Homosexuality: What The Bible Actually Says

Homosexuality: What The Bible Actually Says

In an age dominated by subjective truth and cultural compromise, few biblical issues are as hotly contested—or as desperately in need of clarity—as the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality. Theologians twist ancient texts. Activists appeal to emotion. Even some churches now declare, “God affirms all love.”

But what does God actually say?

This article cuts through the noise with Scripture. No spin. No compromise. Just God’s Word—rightly handled, faithfully explained, and firmly rooted in the unchanging nature of the One who gave it. The goal is not to single out one sin over others, but to tell the truth in love—and call all sinners, including the sexually immoral, to repentance and restoration through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 19: Sodom and the Sin That Cried Out

Text: Before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” (Genesis 19:4–5, NLT)

Greek (LXX):ἵνα συγγενώμεθα αὐτοῖς – “so that we may have relations with them” (literally: to know them sexually)

Context Note:

God sends angels to warn Lot before destroying Sodom. The men of the city demand to rape these guests. The surrounding chapters (Genesis 18–20) clarify that Sodom’s sin had “cried out to God” (Genesis 18:20), and the destruction is swift and final.

Common Objection Refuted: “This was about hospitality, not homosexuality.

”False. Jude 1:7 clarifies it unmistakably: “And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion” (NLT). The Greek here is ἐκπορνεύσασαι (ekporneusasai)—a heightened form of πορνεία (porneia, G4202)—indicating excessive sexual sin.

Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13 – Part of the Moral Law

Texts:

“Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.” (Leviticus 18:22, NLT)

“If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.” (Leviticus 20:13, NLT)

Hebrew Terms:

• תּוֹעֵבָה (toʿevah) – “abomination,” often used in the moral sense for sins detested by God

• The structure of the sentence matches other moral laws in Leviticus (e.g., incest, bestiality), not ceremonial laws

Context Note:

Leviticus 18 and 20 form the heart of God’s sexual ethics for Israel—detailing prohibited sexual behaviors. These include incest, adultery, child sacrifice, and same-sex acts. These prohibitions remain moral, not ceremonial, and are never repealed or modified in the New Testament.

Common Objection Refuted: “This is just Old Testament law—we don’t follow that anymore.

”We rightly reject ceremonial and civil codes (e.g., dietary restrictions), but moral laws are reaffirmed in the New Testament. Homosexuality is consistently categorized as a moral sin throughout both Testaments (see Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, etc.).

Romans 1:24–27 – Paul’s Inspired Indictment

Text:

"So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired... That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result... they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved." (Romans 1:24–27, NLT)

Greek Terms:

• ἄρσενες ἐν ἄρσεσιν – “males with males” (clear sexual reference)

• ἀσχημοσύνην (aschemosynē) – “shameful” (used in contexts of sexual indecency)

Context Note:

Romans 1 begins with creation and general revelation. Paul explains that humanity suppressed the truth (v. 18) and spiraled into idolatry and sexual depravity. This includes same-sex behavior—clearly described as unnatural, shameful, and the result of spiritual rebellion.

Timelessness Argument:

Paul isn’t referencing 1st-century Rome—he traces this back to creation (v. 20) and mankind’s long history of rejecting God. This isn't cultural; it’s universal depravity. His argument transcends time, geography, and customs.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 – The Kingdom Is Not for the Unrepentant

Text:

"Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality... none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed... made holy... made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, NLT)

Greek Terms:

• μαλακοί (malakoi, G3120) – “soft,” often used to refer to passive homosexual partners, effeminate men

• ἀρσενοκοῖται (arsenokoitai, G733) – from ἄρσην (male) + κοίτη (bed); literally “men who bed men”

Context Note:

This is a list of habitual, unrepentant sinners—those whose lives are marked by persistent sin. Paul’s contrast is hopeful: “some of you were like this”—meaning transformation is possible. The gospel saves sinners of all stripes, but repentance is essential.

Common Objection Refuted: “Arsenokoitai is mistranslated.”

No serious Greek scholar disputes its meaning. Paul coined the term using the exact phrasing from Leviticus 20:13 in the Greek Septuagint: “If a man lies with a man” (ἄρσενος κοίτην). He invents a compound noun: arsenokoitai. It literally means “men who lie with men.” This is deliberate and clear.

1 Timothy 1:9–11 – The Law Is for the Lawless

Text:

“For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious… for those who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers…” (1 Timothy 1:9–10, NLT)

Greek Term:

• Again, Paul uses ἀρσενοκοῖται (arsenokoitai, G733)

Context Note:

Paul is writing to Timothy about false teachers and reminding him that God’s law still has relevance—not to save, but to expose sin. Homosexuality is listed alongside murder and lying as evidence of a lawless life.

Revelation 21:8 & 22:15 – The Eternal Verdict

Texts:

“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8, NLT)

“Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers…” (Revelation 22:15, NLT)

Greek Term:

• πόρνοι (pornoi, G4205) – plural of pornos, meaning “a man who prostitutes himself,” often used broadly for sexual immorality

Context Note:

Revelation closes with a vision of the New Heavens and Earth—and a clear warning: those who remain unrepentant in sexual sin will not enter. These warnings are in the future tense. That means the standard still applies. God’s Word is eternal.

Jesus and Homosexuality: Did He Say Nothing?

Common Objection Refuted: “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality.”

Let’s deal with that.

1. Jesus affirmed the entire moral law (Matthew 5:17–20).

2. He defined marriage as one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4–6).

3. He used the word πορνεία (porneia, G4202)—sexual immorality—multiple times (e.g., Mark 7:21), which included all forms of unlawful sexual activity outside biblical marriage.

4. In Revelation, Jesus speaks judgment against the πόρνοι (pornoi)—those guilty of ongoing sexual sin.

In short: Jesus did address it—and He’s still addressing it in Revelation.

Timeless Truth: God’s Nature Does Not Change

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6, NLT)

Culture shifts. Opinions change. But God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His design for sexuality was declared in Eden, reinforced by the Law, explained by Paul, and will be upheld at the Judgment.

Romans 1 reminds us this sin stretches back across millennia. Revelation shows it will be judged in eternity. And everywhere in between, God has offered mercy, forgiveness, and transformation.

Final Word: Truth and Grace

This is not about condemnation. It’s about clarity.

The gospel is not “God loves you—stay the same.” It’s “God loves you—repent and be transformed.” Paul’s great comfort still stands: “Some of you were like that… but you were made right with God” (1 Corinthians 6:11, NLT).

We are not here to affirm sin. We are here to proclaim freedom. And no matter your past, Jesus Christ is mighty to save.