**DISCLAIMER** We aren’t looking to fight, demean, or fear monger. This is an attempt to give a brief overview of the scriptures that mention homosexuality.
We preached on the emotionally charged topic of homosexuality this past week. Check out the sermon. I made reference to these 6 verses but didn’t have time to go over them. So this is some supplementary information.
There are 6 scriptures. 3 in the old and 3 in the new. I’m going to try to provide honest commentary. Let’s start with the Old Testament.
#1) Genesis 19:1-5 Sodom & Gomorrah Destroyed
1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.”
“No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
This Scripture is brought up a “Lot.” (Unintentional Pun) Sodom & Gomorrah were evil towns, there really is no arguing that point. However it isn’t honest to say God destroyed the cities because those guys wanted to sleep with those dude angels.
a. Logic
The city would not have been any more righteous had they decided to fornicate/have sex with/rape Lot’s daughters. Lot did offer his daughters in verse 8. To think that God views homosexual rape as worse that heterosexual rape is something the Bible doesn’t back up.
b. Scripture
Ezekiel 16:49‐50 “`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
This describes the sin of Sodom… homosexuality isn’t mentioned specifically but rather greed and idolatry. It could be that the “detestable things” references homosexuality but that could be seen as a leap… and when dealing with life and death issues I prefer not to make leaps.
Sooo… The scripture that most people use doesn’t really offer much information to make a clear decision. Let’s move on.
#2 Leviticus 18:22 LAW
Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
This is God speaking here. V4-5 God says to keep His decrees… keeping those decrees is the way to life..
The Church often misses this crucial point… God warns against sin because He loves us! He wants us to live and not die. He is not bringing up these laws to destroy us but to warn us that walking in our fallen state (The state that Adam & Eve created through disobedience) will lead us to death.
One of those things the Lord is warning us about is same sexual relations, but it is merely one of the things mentioned in the chapter. This chapter is full of things God doesn’t want us to do.
{Some people use DETESTABLE here to link back to Ezekiel 16:50}
#3 Leviticus 20:13 The Law has Zero Tolerance
If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
This is a heavy chapter. Homosexuality is shown in V13 and there is acommand to put them to death.. Let’s talk about this.
Same Sex relations isn’t the only thing to be punishable by death. Read the chapter and you’ll see a list of things.
But the death thing… Let me say ANY CHRISTIAN THAT QUOTES THIS WITH A HATEFUL GLEE IN THEIR EYE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND GOD’S PLAN.
The Law has zero tolerance. It has 1 outcome. Much like jumping off a sky scraper has 1 outcome – a messy death. The truth is that all sin, which is law breaking, will put us to death. Lying & jealousy will put you to death as much as any other sin.
The Old Testament is to underline, highlight, & reveal to us our need for Grace. Galatians 3:24 Tells us that the Old Testament (The Law) was our tutor/guardian/servant that was leading us to Christ. The Tutor was literally someone who would guide young children to school and protect them along the way.
This Old Testament should not be the final destination… It should be leading us to Christ. By walking through Scriptures like Leviticus 20:13 it should lead us to the knowledge that we need Grace – We need Jesus.
That doesn’t just speak to same sex issues – We need to be led to Christ in all Issues.
DEAR CHURCH – Don’t treat the Old Testament like the Destination. Stop Flinging death upon people. Use the Old Testament correctly – Let it lead us to Christ.
We should not be carrying out the old testament law against sinners because guess what… WE ARE ALL SINNERS (Rom 3:23) in need of Grace.
Part 2 will come later this week.
-Chris Fluitt, Lead Pastor