Q. Why is human sexuality a theological issue?
Q. Why is our sexuality important?
Q. Isn’t love good, wherever we find it?
Q. Haven’t
we moved on from Old Testament moral codes?
Q. But
I’m a Christian and I’m homosexual. Doesn’t that prove God accepts
homosexuality?
Q. My minister/elder/friend is openly (or secretly) homosexual
and he disagrees.
Q. I
think I may be homosexual, what should I do?
Q. Hasn’t
science proven that homosexuality is genetic and not a matter of choice?
This
set of Frequently Asked Questions aims to illustrate the historical
conservative reformed evangelical understanding of the Bible’s teaching on
sexuality. There is no prejudice, or personal preference or opinion in the
message. We are all sinners in God’s eyes, and as such our duty is to repent,
believe, and sin no more.
Whether
any particular sin is regarded as criminal, legalized or even undefined in the
shifting laws of our society, the Bible is crystal clear on God’s judgement and
prescription on the sin element of these issues. To faithfully preach the whole
counsel of God is not to leave these things unsaid. If we choose to differ, we
will be judged by God’s unchanging Word.
God’s forgiveness and
spiritual regeneration give believers the ability to identify and resist sin.
The pursuit of true holiness in the lifelong walk of sanctification is our
earthly goal. Yes, our Justification
before God is legally independent of our performance - it is irreversibly
granted solely on our Saviour’s merit and His Atonement on our behalf - but our
sanctification is our earthly duty,
made possible by the free gift of the Holy Spirit to God’s glory. We will never
attain perfection in this life, but we are duty bound to pursue it. “Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt
5:47.
If
we believe in the Divine authority and inerrancy of Scripture, the prescribed
constraints on moral human sexuality are eternally settled.
Although
scripture references are provided throughout these FAQs in support of the
responses, these by no means exhaust the NT coverage of the issues raised. The
entire NT is consistent on this message of holiness, self-denial, surrender to
God in Christ, obedience and personal sanctification in dependence on the Holy
Spirit.
A. Because God says it
is important and that perversions of it are abhorrent to Him. These represent
departures from the natural order, and confusion of the roles for which men and
women have been created. Man was made in God’s image (Gen 1:27 So God created
man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.) Bearing the image of God brings great
responsibility, and Creation-wide significance for our conduct. God gave woman to man (Gen2:24 Therefore shall
a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they
shall be one flesh) thus prescribing our sexual bounds at Creation,
even before the Fall of man.
Lev
18:22-24 Thou
shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt
thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman
stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
1Cor
6:9-10 Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the
1 Cor 11:10-11 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because
of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the
woman without the man, in the Lord.
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not
the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
A.
Because our most intimate human relation pictures the relation of Christ to the
Church. The bond of human love in marriage is held up as representing
Christ-like fidelity and love. The church is made for Christ as woman is made
for man, as an Eternal Bride. This spiritual understanding is negated by
departure from the God-given pattern.
2
Cor 11:2 For
I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Rom
7:4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of
Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from
the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Ephesians 5:25-32 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to
himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as
their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but
nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh,
and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and
shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak
concerning Christ and the church.
A.
The Bible’s message includes understanding that Creation isn’t all about us and
what we want. We are the sinful fallen creatures with depraved tastes and
appetites. We sin as readily as we breathe, and our ‘natural’ preferences are
no sure guide to right and wrong. Even our supposedly ‘righteous acts’ (without
God) are as filthy rags in His sight. Only by the Grace of Christ and His
atonement for our sin can we be reconciled to Almighty God and then humbly
pursue true holiness as His believing children. To be sinless, love in all its
forms must have the right object and be God-honouring, warranted by His Word.
1Kings
11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall
they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their
gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
1Kings
19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out
to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and
love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the
LORD.
Isaiah
64:6 But we are
all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we
all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
John 3:19 And this is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 He that hath my
commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me
shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to
him.
John 15:19 If ye were of
the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Ephesians 5:2-5 And walk in
love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering
and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh
saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger,
nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance
in the
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it;
2Tim3:1-5 This know also,
that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form
of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
A. According to the
Lord Jesus Christ in the NT, the Bible’s teaching on morality has not changed
one jot or tittle from the Old Testament to the New (and by extension, is the
same today and tomorrow). The Divinely
authorised earthly (eg Mosaic) sanctions
for moral sins have changed since the OT, but sin and righteousness have not.
