In a recent study, a majority of churchgoers expressed the belief that the Bible was not clear in its teachings about homosexuality. In other words, most of them did not believe the Bible was clear about “whether homosexuality is morally acceptable.”
However, the problem is not that the Bible is unclear; it is that people do not want to accept what the Bible teaches or are afraid of offending those who have given themselves over to this sinful behavior.
Let us be reminded of a few points.
What the Bible Teaches about Sexuality
God created marriage in the beginning with Adam and Eve: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). He designed marriage to be between one man and one woman for life. Jesus explained this: “Have you not read that He who created 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’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6). When two people who are eligible to marry enter into this covenant, God joins them together.*
God designed marriage as the relationship in which our sexual desires can lawfully be fulfilled. The Hebrew writer said, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). Sexual relations between a man and woman who God has joined in marriage is good. However…
Sexual Activity Outside of the Bonds of Marriage Is Wrong
As noted above, “fornicators and adulterers” will be judged by God (Hebrews 13:4). This means that those who have sex before marriage are sinning against God because it is outside of the bonds of marriage. It also means that adultery, which is when one has sexual relations with someone other than his/her spouse, is wrong. In fact, adultery was the only cause that Jesus gave that would allow an innocent spouse to put away their mate and remarry (Matthew 19:9).
In addition to these, the Bible is also clear that homosexuality is wrong. It was condemned before the Law of Moses (Genesis 19:4-13, 23-25; cf. Jude 7), under the Law of Moses (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13), and under the law of Christ (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:10). In fact, the New Testament describes homosexuality as being contrary to nature and sound teaching (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Timothy 1:10), and a practice that will prevent one from inheriting the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The Scriptures could not be clearer. And for those who argue for the practice of same-sex “marriage,” remember what we already noticed – God designed marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman. Our society may claim that two men or two women can marry, but God does not join them together.
God Made Us As Either Male or Female
In recent years, there has been a push to normalize transgenderism and blur the lines between males and females. However, since the beginning, God made people male and female: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). This has continued ever since.
Not only did God make us, but the Scriptures describe Him forming us in the womb: “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14). No one can change from male to female or vice versa. Each one of us is what God made us to be.
All of This Is Clearly Taught in the Bible
Those who think it is not clear have either (1) not studied their Bible enough, or (2) they want to believe something contrary to the Bible, so they claim the Bible is unclear.
We need to ask ourselves: Do we really want to know the truth? Are we willing to accept the truth no matter what?
Not only do we need to examine ourselves with those questions, but we also need to look at the congregation of which we are members. Churches need to be clearly teaching these things. If we fail to do this, we are contributing to the confusion through our silence or ambiguous message. We need to help people see what the Bible plainly teaches on topics like this.
The world wants to portray the Bible as being unclear on sexuality in order to justify a number of sins (fornication, adultery, homosexuality, transgenderism, etc.). Yet the Bible is clear. Therefore, if we recognize that it is the word of God that will judge us in the last day, we must believe it, practice it, and teach it, no matter what the world thinks about it.
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* For more on this point, see the following articles:
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This article first appeared on Plain Bible Teaching for Today on Substack.
