On Homosexuality
Currents of Conviction: Sexual Brokenness and God's Redemption
This essay in the Currents of Conviction series explores homosexuality. The series overview and introduction to the Christian worldview, may be helpful to orient yourself to the goal of this series.
NOTE: I want to acknowledge from the outset that same-sex attraction are real struggles for many. I do not seek to minimize that here. My hope and intent is to encourage those who experience this that there is freedom in Christ.
Everyone wants to be loved.
A sense of belonging and purpose settles our restlessness, but sometimes, neither comes easily. We are told to pursue this or that, but it never feels right.
Our world was fractured nearly from the beginning when sin entered. All that was good was now marred. This included human sexuality, leading to attractions and desires contrary to God’s good design.
We find ourselves amidst a cultural landscape marked by confusion, pain, and deeply held convictions. As believers seeking to cultivate truth in the soil of our lives, we must turn to the enduring wisdom of Scripture.
In this post, I will seek to address homosexuality with both grace and truth, rooted in Scripture. I will endeavor to remind us all of the boundless love of God for every sinner and the restoration that is available in Christ.
God's Design and Our Brokenness
All of creation was so brilliantly designed by God, the pinnacle of which was humanity created in His image. Further, God created mankind in a particular way, as male and female, with the explicit intent for there to be fruitfulness, the bearing of children (Genesis 2:24)1 as part of marriage. But, this perfect design was impacted by sin entering the world, twisting the minds of all mankind.
Sexual Brokenness in the OT
More than the general revelation of creation, the special revelation of Scripture offers clear guidance concerning homosexual acts.
The Old Testament speaks of homosexuality a few times. First, we are introduced to the concept in Genesis 19 with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.2 God destroys both these cities as a result of their unrepentant sin. Later, we encounter homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.3 Both of these passages speak against lying4 with another of the same sex, and the latter even speaks to the punishment being death.
Now, the punishment for many infractions of the Mosaic Law was death, so do not read this as me calling for practicing homosexuals to be put to death. I merely want to draw attention to how seriously God viewed this particular sin and assigned a serious consequence.
Sexual Brokenness in the NT
Beyond the three mentions in the Old Testament, the New Testament speaks about homosexual practices four more times: Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:10, and Jude 7.5
To cover these passages in brief, Romans says that because they rejected the truth of God, He “gave them up to dishonorable passions.” These passions are clarified to include unnatural relations between those of the same sex. First Corinthians lists several types of people who “will not inherit the kingdom of God,” all of which were sinners, including several forms of sexual sin and homosexual practice, in particular. First Timothy, likewise, lists several types of people, all of which are identified as being “lawless and disobedient,” which includes those who practice homosexual activities. Finally, Jude reminds those reading of the sexual sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, the “unnatural desire” that was expressed there.
In short, there is a clear link to sexual brokenness throughout these passages, pointing to some manner of same-sex attraction and acting upon it.
God’s Design and Our Restoration
The biblical view of sexuality is constantly challenged today by the notion of a fluid human nature, particularly in our identity and the purpose of gender and sexuality. This view, prioritizing self-definition over created design, dismisses the biblical understanding of male and female in marriage as one option among many.
Consequences of Rejecting God’s Design
Rejecting marriage as the ideal sexual context inevitably erodes good and natural boundaries. Without this standard, principled objections to any sexual practice or identity become difficult. Personal desire and autonomy become the moral arbiters, creating a slippery slope towards moral relativism where almost any sexual expression can be justified by affirmation and consent.
While self-defined sexuality promises fulfillment, Scripture reveals the truth. Indulging desires outside God's design, including homosexual relationships, offers fleeting gratification that ultimately falls short of the glory God intended. Sexual activity divorced from marriage, whether heterosexual or homosexual, lacks God's purpose (i.e., fruitfulness) and leads to emptiness. Scripture warns of the destructive impact of sexual sin, personally and culturally. True peace and lasting happiness are found only in Christ, not in disordered sexuality.
