Is homosexuality a sin? This is one topic which has spawned much heated debate for sure and has become something of a moot point in many churches today. I believe the reason that this topic has become a moot point is because it has not been properly addressed. Many pastors simply string together a few scriptures on this topic and try to answer this question in a practical way instead of searching for a theological explanation on why the scriptures say what they say about the issue of homosexuality. So what is the theological explanation for the bible's stance on homosexuality?
Let's start at the beginning. In Genesis chapter 1, we find that God creates the first people, Adam and Eve. Verse 27 tells us, "In the image of God he created them; male and female created them." So we see that God's creative order is Male to female relations. Homosexual relations deviate from and violate this order. So from a theological perspective, homosexuality is sinful because it violates God's creative order.
This leads us to another question, are people born homosexuals? If people are born homosexuals and homosexuality is a sin, that would make God schizophrenic based on the scriptures that condemn homosexual relations. Also, if people are born homosexuals then God is unjust and cruel because of the standards He places on sexual relations. Or to swing the pendulum in the other direction, if people are born homosexuals and God allows us to stay this way then Jesus' work of redemption on the cross is cheapened. However, if we look at scripture what we find is that no one is born gay or straight but rather all of us are born sinners and as such are born into brokenness. It makes as much sense to say that someone is born gay or straight as it does to say that someone is born an alcoholic. We may be born with certain propensities, but theologically we are all born sinners, fully depraved because of the fall.
So from a theological perspective homosexual relations are sinful because they violate God’s creative order. And secondly, every person is born a sinner with propensity toward sin. This is why Jesus is so important.
4 comments:
in my research of the most common scriptures used from the new testament, stating what you have, i find that people are taking what the scripture is about and are drawing conclusions, as opposed to taking it for it's intent. so my question is, which specific scriptures are you referring to? i'm not saying you're right or wrong. this is just something that has been at the forefront of my mind lately, and i value your opinion. i know we've discussed it some, but i'd like to do some more.
What I am attempting to do is to answer this question not in a systematic way (stringing a few scriptures together to back up a proposition) but rather, I am trying to answer this question from a theological perspective. To do this I am going back to the beginning to find out what is God's creative order? In Genesis 1, we find God creating, galaxies, oceans, plants, animals, people, etc. It's in this first chapter of the scriptures that we find God's creative order for everything. Included in this chapter is God's creative order for humans. God creates man and say's it's not good for him to be alone. He then says, I will create someone suitable for him (Genesis 2). Male to female relation is God's creative order from the very beginning. This is the theological answer to why homosexuality is wrong. It goes against God's creative order for human relations.
wouldn't that mean that anything we do against God's original intent would be going against him the same way?
That is exactly right! Sin by definition means to "miss the mark." So anything that goes against God's intent for us personally or for humanity as a whole is sin because it misses the mark of all that God has for us.
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