The Situation⤒🔗

In our days homosexuality is not only written about but also widely practiced. A "liberated" part of the population wants to have discrimination against homosexuals banned from society on the basis of the charter of human rights. Living as a homosexual or lesbian couple must be seen as a legal alternative to a heterosexual marriage or common-law relationship. Man must be given the opportunity and freedom to live his or her own life. He must have the freedom to come to the fulfillment of his/her self. That is what we are told.

Therefore, the view that people with a homosexual disposition have also their right to live their own life in accordance with their constitution is more and more accepted, not only in the modern secular world, but also in a modern liberal Christianity. There are specific gay churches in which gay couples are "married." In many of the larger denominations on our North American continent, and elsewhere, one finds a debate about the issue and decisions in which homosexuality is declared acceptable.

The fact that in our modern world homosexuality is more and more accepted, and that it is either accepted, even in Reformed circles, or is recognized there as an important issue, makes it necessary that we pay attention to this matter.

The Problem←⤒🔗

With the word homosexuality we mean a homosexual activity or relationship. In his book Homofilie (Amsterdam: Ton Bolland, 1973) Dr. J. Douma distinguishes between homosexuality and "homophilety." The latter word I did not find in my dictionary, which does have the word "homophile" and gives as meaning "1. a homosexual. 2. a person who opposes laws that discriminate against homosexuals" (World Book Dictionary, 1972). Dr. Douma uses the word homosexual tor the homosexual act or practice, while homophile is indication of a homosexual inclination or disposition. As I understand it, in the English language homosexuality stands for the act and the practice, while homosexualism points to the inclination or disposition.

Whether one likes it or not, homosexualism and homosexuality are part of our modern society. It has been asked what the cause can be. On p. 68 Dr. Douma writes that researches do not all agree. Some say that homosexualism (the disposition) is congenital or genetic: a person is born with it. Others deny this. They say that both the disposition and the practice are psychogenic and caused by the environment, which means, either the family or the society, or both. Again others are of the opinion that it is a combination of the two: it is both inborn and result of environment. Basically the same is said in an article by Armand M. Nicholi II sub "Homosexualism and Homosexuality" in Baker's Dictionary of Christian Ethics, edited by Carl F. Henry (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1973).

Of those who assume a genetic cause, some have said that it is a matter of hormones, while others have asserted that it has to do with chromosomes. Douma writes on p. 69 that in this respect no decisive proof has been provided. Those who assume an environmental or "psychogenic" (Armand M. Nicholi II) cause seek the homosexual disposition as theconsequence of unhealthy relations in the family with a mother or a father. As said, many do not want to choose between the two and prefer a combination of the genetic and the psychogenic theories.

Perhaps we can say that the cause of homosexualism does not always have to be the same. However, in my opinion, it is highly incredible that, as some assert, ten percent of the population is born with a gay disposition. For there is another cause as pointed out by the apostle Paul in Romans 1:18-25. Here the apostle writes that God gives those who refuse to acknowledge, to honour, and to serve Him, over to their own lusts and passions.

Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another.Romans 1:26, 27

Not denying the possibility that one can be born with a homosexual inclination or that the environment of a family or society can have pushed someone in such a direction, we certainly must reckon with the fact that there is a strong similarity between the decadent world of Paul's and that of our days. As in Paul's time people refused to honour the only true God and submit to His law, so they do today. Douma, quoting C.H. Dodd, writes on p. 57 that,

it is terrible to fall in the hands of the living God, Hebrews 10:31; but that it is just as terrible to fall of the hands of the living God. Also in this matter our thinking must be guided by the Word of this living God.

What Does God's Word Say?←⤒🔗

We shall not discuss here all the texts in the Old and New Testament that deal with homosexuality; however, the most important ones will be mentioned.

Leaving out Genesis 19 and Judges 19, which tell us about cases of homosexual wickedness, we turn to God's law. In Leviticus 18:22 the Lord says in the context of a prohibition of forbidden sexual relationships:

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.

And in Leviticus 20:13 the lord says:

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.

The power of these texts has been reasoned away by explaining these words as referring to a context of cultic or temple prostitution. God, so it is said, forbids cultic homosexuality in the service of idols, but His law does not deal with homosexualism as a disposition and homosexuality in a personal relationship of love. An argument for this explanation is sought in the use of the word "abomination." That word, so it is asserted, is used in connection with idolatry.

