Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction towards persons of the same sex. As first used, the term referred to women as well as men, though more recently terms such as “gay” or “lesbian” have been increasingly used to describe specific identities organized around homosexual desires. A distinction is made in contemporary science and ethical literature between homosexual tendencies of an occasional or temporary nature which might exist in an otherwise heterosexual person and the deeply ingrained and substantially irreversible orientation of a homosexual person.

The Bible and Homosexuality

What is the position of the Bible on homosexuality? In the Old Testament it was seen as a perversion and a pagan abomination. In Lev. 18:22 we read; “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Similarly, in Lev. 20:13 we read, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.” Another passage dealing with homosexuality is Gen 19:1-28 (the sin of Sodom). Most of the references to homosexuality in the New Testament occur in the letters of Paul.

The clearest is Romans 1:26-27. In the context, Paul is portraying the moral disorder that accompanies the rejection of the knowledge of God in the pagan world. He says, “For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions.

Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” Romans 1:26 is the only biblical text that addresses the particular issue of homosexual behaviour between consenting females. Rom. 1:27 is the clearest statement in the New Testament regarding the issue of homosexual behaviour between consenting adult males.

Some interpreters suggest that Paul has in mind here sexual relations between men and boys in particular; however, Paul’s indictment seems to include all kinds of homosexual practice, female as well as male, and was not directed against one kind of homosexual practice in distinction from another 

1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10 Paul speaks of homosexuality. These two verses may be discussed together. In 1 Cor. 6:9 Paul says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts.” In 1 Tim. 1:10 he speaks of “immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.”

The terms “sexual perverts” and “sodomites” in the two passages translate the same Greek word and denote homosexuality. However, it needs to be added that Paul does not single out same-sex intercourse as specially perverted or monstrous. He lists it alongside theft, drunkenness and perjury, as well as adultery and murder. It is nevertheless a safe conclusion that, whatever might be said about individual orientations or dispositions, Paul could only have regarded all homosexual erotic and genital behaviour as contrary to the creator’s plan for human life, to be abandoned on conversion (cf. 1 Cor 6:11).

To be continued…..