Let us now begin a discussion that is too emotionally and controversially loaded concerning Holy Scripture and Homosexuality. Biblical Christians have been among the most ardent opponents of this most controversial issue concerning homosexuality.
Despite what Christian liberals believes, conservative Christians opposition toward homosexual practice have merits, this is simply because the Scripture itself plainly and unambiguously prohibits this kind of behavior therefore homosexuality is against the teaching of the Holy Bible.
There are, of course, both irreligious and religious hetero-and homosexuals. The former denies the biblical teaching against this practice irrespectively since the Bible in itself is not their final authority.
While the latter on the other hand argues that the Scripture itself does not condemn nor prohibits homosexual practice. Among those who defend this statements are so-called Gay Christians and even ample of Christian theologians.
Some scholar even goes in extreme to say that “nowhere in the Bible that even give a hint about condemning a loving sexual relationship between two gay persons.” Is this true? Is homosexuality biblical? My answer would be of course not. As a matter of fact the practice of homosexuality (lifestyle or not) is indeed condemned in the Scripture!
Let us take a couple verses that has something to do with both being homosexually oriented and same-sex copulation and you, the reader, be the judge whether or not homosexuality is condemned or not biblically speaking.
Genesis 19:1-11
The fall and the annihilation of both cities of Sodom and Gomorrah has been traditionally understood to be a condemnation of sodomy. In fact the word ‘sodomy’ is interpreted to be homosexual. The seriousness of this lifestyle has been judge severely by God and brought destruction on both of these cities.
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13
We read that God commanded the Code of Holiness to Israel. Among these Codes contains God’s demand on direct prohibitions, on idolatry and Homosexuality. God demanded legislation against all unnatural sexual relationships, and adds the death penalty for this practice.
Romans 1:26-27
One could not escape the fact that the unpopularity and condemnation of the practice of homosexuality are recorded both in Old and New Testament. As we read the apostle Paul in Romans 1:26-27 strongly condemns of such behavior. Lesbianism is also condemned in verse 26, while verse 27 points and judges specifically male homosexuals. It is very clear from these verses that homosexuality is not advisable and not permissible. (see also 1 Cor. 6:9-11 and Tim. 1:8-10).
Since, as scholars had confirmed, that this kind of practice was not well known in the Jewish Culture then the direct discussion of homosexuality we find in the Scripture are rare. However, we must not forget that the Bible clearly speaks and condemns homosexual acts.
Nowadays, it is going on conversations about homosexuality; some are against it and some on behalf of it. The right answer we can find from the word of God (the Bible).
The Lord Jesus is the Messiah, Redeemer from sins and the Saviour. Jesus’ must fulfill the whole law of God and believe all what the Old Testament teaches, that He could be the Saviour. In the Old Testament were commandments, which teach that homosexuality is a sin. Because the Lord Jesus had to believe all commandments of the Old Testament, so He also believed that homosexuality is a sin. The Bible teaches that homosexuality was a sin in the order of the Old Covenant and is valid in the order of the New Covenant. Like this way Jesus also believed that homosexuality is a sin, and He also condemned homosexuality by this way.
For the sake of sodomites’ abomination acts, God destroyed Sodom as Ezekiel 16:49,50 shows for us. Ezekiel uses 16:50 Hebrew word towebah, which is the same Hebrew word in Lev 18:22 (and Lev 20:13) that describes homosexuality as abomination. It is very clear that in Ezekiel 16:50, abomination means homosexuality acts as the reason for destroying of Sodom. Sodomites pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness and hardened hearts towards poor and needy were sins, but destruction came for the sake of homosexuality, and the New Testament confirms this:
Jude1:7 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.
Apostle Paul wrote very clearly that homosexuality (men having sex with other men; women having sex with other women) is a sin. Ro 1:27 is word error, which is in Greek plane, which means error, to deceive, deceit, one led astray from the right way, error which shows itself in action, a wrong mode of acting. In this place, the Bible in the New Testament shows very clearly that same-gender sex is a sin and aberration from the right way. Apostle Paul taught very clearly that homosexuality is unnatural sin.
Many scientists believe that homosexuality is congenital, a matter and orientation that can’t be changed as heterosexual. Paradoxical is that many scientists don’t believe in God of the Bible, and they proclaim that God of the Bible is not existed. Nevertheless, God of the Bible is capable of change homosexuals individuals to be as heterosexuals.
Arsenos means male and koiten means bed. Lev 18:22 and 20:13 teach that a man cannot lie (sexual act) with another man as he lies with a woman. The origin of the word arsenokoites means homosexual activity and homosexual. Lev 18:22 and 20:13 prove very clearly that arsenos koitenmeans homosexuality sex, because the Jews scribes translated words’ arsenos koiten to describe men who have sex with another men (homosexuality), which is a sin and against the will of God. Apostle Paul didn’t make up the word arsenokoites, but it was already as the concept in the Old Testament, where it meant homosexuality.
It is very clear that the words’ arsenos koiten meant homosexuality (man who had sex with another man) to Jews of the Old Covenant era. In the same way arsenokoites meant homosexuality (man who had sex with another man) to Jesus’ disciples in the New Covenant era.
Jewish philosopher Philo lived in the same time as Jesus Christ and Philo has said that arsenokoites meant shrine prostitute (male temple prostitute), and not homosexual. Some people have made from this a conclusion that the word arsenokoites meant a male temple prostitute. Philo’s interpretation was totally wrong, because the Bible proves this undisputedly and shows that Philo erred.
Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13 doesn’t use temple prostitute word, but words in which is denied that a man can’t lie sexually with another man. Always when the Bible speaks for temple prostitutes, so the Bible uses words gedeshah and gadesh. If Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13 told for temple prostitutes, so verses would mention them, but there isn’t, because in those verses, the Bible forbids homosexuality. It is very clear and undisputable in the light of the testimony of the Bible, that arsenokoites means homosexuality.
According to words of the Lord Jesus, Jesus’ disciples can judge righteous judgement. If somebody is stealing, living in adultery or is lying, so we have the right to say sin as a sin. According to the Bible, homosexuality is a sin and so Jesus’ disciples have the right to say what the Bible teaches. Jesus’ disciple has a right to say that living in sins lead people to eternal damnation. Jesus’ disciple doesn’t judge to damnation, but tells that God shall judge sin maker to hell.
God loves also gay-people, but not sinful act of homosexuality, and therefore, God calls gay-people repentance and receives salvation by believing in the Lord Jesus. In other words, God loves sinners, but not sins. The gospel and its changing power is meant also for gay-people, because the Lord Jesus can set you free you from your sins.
I don’t condemn homosexuals, but love them by the love of God. The love of God also holds on from the truth, and therefore, I must say that homosexuality is a sin, it is not condemning, but telling the truth. God has authority to judge, not a man. God judges in His word homosexuality as a sin. I can tell about judgements that what God does, and I don’t condemn, but tell who judge.
I don’t support discrimination of homosexuals, because they are valuable as my neighbors. However, homosexuality is a sin. It is possible to integrate from homosexuality and get rid of it. The Lord Jesus can save and give freedom to you. I recommend for you to read the Bible, because there God teaches for natural sexuality and salvation by believing in the Lord Jesus.
Reference: http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/homosexual.html