Compassion in God’s Restoration
Returning to the condemnation of sinners as proclaimed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, it is worth noting that there is still hope of redemption and restoration for everyone listed.
The words of Paul come to mind yet again:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. —Romans 12:2 (emphasis mine)
We are each called to be conformed not to this world but to the image of Christ! While the world will tell us that conforming to the biblical view of just about anything will lead to a dull life, they do not recognize the goodness that comes from a life in Christ because their minds are still hindered by sin from the fall. They are still living under the curse brought about by rejecting the truth of God (Romans 1:26-27) that particularly impacts the mind. Christians do not have totally renewed minds, but we do have the Holy Spirit to progressively renew and sanctify us (i.e., make us more like Christ).
The Church should accept all people because we Christians were all once like the rest of the world (1 Cor. 6:9-10), but we have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:11). Many have found freedom in Christ from same-sex attraction or have chosen to live faithfully despite ongoing struggles, discovering that true peace comes from surrendering to God’s will.
We should welcome the people but not the sins. We must call them to repentance and baptism so that their sins may be forgiven and they might be delivered into the kingdom of light.
For the Ploughman
We have affirmed the unchanging truth of God's design for sexuality and the consistent witness of Scripture regarding homosexual practice. Yet, we hold fast to the boundless love of God, offering redemption to every willing soul. Understanding these truths compels us to action, so let us commit to the following:
Cultivate humility and self-reflection. Examine our hearts for areas where we fall short of God’s design, repent of our sins, and seek His transforming grace daily.
Extend compassion and truth in equal measure. Engage with those who experience same-sex attraction with both kindness and truth. Listen to their stories and embody the love of Christ, pointing to God's Word as the source of truth that leads to fulfillment.
Actively pray for hearts to be turned. Pray for individuals struggling with sexual sin, that they may encounter the transforming power of Christ, and that eyes may be opened to the beauty and wisdom of God’s design for sexuality.
In a world of sexual confusion, our actions must be as deliberate as our faith. Let us sow these seeds of humility, compassion, and prayer, trusting that God, the Lord of the harvest, will bring forth a crop of righteousness and peace, for His glory alone.
Join me on Thursday when we will continue this series by examining our theological convictions on identity.
Until next time, keep your hand on the plow and break up the fallow ground!
Unless otherwise noted, any references to or quotations of Scripture come from the English Standard Version (ESV).
The city of Sodom is where we get the term sodomy or sodomite. Some have argued that this passage speaks nothing at all about homosexuals because the term in biblically non-existent. But the argumentation is flawed in that its crux is a strawman (see Sodom and Gomorrah: How the "classical" interpretation gets it wrong | Westar Institute).
I should note that there are some scholars who argue that these passages do not speak of all homosexual acts. While I understand what they are attempting to do here, the logical flow does not follow. Though sex does result in pleasure, it was designed and intended for reproduction within the context of marriage. For more, see What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality? | Living Out
Lying, here, is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
As with those above who opposed the interpretations of homosexuality in the OT, others still apply the same strawman or weaken argumentation against the NT text, claiming that the term homosexual is anachronistic (i.e., referenced out of time). For more of the opposing view, see What the New Testament Says about Homosexuality | Westar Institute. Despite objections to these passages, I see these passages as being clearly applicable.
Thank you for being willing to approach this subject with truth and love🙏🙏🙏😎😎😎💥
Thank you, Levi, this is a thoughtful and very sensitive post. This is a very tough topic to tackle in our current culture, although homosexuality is something that goes back to the time of the fall. I have a brother who is gay and in a gay marriage. He is in my prayers regularly. He and his partner are very devoted to one another, and his partner has been extremely supportive during my brother’s multiple serious health problems. The problem with many Christians is they seem to single out homosexuality as the ultimate sin. But I don’t think there is any sin, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which I understand is calling the works of God as originating from Satan, that is more evil than another. So when we condemn homosexuality, we overlook our own sins of addictions, deceitfulness, gluttony, lust, pride, etc., etc. “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God“