The Homosexual Struggle & The Gospel
In addressing the subject of homosexuality, I am reminded of the subtle words of the serpent to our mother Eve. The tempter began by asking “Did God actually say…?”. This question has been effective in misleading humanity following the fall of Adam and Eve. After all, if one could cast sufficient doubt on what God has said, one would find the moral liberty to justify any action on the ground that God is silent on the matter. Christian apologetics must commit to the firm belief that God has spoken and that we possess His revealed words in the form of Scripture. It is this conviction that guides our response to homosexuality.
I hold it beyond dispute that Scripture is not silent on homosexuality. Hence, my approach here is not to defend the claim that God has spoken on the issue of homosexuality. Instead, we will explore what God has revealed on the subject in Scripture by examining the biblical description of the human state. I will conclude with the hope offered by the gospel to those who struggle with homosexual tendencies.
What does it mean to be human?
A poor response to this question will significantly undermine our response to homosexuality. L. T. Jeyachandran describes this problem in two ways. Firstly, our biblical understanding of what it means to be human begins in Genesis 3, following the fall of Adam and Eve. The problem with this approach, is that it paints a negative and false image of God as Creator, as a skeptic I dialogued with objected, “an all-powerful God created gay people and then condemned them all to hell specifically for making them that way.” The first two chapters of Genesis will help clear the objector’s misunderstanding about God actively creating gay people. God didn’t create people gay any more than He created people blind or deaf.
Furthermore, He clearly does not condemn gays to hell merely because of the way the way they were created. Genesis 1 describes God creating a humanity free of sin and death. The fall of Adam and Eve resulted in the corruption of nature, which includes humanity. Living now in a fallen world, we experience the unpleasant effects of sin. People suffer with problems which include blindness and deafness and among other things, same-sex attraction. The objection should be rephrased, focusing on an apparent double-standard whereby God doesn’t judge the blind and the deaf, but merely judges the one experience homosexual inclinations.
The fact is nowhere in the Bible does God condemn a person merely for being gay or possessing homosexual inclinations. We are told in Scripture that: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22). The Apostle Paul in the New Testament states:
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality”
~ 1 Corinthians 6:9
We should note that in both these passages, only the act or “practice” of homosexuality is condemned. We must distinguish between homosexual attractions and homosexual acts. In other words, in our fallen human nature, it is not sinful to be attracted to others of the same sex. I consider that a disorder, just like blindness and deafness would be considered a disorder. What is sinful is the homosexual acts that stem from the attraction. The same standard applies to heterosexuals who are attracted to members of the opposite sex. While the attraction is not inherently sinful, acting upon the impulse outside a marital relationship is severely condemned as adultery or fornication (1 Corinthians 6:9).
The Gospel of Jesus Christ & Homosexuality
The gospel of Jesus Christ does not condemn a person for being gay just as Christ did not condemn the blind and deaf. Neither does Christ expect a person to eradicate those desires any more than he expects the blind and deaf to heal themselves. Human inability is central to the proclamation of the gospel. It is the very same Jesus who healed the blind and the deaf that promises spiritual healing from sin to those who draw near to Him by faith. It first forces us to recognize how sinful we are and then points us to the perfect Savior who enables us to overcome our weaknesses.
The second problem that Jeyachandran notes is that our gospel message tends to be focused on souls to the extent that we often downplay the significance of the body. If you have been in church for some time, you may have encountered phrases such as “praying for souls” or “saving souls.” It is important to realize that the Christian hope is not primarily the salvation of our souls but the resurrection of our bodies. Paul says in his trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin: “…It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial” (Acts 23:6). This resurrection that Paul speaks of is not a disembodied state, rather it is a bodily resurrection in the similar manner in which Jesus rose from the dead. As even Job recognized in the Old Testament,
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God…”
~ Job 19:25-26
Therefore, the body is an important aspect of the gospel that should not be ignored. So, what has this got to do with a person struggling with homosexuality? Everything! Our secular culture would have us believe that unless we openly accept homosexual behavior, we would be denying those homosexually inclined a chance to pursue happiness. If there is no resurrection, then perhaps they might have a case in hand. As the Apostle Paul admits, “If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). However, if Jesus was indeed raised bodily from the dead, then what we do with our bodies in this life has eternal significance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the homosexual struggle is not different from any other sexual struggle or human disability in that it is not something that Jesus cannot fix! Immediately after declaring that those who practice homosexuality will not inherit God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9), Paul goes on to add:
“And such were some of you. 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 Corinthians 6:11
This indicates that the apostle expected homosexuals to be transformed through the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit. There is hope and forgiveness of sins to be found in the gospel for those who come to Christ with faith and repentance.
The gospel also promises the hope of the bodily resurrection to which our earthly struggles fade in comparison. As Paul states,
“… provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”
~ Romans 8:17-18
Believers in Jesus who suffer with same-sex attraction do not suffer in vain because the same God who raised Christ from the dead promises them a body more glorified than Adam and Eve had in their unfallen state. While the effects of Adam’s fall are temporary, the effects of Jesus’ work will be eternal. Therefore, a believer in Christ has good news to offer the one struggling with same-sex attraction.
If you are struggling with same-sex attraction, we highly recommend the resources available at https://www.livingout.org/. This article was originally published by Explain Apologetics. This new edition has been revised by the author.
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Samuel Nesan graduated with a Masters in Christian Studies (Seminari Theoloji Malaysia) while serving as an Associate Pastor at Pantai Baptist Church. Prior to that, he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology and a Diploma in Counselling Studies (Bible College of Malaysia). Samuel left his pastoral position in 2018 and went on to start and work full-time by faith in Explain Apologetics. Samuel is a regular speaker at schools, colleges, universities, and churches across denominations. He has also participated in a plethora of interfaith dialogues and debates. Apart from ministry, Samuel enjoys Badminton and was a match commentator for Astro since 2014 having coached professional shuttlers both locally and abroad.
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