What does the Bible say about homosexuality? How do we respond to it?

What does the Bible say about homosexuality, gay marriage, and ordination of gay ministers? These questions often get strong reactions. Where you stand on this issue likely depends on how you approach the Bible and your faith and how that relates to the way you live your life. But it also depends on cultural views, your understanding of sexual orientation, and your position on a number of other political and ideological issues. It’s hard for us to separate our cultural/world view from our approach to faith. 

If you search the Bible, you’ll find far fewer passages about homosexual behavior than you will for things like idolatry, pride, greed, justice, or hypocrisy. That’s not to diminish it, but to note that it is not a major theme in the Bible. Let’s take a look at those passages. You can find a compilation of those references at Christian Bible Reference.

First, let’s be clear: You won’t find a Hebrew or Greek term for “homosexuality” in the scriptures. There was also no understanding of sexual orientation as we understand it today. The scripture passages address homosexual acts, but not orientation or relationships. 

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) is often cited as God’s punishment against widespread homosexuality in those cities. But is their offense homosexuality or rape? Ezekiel described the sins of Sodom: they were “arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me.” (Ezekiel 16:49-50). Read on and you’ll see that God also promised to restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, returning them to what they were before (16:53-55). A similar passage in Isaiah includes no reference to homosexual behavior (Isaiah 1:10-17). 

Is homosexuality the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, or is Genesis 19 an illustration of the extent of their arrogance, gluttony, pride, and lack of concern for others?

The Holiness Code in Leviticus includes two references to homosexual acts:
"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" (Lev. 18:22) and 
"If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them" (Lev. 20:13).

That’s pretty straightforward. Sex between two men is an abomination punishable by death. Many arguments against homosexuality often emphasize the “abomination” part. I was surprised at how often “abomination” appears in the Bible. It occurs in 110 verses in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (142 times in the King James Version and 115 times in the Amplified Bible; the NIV uses the word “detestable” instead). Abomination is used to describe everything from improper sacrifices to unclean foods to idolatry and not keeping God’s statutes and ordinances. The bottom line is that it’s not a term reserved for a certain kind of sin: pretty much any sin is considered an abomination. 

As for sins punishable by death, that list includes murder, cursing a parent, kidnapping, witchcraft and sorcery, sex with an animal, working on the Sabbath, incest, adultery, blasphemy, false prophecy, and false claim of a woman's virginity. 

Three passages in the New Testament refer to homosexual acts, including the only reference to sex between two women. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote that, because the wicked refused to honor God and worshipped idols, “God gave them over to shameful lusts”, unnatural sexual relations, and same-sex acts (1:24-27), as well as envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, God-hating, insolence, arrogance, disobedience to parents, and lack of fidelity, love, and mercy (1:29-31). Some, including several responding to the question in Banned Questions About the Bible (p. 23-28), say that Paul was addressing ritual pagan worship behaviors rather than same-sex relationships. 

In 1 Corinthians,  Paul writes that idolaters, adulterers, men who have sex with men, cheats (swindlers and thieves),  the greedy, drunkards, revilers, slanderers, extortioners, and robbers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10)… at least not without the grace offered through Jesus (6:11). There’s a similar statement in 1 Timothy. In both passages, Paul refers to those who engage in homosexual acts with a Greek word (arsenokoitai) that has a range of interpretations. Beyond interpretation issues, Paul doesn’t single out those acts, but includes it in a longer list of sins. 

Here’s what Jesus said about homosexuality in the Gospels:



There’s nothing there. Jesus says he came to fulfill all of the laws, not do away with them (Matthew 5:17-20). There’s a whole other post sometime down the line on what that means in light of Jesus’s ministry. But, in the same sermon, he also warns us against judging others and tells us to take the log out of our own eyes before we try to take the speck out of someone else’s eye (Matthew 7:1-5). At the least, this should challenge anyone who calls homosexuality an abomination while ignoring their own abominable sins. 

Jesus focuses on restoring our relationship with God – loving God with everything we have and loving our neighbors as ourselves. He said that all of the laws and prophets are built on those two commandments. 

Those are the passages that specifically address homosexual acts. Some argue with great conviction that the Bible explicitly condemns homosexuality while others say it’s not as clear cut as it seems. What do you think? 

In a follow-up post, I want to explore the question “Do the Biblical laws on homosexual behavior still apply today?”, but for now I’d like to focus on these passages. Do you think they warrant the amount of emphasis some Christian groups place on them today? Do you see room for the arguments other groups make that, taken in context, they may not address monogamous same-sex relationships?

I look forward to your comments. As always, let’s be mindful that, as Christians, we are called to be known by our love. This particular topic is one in which many folks outside the church too often get a very different view of Christians: one of intolerance and hate. I will be watching closely to make sure we continue to keep this blog a safe place for people to share their thoughts and questions.