Murder is still the same sin, as is breech of any commandment - idolatry,
blasphemy, theft, adultery, lying, and so on, whatever sanction is in place to
punish them in our societies on earth. The eternal Divinely revealed morality
is unchanging. Slavery was an economic
fact of life for many in Biblical times, but Biblical teaching set guidance and
limits on the treatment of slaves and bond-servants. Often servitude was the
humane alternative for prisoners of war and even a welfare option of the day.
Scripture prohibits the mistreatment of bondslaves and sets limits for their
treatment and requirements for their compensation for certain harms.
Exodus 21:5 And if
the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I
will not go out free:
Matt 5:17-19 Think not that I
am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to
fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever
therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do
and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
1John 3:4 Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the
law.
A The OT does not
condone such behaviour, but candidly reports it when it happened. Polygamy
always brought temporal consequences and troubles to participants, and was a
departure from the ideal, originating with the wayward Lamech (“And Lamech took
unto him two wives:” Gen 4:19).
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a
man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they
shall be one flesh.
Monogamy, as the
original law of marriage, is forcibly expressed in the subsequent reference to
this passage by our Lord (“they twain,” Matt 19:5) and the Apostle Paul
(“two shall
be one flesh,” 1Cor6:16);. Yet while heterosexual sin (adultery,
harlotry, rape) is always to be judged - often with capital punishment in OT
times - God singles out homosexuality as an abomination.
Deut 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn
not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Lev 20:10-16 And the man that
committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery
with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put
to death. And the man that lieth with
his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with his daughter in law,
both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their
blood shall be upon them. If a man also
lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an
abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon
them. And if a man take a wife and her
mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that
there be no wickedness among you. And if
a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the
beast. And if a woman approach unto any
beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they
shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
A. To love God is to
obey His commandments. If you call yourself Christian yet live in a manner
expressly against God’s clear teaching then your lifestyle witnesses against
you. It is right to believe in God whatever your behaviour - even the devils believe (Thou believest that there is one God; thou
doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. James 2:19.) But to be forgiven and redeemed,
Scripture tells us we must repent, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and sin no
more.
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus
findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin
no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
John 8:10 When Jesus had
lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where
are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Romans 1:26 - 27 For this cause
God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the
natural use into that which is against nature: And 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.
2Cor 7:1 Having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1John 2:3 And hereby we do
know that we know him, if we keep his commandments
A. God undoubteldy has
authority to order His church as He sees fit, and He has set out in the NT a
coherent pattern for the church to follow. Close study of the pattern and its
rules for selection of officers and the preaching of the whole counsel of God
will show the folly of a ministry admitting of men who live unrepentantly in
any known sin -whether sexual or otherwise. But homosexuality not only belies
the principles of marriage, family, gender, complementarity, fatherhood, the
Image of God and the representation of the Bride of Christ; it elevates man’s
self-serving earthly ‘pleasure’ above God’s Word and Commandment and forfeits
credibility in witness to fallen world.
Matt 7:15 Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
figs of thistles?
Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables.
1Cor 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are
approved may be made manifest among you.
2 Cor 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan
himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose
end shall be according to their works.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were
false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord
that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
James 3:1 My brethren, be
not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
1John 2:4 He that saith,
I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not
in him.
A. The Biblical
response is appropriate to any issue of sexual morality, and is rooted in self
control, mastery over our own wills, self denial, and simple obedience. These
virtues require exercise and, as regenerate believers, God blesses our settled
intentions in this respect. God gives us grace and the spiritual capacity to
overcome our own sinful tendencies whatever they may be - this is spiritual
warfare:
Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of
my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members.
Our society idolises
sex and gives it a prominence that would have been unthinkable just 50 years
ago. This has given rise to the ‘alternative morality’ - worldly thinking on sexuality that rebels
against God’s revealed regulations.
Whilst it is true that men and women may have sexual desires, it is not
true that we have sexual needs.
Sexual activity is proper only under Divinely prescribed circumstances so,
since God made us this way, sexual continence is normal and healthy for all
unmarried adults. Our own desires can be stimulated or suppressed, and we each
have responsibility for our behaviour ( in deeds and thoughts) so we must take
practical steps to regain control of our minds. Avoid temptation, bad company,
immodest dress, provocative images, unsuitable media, much worldly
entertainment; develop mental discipline, engage in constructive activity, pray
for Divine help. The godless world,
naturally, hates this teaching, but we are not the world -we are called out of
it and set apart to God.
Romans 8:5-6 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be
carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.
Eph 4:23 And be renewed
in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness.
