A BIBLICAL VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALITY
Romans 1:24-32, 7/30/2017
Introduction: In every
generation since the beginning of the Church Christians have been given a
unique task to understand and creatively address the controversial issues of
the culture of their times. However, they were to approach those sensitive
matters through the compassion of Christ. Forty years ago, most Americans said
they didn't know anyone who was a homosexual and claimed to know little or
nothing about homosexuality. Today, most of us either know of a friend, a
family member, or a colleague who might be homosexual. Since coming to America
one of the things I am trying to grapple with is, the sexual revolution of the
sixties. I am amazed at its impact on society and its assault on human sexuality.
More
specifically I am saddened by the homosexual agenda and its influence on sincerely
Bible believing Christians. I understand this is a very sensitive subject and
passions can be flared up on either side of this matter. Like you, I too have I
have more questions than answers. So, let’s together explore some answers. Last
week we looked at SIN and why it is a BIG deal. Today, we will look at how the
moral fabric of humanity has been eroding because of SIN, and its consequences.
We want to develop a balanced view of homosexuality through the lenses of
scripture. As we speak there are so many that are struggling with homosexual
feelings. What hope do they have? Let’s look at the passage in Romans 1: 24-32,
my hope is that by the end of our time together we will leave with a Biblical View of Homosexuality.
For
the past few weeks we are exploring some major themes from the book of Romans.
Why is it important that we spend a considerable amount of time on this book?
Because of its content and the scope of theology. Romans, the very title of this book conjures up images of the
powerful empire that once ruled the Western world.
The apostle Paul was taking on some of the hot-button issues
of the then Roman world since people were looking to Rome for matters of law,
culture, power and learning. In the letter to Romans, Paul brilliantly tackles some
difficult doctrines in a compassionate manner. He underscores his writings with
the love of Christ. Paul wanted to convince his readers that Christ’s love has the
answers to all of life’s important questions, including questions regarding human
sexuality. In the verses from 18-23, Paul highlights SIN as the ultimate
rebellion of the human heart and how the wrath of God was revealed upon the
ungodly and the wicked. From vs 24-32, he graphically explains the depraved
actions of mankind who indulged in SIN and God’s past, present and future
dealings with man.
I.
GOD’S WRATH OF ABANDONMENT (Vs 24-26a)
“Therefore, God gave them over in the
sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their
bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and
worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever
praised. Amen.
Because of this, God
gave them over to shameful lusts...” In Vs 23, we read that man blatantly violated
the first commandment of God by exchanging God for images resembling mortal
man, and birds and animals and creeping things, which is idolatry. Therefore,
God gave them over in their sinful desires and to their shameful lusts.
Here
we are seeing God’s wrath of abandonment, which is removing restraint and letting
people go to their sin. In the passage we read in total we see three times,
this phrase, “God gave them over or gave them up” What does this mean? It is a
judicial term in Greek, used for handing over a prisoner to his sentence. When
men consistently abandon God, he will abandon them. We see this played out throughout
Israel’s history. This kind of wrath we are seeing in Vs (24-26a).
For
example, Psalm 81:11-12 “But my
people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So, I gave them over to their
stubborn hearts to
follow their own devices.” Hosea 4:17, “Ephraim is joined to
idols; leave him alone.” Here Ephraim was referring to the northern kingdom of
Israel. This was an expression of God’s wrath of abandonment, when sinners
reject him and are bent on fulfilling their wicked purposes, God removes
restraining grace and turns them over to the results of their own perverse choices.
Just imagine, if all of a sudden there are no more courts, no more police to
maintain law and order, all the jails open their prison doors and let the
criminals loose, what will happen to our country? We will have chaos, and
anarchy. Similarly, when God removes his restraint and hands over man to his
sinful lusts, we will have moral decay in society.
II. MAN’S
MORAL DECAY: (26b-28)
“Even
their women exchanged natural sexual
relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with
lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and
received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as
they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave
them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” In
these two verses, we see a shameful and unnatural human sexuality.
But
it was not always that bad. After creating everything God said it was good and
very good, that includes sex. God was
the inventor of sex, for the enjoyment and the pro-creation of mankind. However,
he wanted that gift to be enjoyed between a man and a woman only in the
confinement of marriage. So, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Andy. Listen
to what was said after God created Eve and brought her to Adam, “that is why a
man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they both
become one flesh.” Genesis 2: 24-25.
