The document provides a summary of views on homosexuality and the Bible. The summary states that the Bible depicts marriage as between one man and one woman, and condemns alterations to this, including homosexuality. It notes that Mosaic laws on sexuality are upheld in the New Testament. While inclinations may change, believers are called to resist temptations like homosexuality. The male-female relationship also symbolizes Christ and the church.
1. Reminders:
- Phones Up Front
- Sit down by the time the bell rings;
quietly work
- Respect the speaker
- No risky jokes
Bell work
• What are some important
principles to remember
when interpreting the Bible?
• Write down 3 things on a
sheet of paper; you will turn
this in for credit.
4. Matthew 7:1 - Do not
judge, or you too will
be judged.
Context:
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the
measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of
sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own
eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’
when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the
plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
from your brother’s eye.
John 7:24 - Stop
judging by mere
appearances, but
instead judge correctly.
5. Scriptures
1. I can do all things through him who gives me
strength. — Philippians 4:13
2. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to
give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
3. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I
with them.” — Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
4. And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Who wrote the book?
To whom was the book written to?
What circumstances were going on at the
time?
How do the verses before and after the
passage help give clarify the author’s intent?
What connecting words help to clarify the
meaning (when, then; because, for, as a
result, etc.)?
What is the main point(s) of the passage?
How would the main paint apply to
circumstances in today’s world?
6. Bell Work
Go to Bible Journal
Fill out the following information for a new unit:
Title: Gay and Christian?
Scripture:
Ephesians 4: 29-30
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your
mouths, but only what is helpful for building others
up according to their needs, that it may benefit those
who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, with whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption.
Reminders:
- Phones Up Front
- Sit down by the time the
bell rings; quietly work
- Respect the speaker
- No risky jokes
7. Gay Rights - Key Dates
Friendship and Freedom" -
1st Gay Rights Publication
1924
US Supreme Court ruled
that Post
Office must deliver ONE:
The Homosexual Magazine
1958
Stonewall Riots - Customers
protested a police raid at the
Stonewall Inn, a New York
City gay bar
1969
Homosexuality removed as a
mental illness (APA)
1973
Vermont first state to
recognize same-sex marriage
2000
Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is
over; openly gay
Americans can now serve in
U.S. armed forces
2011
Defense of Marriage
Act (DOMA) struck down by
Supreme Court
2013
Supreme Court officially
declared same-sex marriage as
a constitutional right
2015
More than 150 LGBTQ
candidates elected
into office (midterm elections
)
2018
10. "Can a Christian be a practicing
homosexual?”
“Will practicing homosexuals go to
hell?”
11. Q - "Does God
approve of
monogamous
(involving
marriage/commit
ment to one
person) same-
sex
relationships?"
12. Is it wrong for churches to give a clear stance
on where they stand on social issues (from
the Pulpit)?
• “I don’t want to use the pulpit to talk about private things”
– Carl Lentz
13. Bell Work
Context Matters
John 8:59 - At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid
himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
What does this verse mean? Use a Bible to help answer the question.
Write a 3-5 sentence summary in your Bible notebook (300-500)
22. Summary of View
1. One man + one woman in holy matrimony (Genesis 1 & 2) = Marriage (one among many duets)
2. Every alteration, despite motive, of this arrangement is condemned in the Bible (adultery, polygamy, bestiality,
homosexuality, etc.). A positive argument for homosexual relationships is non-existent in Scripture.
3. The Mosaic sexual laws are upheld in the New Testament (Lev 18, Lev 20, Jerusalem Council – Acts 15, Matthew 19,
Romans 1, 1st Cor. 6, etc.).
4. Sexual expression is not the core of human essence (Paul, Jesus, etc.)
5. A habitual practice of homosexuality, drunkenness, etc. does evidence unbelief. These individuals will not “inherit the
kingdom of God” (1st Corinthians 6:10)
6. The Bible affirms the possibility of inclination-changes (1 Cor 6 – Homosexuality, idolatry, drunkenness, etc. – “AND SUCH
WERE SOME OF YOU”); however, if these temptations do not go away, believers are called to fight the fight and daily die to
them (1 Corinthians 10:13, pre-marital sex, adultery, pornography, pedophilia, bestiality, etc.). TRUST GOD NOT FLAWED
INCLINATIONS
7. The Bible does indicate that homosexuality is unnatural
8. The male (head of household) and female relationship symbolizes Christ and the church.
23. Summary of View
1. One man + one
woman in holy
matrimony
(Genesis 1 & 2) =
Marriage.
