Recently, Congress passed the Respect for Marriage Act. What does the Bible say about marriage? Is Homosexuality condemned? It is the intention of this writer to answer these questions. It is important to know what God says on the matter being that His Word will judge us (John 12:48). This subject is not difficult. It takes a pure mind. Paul wrote, "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and unfit for any good work" (Tit 1:15-16 LSB). If one does not have a pure mind, then it matters not what the Bible says to that person. If one's mind is pure, then he accepts what the Bible says.
What is marriage? Marriage defined is "the actual joining of a husband and wife" (Complete Word Study Dictionary E-Sword Module). Jesus gave the definition of marriage in Matthew 19 by saying, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Mat 19:4-6 LSB). Jesus points back to the creation of marriage in Genesis 1 & 2. God created man is His own image (Gen. 1:26-27). He created the woman from Adam's rib (Gen. 2:21-23). God performed the first marriage ceremony (Gen. 2:24). Therefore, marriage is between one man and one woman together for life. Since God created us and defined what marriage is, man has no authority to change it.
Is homosexuality condemned in the Bible? The practice of homosexuality is condemned in both the Old and New Covenants. God created marriage in Genesis 2. God gave the Old Law through Moses which contains, "‘If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them" (Lev 20:13 LSB). Not only would it be a sin under the Old Law, but the penalty for such was death. Paul wrote, "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 effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God" (1Co 6:9-10 LSB). God says that "homosexuals" will not inherit the kingdom of God. However, one could be forgiven of the sinful practice as was the case of the Corinthians, "And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1Co 6:11 LSB). There were those in this congregation who were formerly those who practiced homosexuality, but they had repented of such a lifestyle and were washed by Jesus' blood. Some argue that since Jesus did not supposedly condemn homosexuality like Paul, that the practice is okay. However, as we noticed earlier, Jesus defined marriage as it was from the beginning thus eliminating other options for marriage.
As we conclude this article, it is this author's prayer that we all would respect God's Law on marriage and that we would not support that which is sinful. Christians cannot support what God condemns (Romans 1:32). If you are reading this and are practicing such lifestyles, I urge you to consider what God has said on the matter. Please don't live your life for pleasure but for God's glory. I love you as a person. It is my hope that marriage can be seen the way God views it and not from the viewpoint of man.
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