On
several occasions God valued this type of covenantal relationship between a man
and his wife. “Has
not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does
the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be
unfaithful to the wife of your youth.” Mal 2:15. When Jesus was tricked by a
Pharisee in regards to a divorce related matter he replied, “Haven’t you read,”
he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, ‘and
said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to
his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?
From
the beginning God intended this gift of sex to be enjoyed between one man and a
woman in the confinements of a marriage. Whereas what we are seeing in these
verses in Romans is that men and women have abandoned what was the natural way
of sexual enjoyment, instead they adopted detestable and unnatural forms of men
having sex with men and women with women. These are called, homosexual
practices. In Vs 27, we read, “Men committed shameful acts with other men, and
received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” Here we see the law of
sowing and reaping taking effect. Paul is referring here to the
self-destructive nature of sin. What does the Bible say about homosexuality and
is there a remedy?
III.
A BIBLICAL VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALITY.
Homosexuality
in this country is a hot-button issue. When we hear it mentioned passions from
either side of the subject hit sky high. People take varied, evolving positions
on this matter. It evokes a lot of pain, shame and grief to those who are
involved in it, and are affected by it.
Keeping aside our personal view on
this matter, let’s look at how God views homosexuality and what is his remedy
and a path way of healing. To be very direct, homosexuality is sin just like
any other sin for example, adultery, greed, steeling, cheating etc.
Why
is it viewed with such severity? Because it violates many moral laws of God; therefore,
it is widely condemned in Scripture. Here are a few scriptures for you to think
about, (Gen 19, Lev 18:22, I Thes 4:5, I Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:3-5, 1
Tim 1:9-10, Jude 7). Leviticus 18:22, “Do not have sexual relations with a man
as one does with a woman; that is detestable.” In Leviticus, we see God
detesting homosexual activity.
In
the NT, it is included along with other sins. “Or do
you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the
greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom
of God. And that is what some of you were. But you
were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Cor 6:9-11
Jude
5-7 “Though
you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at
one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did
not believe. And
the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their
proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains
for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom
and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual
immorality and perversion. They serve as
an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” These two
scriptures, high light homosexuality as sin, and homosexual sinners but let’s
not too hard on those who might be struggling in this area and pass judgment on
them.
The Bible also tells us that we all
have sinned, which means either you are gay or straight we all have sinned
therefore we all are in need of a savior. Paul warned the Roman believers that
they had no excuse to pass judgment on someone else. You might be wondering is
there a clear remedy and freedom for those who are struggling with Homosexual
practices and tendencies? Can people
really be set free and lead a clean life?
The answer is Yes! In the Corinthian church, there were apparently some
who may have practiced homosexuality, but at the time of this writing they were
washed, and justified in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Even today there are numerous examples of
people who once struggled with homosexuality, but now have been set free by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
Here is a powerful story of a former
lesbian professor becoming a pastor’s wife: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield spent more than a decade of her life as a
leftist lesbian English professor. She was in a committed homosexual
relationship, served as the faculty adviser for a number of gay and lesbian
student groups on campus. In
1999, everything changed. Rosaria had what she refers to as a "train-wreck conversion": she came to Christ and committed to
pursuing a life of "holy sexuality" a commitment to either
heterosexual marriage or celibacy.
She is now married to a Presbyterian
pastor in Durham, North Carolina, where she is actively "living out the
means of grace," raising four children, and sharing the testimony of God's
redeeming love at churches, colleges, and universities.” Rosaria is a clear
example of how Christian love and hospitality can win a hard-core lesbian like
her to Christ.
Our today’s topic may have raised
even more questions. I am open to discuss with any of these with you at the end
of the service. But let’s all remember one thing as we leave, where sin
increases, grace increases even more. When we come across a homosexual, friend,
relative, family member or a colleague let’s love and befriend them. Let’s not
reject them but accept them as Christ has accepted all of us into his family.
My hope and prayer is that Hope Church will be a beacon of hope, a place of
healing and restoration to all those who might be struggling in this area. May
each of us find peace, joy, comfort and healing in the arms of our Lord Jesus
Christ who loves us with an everlasting love. Amen.
