I was sitting in a ladies class last night and the statement was made that homosexuality is sinful and wrong, but if you are not a PRACTICING homosexual, all is well. What??? Scripture clearly reveals from my understanding that this is a perversion and all who are involved in this lifestyle will be condemned if they do not confess and forsake. … I would very much appreciate your biblical insight on the subject.
There are two English dictionary definitions for the adjective, “homosexual.” The first definition is “to direct sexual desire toward another of the same sex”; the operative word in this definition, for our purposes, is desire. The second definition for the adjective, “homosexual” is “involving sexual intercourse between persons of the same sex”; the operative concept in this definition is the activity. Similarly, the definitions for the noun, “homosexuality,” are “the quality or state of being homosexual” and “erotic activity with another of the same sex.” (Webster) In both instances, a desire or temptation precedes any possible acting upon that desire or temptation.
We learn from the Bible that it is not wrong of itself to be tempted. After all, Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4:1-10). Our Lord, though, did not act upon Satan’s efforts to tempt him. James analyzed temptation or inducement to sin and, apart from temptation, the subject of sin. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14-15). Inappropriate thoughts of any kind should not be given a place to dwell in one’s mind, and such things should be quickly dismissed from one’s mind. Obviously, we ought not dwell on anything, which if we acted it out, that would be sinful. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19).
Without doubt and without controversy, contemporary trends in denominationalism to rethink Bible truth notwithstanding, the Bible clearly and forcefully denounces homosexual activity as sinful, for which the impenitent will be eternally lost. “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination” (Leviticus 18:22). “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NKJV). See also Romans 1:26-27; 1 Timothy 1:10.
God who created us declares in the Bible that it is not ordinary or normal for men to desire men sexually or for women to desire women sexually. The fulfillment of those desires is sinful, which under the Old Testament era was punishable by death. “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” (Leviticus 20:13).
To some extent, it is a word game to say a non-practicing homosexual is not condemned by the Bible but that a practicing homosexual is guilty of sin. Someone with biblically impure thoughts of any kind, including sexual desire for a person of the same sex, ought to immediately and purposely try to dismiss those thoughts from his consciousness. Certainly, he should not dwell upon them or fantasize about them, which itself is only a precursor to acting them out. God does hold us responsible as sinful for what we purposely think as well as what we do. “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Anyone who participates in homosexual acts commits what God considers an abominable sin.
Works Cited
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. CD-ROM. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, 1993.
