The Bible, Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriages

Wayne Galloway
05/15/12 - N/A

Series: Additional Studies

Introduction:

1.  Topping the news this week is the President’s announcement that he supports same-sex marriages. 2.  However, as of 2008, 29 states have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. 3.  As of 2009 four states made such marriages legal bringing the total nationwide to 6 states. 4.  Review the charts from Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life showing the changing attitudes since 2001.   Note especially the inter-generational differences. 5.  If your values are determined on the basis of societal trends it is evident the direction those values are headed. 6.  If, however, you take your values from Scripture the direction of your values is equally evident.  (A critical issue here is whether or not one accepts the Bible as a revelation from God.  If one acknowledges it as such he/she either accepts the values there or stands in opposition to them.  Some, of course, deny the Bible as a revelation from God.  Those who do so then determine their own values having divorced themselves from God.  A consideration of the evidences for the Bible coming from God is appropriate logically before make such a decision.  To make a decision without examining the evidence is unscientific, mere assumption and may reveal a mentality of following the crowd instead of acting independently to make one’s own decisions.) 7.  What does the Bible say regarding homosexuality and same-sex marriage? 8.  What we are going to do is survey the biblical teaching.  For many of you this will be simply a rehearsal of what you already know.  Be patient, for some are less experienced than you and have never surveyed what the Bible says.

Discussion:

I.  From creation male and female marriage was established by God.

A.  Gen. 1:26-27 creates man in God’s image; male and female He created them.

B.  More detail of this creation is given in 2:18-25.

1.  They were designed as complementary creatures.

2.  Man observed that no other creature was suitable (20).

3.  God observed for the man to be alone was not suitable (18).

4.  Moses observed that based upon creation “a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

5.  Former President Ronald Reagan observed that God said to Adam, “Here is Eve, NOT here is Steve.”

C.  This pattern was the norm.

1.  Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, married a wife and had children (Gen. 4).

2.  Others after him did the same:  Seth, Enosh, Kenan, et. al. (Gen. 5).

3.  At the time of the flood, when men’s thoughts were only evil continually, men and women were marrying (Gen. 6).

II.  There is no indication of anything different than this until the days of Abraham and Lot (Gen. 19).

A.  It was not among God’s people, but among the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19).

B.  “The men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old… bring them out that we may have relations with them” (vs. 4-5).

C.  Lot described this as wickedness and offered his two daughters instead.

1.  Some have said it is not same-sex relations that is addressed here, but the wickedness of rape.

2.  Rape is certainly wickedness, but if that is the problem here why did Lot offer his daughters as alternative?

3.  Would it be O.K to rape them, but wrong to rape the men?  NO, the problem being addressed is same-sex relations.

4.  It is described as wickedness and the angels striking the men blind shows God’s objection to the practice.

5.  In this text the justification for the overthrow of Sodom is gauged on this occurrence as a mark of their wickedness.

III.  From this point forward male/female relationships were the norm until the days of Moses.

A.  In Lev. 18, in the list of laws on immoral relationships, male/female relationships are acknowledged as the standard of behavior.

1.  Even in the rules regarding incest male/female relationships are the consideration.

2.  The laws against adultery were male/female oriented (v. 20).

B.  Male to male sexual relationships are prohibited as an abomination (v. 22).  Among the people of God, I am supposing that same-sex marriage would be prohibited.

C.  Bestiality is also prohibited (v. 23).  Among the people of God, I am supposing that marriage to an animal would have been prohibited.

D.  Such actions, of course, were not prohibited among the nations in Canaan.  God said that this was the reason these nations were being spewed out of the land (Lev. 18:24ff).  Such actions were characteristic of the idolatry of the land of Canaan.

E.  Lev. 20 repeats the laws on immoral relations of Lev. 18 in a context addressing idolatry and receiving information from sources other than God (6-8).

F.  Cult prostitution was practiced among the idolaters.  God, however, forbade both daughters of Israel and sons of Israel from cult prostitution (Deut. 23:17-18).  The male prostitutes are termed “dogs” in this text.  These practices are identified as an abomination to the Lord. Other texts that refer to male and female temple prostitutes include 1 Kings 14:22-23; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7.

IV.  In the N.T. there are multiple texts addressing this issue.

A.  Rom. 1:26-27.

1.  A mark of depravity.

2.  Both same-sex options are condemned.

3.  It is appropriate to distinguish homosexual acts from homosexuality where homosexuality is defined as the desire for someone of the same sex.

4.  It is appropriate, in my judgment, to acknowledge the act as what is wrong. Homosexual desire is one thing.  Just as heterosexual desire is one thing.  Acting in ways that violate the law of God is another.  Heterosexual adultery and fornication are wrong. Some have heterosexual desire but commit homosexual acts.

B.  1 Cor. 6:9.

1.  “Effeminate”—males who allow themselves to be misused by other males.

2.  “Homosexuals”—males who misuse other males.

3.  Will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

4.  Such were some of you.  Indicates change is possible by the cleansing of Christ.

C.  1 Tim. 1:10—contrary to sound teaching.

D.  Rev. 22:15—“Dogs” here may be the same use as in Deut. 23:17-18.  They are outside the gates of the city of God because their robes are not washed.

Conclusion:

1.  Those who practice homosexual acts are candidates for the gospel (1 Cor. 6:9-10) the same as all others. 2.  No one should be malicious, rude, depreciating to homosexuals any more than those who practice heterosexual sins, or any other sin for that matter. 3.  This is not to say we should advance homosexuality as a political cause.  We should not. 4.  We need to be busy advancing the cause of Christ and acting as a salt and light influence.