked about the fact that the Bible does condemn homosexuality as sin. But it is not any worse or better than any other sin you would care to or not care to name. The fact is that in God’s eyes, sin is sin and we are all sinners and therefore we are all condemned. It is rather stupid, really, of us to try to justify our sins as being better than anyone else’s when God says that he will condemn us for even just one sin. I mean, what are we going to gain by trying to gain – a lesser condemnation? God says that committing just one sin is all the reason he needs to lock us up in hell forever. We need therefore, to take up God’s cause and condemn all sin as wrong and damaging.

But while we condemn all sin as wrong, we need to put away our judge’s wigs and gavels when we come to people. We have no right to judge people. Only God can judge people for their sin. What are we to do then? We need to accept others in grace and with compassion – knowing that we are sinful just like them and destined to the judgment of God unless we receive the forgiveness that is available in Jesus.

Last week we began to look at some of the myths surrounding homosexuality.

We looked firstly at the myth that homosexuality is common and therefore normal. In fact, only 1.2% of Australians are homosexual according to a 2003 study. This means that although they are entitled to have a voice in society, they can not be allowed to dictate what is normal or acceptable or right.

The second myth we looked at was that homosexuality is genetic. We looked at a couple of famous scientific studies and saw that while there was some interesting data there, it was far from conclusive and even indicated that homosexuality was clearly not genetic. The best understanding seems to be that some people can have a genetic pre-disposition to homosexuality which makes them more prone to choosing that lifestyle, but there are always other factors which will cause to them adopting this lifestyle – these will including environmental factors and also their own responses. We looked at some of the environmental factors which commonly were found to have contributed to the development of a homosexual and one of the important ones identified is a damaged relationship with either the same-sex parent of same-sex peer group. What this indicates to us is that ministry to children and youth is incredibly vital in the development of their sexuality. By providing good same-sex role models to our children and youth, we minimize the likelihood of them falling prey to a damaged sexuality.

Tonight I want to consider 3 more myths

S1 - Myth 3: It is unreasonable to expect Homosexuals to remain sexually pure, so it is okay to engage in homosexual sex.

Before I begin, I want to define what I mean by sexually pure. Actually, it is not my definition but God’s. God says that any sex outside of the heterosexual marriage relationship is wrong. So staying sexually pure is not engaging in sexual intercourse outside of marriage. The Bible actually talks about 4 kinds of sex outside of a sexual relationship between a husband and a wife and God in each instance condemns it …

1) Sex with an UNMARRIED person of the opposite sex – FORNICATION, PROSTITUTION, INCEST. We don’t like using these words now do we. In most of your bibles this will be translated as the sexually immoral. We prefer the terms playing around or having a one night stand. But what ever we call it – God says that it is wrong.

Lev 18:6; 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 6:9; Eph. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 12:16; 13:4; Rev. 21:8 and 22:15,

Heb 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

2) Sex with a MARRIED person who is not your spouse – ADULTERY.

Ex 20:14; Lev 20:12; Deut 5:18; Luke 18:11; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 6:9; Heb. 13:4. As to Jas. 4:4

3) Sex with the SAME SEX – HOMOSEXUALITY.

Lev. 18:22; 20:13 ; 1 Kin. 14:24; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9

1 Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders

4) Sex with ANIMALS – BESTIALITY.

Lev 18:23; 20:15-16; Deut 27:21;