The Bible repeatedly
tells us we are not our own - as Christians we proclaim we have surrendered
ourselves body and soul back to God -we have been bought at a price:
1 Cor 6:18-20 Flee
fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that
committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of
God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
We are to present our
bodies to God as ‘living sacrifices, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.’ (Rom.12)
We are instructed ‘mortify therefore
your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.’ (
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is
the first commandment.
Titus 2:10-15 For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem
us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of
good works.
Titus 3:3-7 For we ourselves
also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and
pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But
after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved
us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he
shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by
his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Philippians 4:5-7 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at
hand. Be careful for nothing; but in
every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1Peter4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us
in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath
suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the
rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
A. The ‘world, the
flesh and the devil’ would be pleased to have us think so. The criteria for
such ‘proof’ is debated by scientists, and depends on the criteria adopted for
explanation, often noting mere regularities, rather than true causes. Observe how theories change -do we think the
current theories will be the last word?
But again, for all men
and women, sexual continence is perfectly possible. Some acts may be homosexual, (and acts in this context include thoughts
and fantasies ) but they do not define us as eternal souls. Deviant sexuality
is learned behaviour, and though it may become an established habit time this
is not irreversible. The world does us a great dis-service when it foists
minority propaganda on the very young to overcome their consciences’ revulsion
from same sex relations long before they should be concerned about such
matters. Our consciences can be over-ridden to an extent,
becoming hardened - or as the Bible says, ‘seared’ (1Tim4:2). In this, God
acting in temporal judgement gives us over to our own sinful desires to suffer
the consequences. The Bible maintains that sexuality is a behavioural rather
than a genetic issue, with its roots in sin, not nature. But as with all sin, whether resulting from
our fallen nature or our own volition or both - it is not insurmountable -by
the Grace of God the message of the Gospel is that we can repent of it, find
forgiveness and be given a new spirit within us that is not prey to such sin.
Sin need no longer have mastery over us.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under
the law, but under grace.
2 Cor 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new.
Romans 1:26-32 For this cause
God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the
natural use into that which is against nature: and 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. And 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; being filled with
all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full
of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of
God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful: who 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.
The last sentence also
indicates why we have such a prevalence of pro-homosexual propaganda around us
today.
A. Assuming your church
has followed its own due process to reach this conclusion, there would be
little point in raising the matter again with the eldership in the Biblical
manner. Normally, when members or leaders depart from Biblical standards, there
is a scriptural process to follow -but when this has been exhausted and no
return to Biblical standards results there is no option but to separate from
those in sin or error. Churches do fall away from the Truth, and can fail to
safeguard sound doctrine for the next generation. This is extremely sad, but scripture
warns us that false teachers will enter the church -and we are in essence tested by how we respond to
them. If we cannot redeem them or eject
them, we must leave ourselves.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil
unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; (…) but as
for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Isaiah 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing;
go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
The whole letter of Jude:
eg vv3-4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write
unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort
you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered
unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before
of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God
into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
vv7-8 Even as Sodom
and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over
to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example,
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 1:8 Likewise also these filthy
dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
vv 14-19 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment
upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly
deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which
ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers,
walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words,
having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember
ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should
walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves,
sensual, having not the Spirit.
vv 20-25 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion,
making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire;
hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep
you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory
with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
If a church compromises
over its acceptance of aberrant human sexuality, it becomes unable to preach,
teach, counsel or discipline on the basis of the Scriptures. Teaching and Bible
Study will necessarily distort Biblical teaching to accommodate this error, and
a strong view of Biblical inerrancy will have to be diluted. Once this step is
taken, the precedent is set to adjust all of scripture to accommodated human
preferences and tastes.
As Christians our duty
of allegiance is not primarily to our
local church regardless of what it teaches, but to Almighty God and His Word
and by extension to the church only as it faithfully discharges its duties
under the Word. If ever the two diverge irreconcilably we must depart from such
a church.
Though sexuality may
initially seem to be a secondary matter, it is rooted deeply in what it is to
be human and to be Christian. It reaches down
to our deepest views on God’s authority and the infallibility of His
Word; to our doctrine of church and submission to Divine Authority; and
ultimately to our state of surrender as forgiven Christians before Almighty
God, or our sinful desire for ultimate self-determination in all things.
To conclude, the Bible
identifies homosexuality as sinful. This disqualifies it from being consistent
with holiness in obedient Christianity. This in turn disqualifies anyone
practising homosexuality (in thought or deed) from church membership, let alone
church office. For a church to condone or officially sanction homosexual
membership or leadership is to abandon the Christianity of the Bible and to
call evil good.