The question is: "When the Bible says homosexuality is sinful, is it referring to the lustful desire and acts toward a person of the same gender done in the absence of love, rather than the love felt between two people of the same gender?"
The N.T. makes it very plain that those who practice homosexual acts will not be in the coming Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9: Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Romans 1:21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was fitting.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; {to retain: or, to acknowledge } {a reprobate …or, a mind void of judgment or, an approving mind } Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: {without natural or unsociable } Who knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them. {have. or, consent with }
From these words, it is obvious how God looks upon homosexuality and those who participate in wrongful sexual acts with members of the same gender.
That being said we are to love all men/women including homosexuals, transgender, etc. As Jesus has commanded us to do..... We can hate what people do, but we are not to hate the person who is doing such things
Remember what Jesus has said through his apostle Paul: 1 Corinthians 5:11-13:
But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? ........ they that are without God judges.
Paul says that we are to judge those who are within the called-out Assembly, but we are not to judge those who are outside the called-out Assembly. Those who are without God judges!
So we are not to pass any judgment on homosexuals; we can hate what they do sexually, but we are to love them as human beings, as our neighbors even as the lord Jesus has said we should do.
We are to love sinners, all sinners because that is what we once were when we were following the influence of the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air. But our God and our Father Yehovah, has made it possible by His amazing grace for us in His beloved son Jesus, to be reconciled to Himself and has made us new creations in the Messiah Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment