Tuesday, May 20, 2014

How Would Jesus View Homosexuality?

Jesus loves all people
In the beginning, God made them male and female.
Anyone who has studied the Bible to any extent realizes that homosexuality is mentioned many times. Whether it is referenced by the terms "abusers of themselves with mankind", "without natural affection" or some other term, homosexuality is condemned many times in both the Old and New Testaments.

What does the Bible have to say about homosexuality?

 

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 Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, describes sins which are unpleasing to God and we can clearly see that homosexuality is on the list. Bible scholars feel that this is a very unique passage in that it is one of the few places in the Bible that refers to same-gender sexual behavior by women.

1 Timothy 1:9-10: 
"Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine."
Leviticus 18

 In this chapter God is speaking and giving instructions to Moses about what the people of Israel must not do:
 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. (Skipping to verse 22) Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."
In this reference,it is quite clear that homosexual acts are not acceptable to God and He clearly expresses how he feels about the issue.

Leviticus 20:13
 "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."

Jesus speaks on issues of homosexuality:

Matthes 19:4-5:
 "He answered, 'Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 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?'"
The Pharisees were asking Jesus a question about the possibility of getting a divorce under any circumstances. Jesus was well aware of the acts of "men lying with men" and of "men and women without natural affections". Even though the question wasn't about the specific relationships between "men" and "women", Jesus specifically restated the account of the Creation found in the book of Genesis because He wanted the people to clearly understand that marriage and the desire for sexuality must be exclusive to a male and female relationship.

Jesus made it clear that these were the rules and no one should change them in verse 6 of Matthew 19:
 "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
Jesus in speaking to His disciples about His return, explains some of the things that He will find when He returns:

Luke 17:34-35
"I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
Jesus could have said that two men would be deer hunting or fishing, so why did He single out "two men in one bed"? Jesus was addressing the issue of homosexuality and explaining that even though two men are homosexuals, they will each have a choice, to repent of their sin and enter the kingdom of heaven or remain homosexuals and perish.

To argue the case for homosexuality using the Bible as a reference, is totally a waste of time. The Bible is very specific in speaking against it and outlines the penalties for practicing that form of lifestyle.

Jesus didn't specifically mention the word "homosexual" in His teachings, simply because the word hadn't yet been invented. He did, however, always speak of how we all should live our daily lives.

Jesus ordained the marriage between a man and a woman when he spoke the words "one man and one woman" and the purpose was simple, to populate the world. If all relationships were between people of the same sex, that would be quite difficult. It was for this simple reason that God didn't first create two men.

I appreciate and respect differing points of view on this subject and would like to hear what you have to say. Please leave your comments below. Also, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest.

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