Now it is true that in the Pentateuch, and elsewhere in Scripture, idolatry is characterized with the word "abomination." But the word is not restricted to idolatry. Any good concordance can show this. Sacrificing to the lord "an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish,.. is an abomination" (Deuteronomy 17:1). In Deuteronomy 25:13-16 "two kinds of weights, a large (for buying) and a small (for selling)" and "two kinds of measures, a large and a small" are forbidden, "For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the lord your God." In Proverbs 6:16-19 Scripture says:

There are six things which the lord hates, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devices wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers.

Besides, there is the fact that Leviticus 18 and 20 do not speak in the context of sins against the First or Second Commandment, but in the context of sins against the Seventh Word of the covenant.

When we turn to the New Testament, there is, besides Romans 1,1 Corinthians 6:9,10, where the apostle writes:

Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers, will inherit the kingdom of God. The New International Version (NIV) translates: … nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves …

• The Greek uses for "male prostitutes and homosexual offenders" two words of which the first, malakos, means "soft, effeminate" and indicates boys or men who allow themselves to be used as the "female" partner in a homosexual relationship.

• The second word, arsenokoitẽs, literally "one who lies with a male," points to the "male" partner in the same relation.

The fact that there are two different words for the two partners can be indication of the fact that in the Greek-Roman world of the apostles' homosexuality was a known and widespread phenomenon. Often masters bought slave-boys to commit this abomination with. The second word is also used in I Timothy 1:10.

When we turn our attention once again to Romans 1:24-27 it is clear that Paul points out that homosexual actions are unnatural. This means: in conflict with the male and female's (physical and mental) nature as created by God. This is not hard to understand for those who abide by the Word of God.

Our conclusion must be: God clearly forbids all homosexual practice in His Word. It is an abomination in the eyes of the Creator and Redeemer. When we want to live by what God says, we simply must maintain this.

How Can We Help?←⤒🔗

Homosexuality is sin, and those who practice it have no place in the kingdom of God. Is this message the only help that the church can offer to homosexuals? Certainly not! If that is all that we can say, we are poor Christians. The message of the church is a message of redemption in Christ.

To the words quoted from I Corinthians 6:9,10 the apostle Paul added (verse 11):

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 in the Spirit of our God.

These words of the apostle point to the fact that there had come a total change in the lives of these believers. Christ was preached to them as Redeemer and Restorer of life through His blood and Holy Spirit. Christ was received by them in faith, this faith being the work of the regenerating Holy Spirit. This work of the Spirit, this faith in Christ in response to the preaching of the gospel, meant a breaking with their former sinful ways of life, including homosexuality. They were washed, sanctified and justified.

We do not help homosexuals when we say that homosexuality is not a sin, but a matter of being different, either through genetic or psychogenic causes. We do not help them by proclaiming a homosexual relationship of mutual attraction and loving friendship an alternative to a heterosexual relationship in order to take away from them frustrating and depressing feelings of religious and social guilt. God's truth remains: Be not deceived; those who practice homosexuality and live in such sin will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Thus the message is: there is forgiveness of sins in the blood of Christ for all those who believe in Him and who in that faith, fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit, repent from, and break with their sins. Through His Holy Spirit, Christ is mighty to break the bonds of sin, today as well as in the days of Paul, and so to save man from God's wrath and to bring him back into His mighty delivering and healing hands.

Now it is also known that among those who sincerely confess the name of Christ some have had to cope with a homosexual inclination, even until the end of their lives. An example is the Dutch poet Willem de Merode. Douma mentions him. Just as one can find kleptomania (the urge to steal) among Christians, so one can have people who feel attracted to a person of the same gender. We must not condemn those with a physical and/or mental problem. They need helping support in their struggle against sin; in their struggle to overcome in the way of faith. Let us not forget that many have to carry a burden and struggle with it – just as the lack of a partner can be a burden for a heterosexual single, for a widow or widower, or for someone who has to cope with a broken marriage. The burden may be different, but each has to bear his/her own and to struggle the struggle of faith; and they all need helping support. Indeed, we have to maintain: homosexuality is an abominable sin in the eyes of God, like falsehood and deceit, a lying tongue, and a heart that devices wicked plans, and a man who sows discord among brothers. But also: there is redemption in Christ Jesus: forgiveness of sin and renewing of life, cleansing and power to overcome, through His blood and Spirit.