I listened to a teaching online, and the pastor claimed that Christians need to quit thinking so negatively about homosexuality.
He admitted it was a sin, but he said it was mentioned in Scripture much less than other sins.
Let's examine his claims:
In the Old Testament homosexuality is addressed four times in Genesis 19:1-13, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, and 1 Kings 15:12.* It's called detestable, punishable by death, and the cause of Sodom's destruction.
In the New Testament homosexuality is also addressed four times in Romans 1:26-28, Jude 1:7, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:8-11.* We're told that practicing homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God because their lifestyle is shameful, unnatural, and perverse.
In addition to these eight specific condemnations, homosexuality mocks God's design for marriage and sexual intimacy which is clearly presented throughout Scripture as one man and one woman (for example, Mark 10:6-9 and 1 Corinthians 7:2*).
But no matter how much or how little Scripture addresses homosexuality, this pastor's reasoning is flawed.
Scripture isn't a score card. We don't determine the serious nature of a sin by how often it's mentioned in Scripture. We trust God when He addresses some sins more strongly than others (Luke 12:47-48, Mark 12:38-40; 1 Corinthians 6:18, etc.).
And even though it's only mentioned once in James 3:1, I hope this pastor realizes that as a teacher, he'll be judged more strictly if he misleads people.
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* All verses are linked on the same page. Scroll down to see them all.
While we can't determine the serious nature of a sin by how often it's mentioned in Scripture, we can understand the serious nature of certain sins by the way God describes them. If you've been taught that all sins are the same in God's eyes, please see All Sins Are Not the Same.
We need to be aware of false "Christian" teachings which promote and justify LGBTQ lifestyles. The BLN collection Responding to Gay Revisionist Theology will help you respond biblically when someone uses these arguments.
Bible Love Notes
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