24. Summary of View
2. Every alteration,
despite motive, of
this arrangement is
condemned in the
Bible (adultery,
polygamy, bestiality,
homosexuality, etc.).
A positive argument
for homosexual
relationships is non-
existent in Scripture.
25. 3. The Mosaic sexual
laws are upheld in
the New Testament
(Lev 18, Lev 20,
Jerusalem Council –
Acts 15, Matthew
19, Romans 1, 1st
Cor. 6, etc.).
26. Summary of View
4. Sexual expression is not the core of human essence (Paul, Jesus, etc.)
28. Summary of View
5. A habitual practice of homosexuality, drunkenness, etc. does
evidence unbelief. These individuals will not “inherit the kingdom of
God” (1st Corinthians 6:10)
29. “The Greek Septuagint translation of Leviticus
18:22 and 20:13 is translated to English as:
‘Whoever lies with a man as with a woman
[meta arsenos koiten gynaikos ], they have both
done an abomination.’ (Emphasis mine) … St
Paul appears to have taken the verb form of the
Greek and derived a noun form of ‘arsenokoitai’.
If this is the case, then 1 Cor 6:9 is referring to
the same thing as those Leviticus passages!”
Richard B. Hays wrote in The Moral Vision of
the New Testament, p.382
30. Summary of View
6. The Bible affirms the
possibility of inclination-
changes (1 Cor 6 –
Homosexuality, idolatry,
drunkenness, etc. – “AND
SUCH WERE SOME OF
YOU”); however, if these
temptations do not go
away, believers are called
to fight the fight and daily
die to them (1 Corinthians
10:13)
31. Testimonials
Spitzer – A “Jewish, atheist, secular Humanist hero in the gay community because he spearheaded the effort to get
homosexuality removed from the APA’s list of disorders”
“Dr. Robert Spitzer, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University, said he began his study as a skeptic — believing, as
major mental health organizations do, that sexual orientation cannot be changed, and attempts to do so can even
cause harm. But Spitzer's study, which has not yet been published … seems to indicate otherwise. Spitzer says he
spoke to 143 men and 57 women who say they changed their orientation from gay to straight, and concluded that 66
percent of the men and 44 percent of women reached what he called good heterosexual functioning — a sustained,
loving heterosexual relationship within the past year and getting enough emotional satisfaction to rate at least a seven
on a 10-point scale.” - https://abcnews.go.com/
33. Summary of View
7. The Bible does
indicate that
homosexuality is
unnatural (non-
designed
combinations,
impossibility of
procreation)
Verse 20 – Nature =
Created Order
34. Summary of View
8. The male (head of household) and female relationship symbolizes
Christ and the church (Eph. 6). God has not authorized a change to
this symbol.
Editor's Notes
Is Homosexuality the Sin of Sodomy (Gen 19)?
Yes and NO
Sodomy – An entire culture of moral chaos
All of us need to guard our hearts from Sodomy
Is denouncing homosexuality the same thing as racism?
Homosexuality is not a physical attribute – It is an inclinations and/or activity
Race – Immutable biological features
Church does not deny the Imago Dei status of either
Sexual Orientation from Birth
American Psychological Association - “an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes.”
Premise - “I desire therefore I am.”
- Reduces people to inclinations (Bible does not due)
- The same line of argumentation could be uses to justify pedophilia, bestiality, and incest as sexual orientations.
“When the American Psychological Association (APA) weighed in on homosexuality in 1952 with the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) it declared homosexuality to be a mental illness. By 1974, it declared that homosexuality was no longer a mental illness. By 2000, it declared that the people with mental illness were the ones who were troubled by their homosexuality. This dramatic shift did not happen because of any new in- formation about the nature of sexual orientation. No empirical data contributed to increased understanding about the influence of nature or nurture in determining orientation. The APA changed its position on homosexuality because of increasing cultural acceptance of homosexuality. The APA knows as much about sexual orientation today as it did in the 1950s.” - HEATH LAMBERT
Jeremiah – “The heart is wicked” … don’t trust it … trust God
“God gave me a peace”
God does not contract himself
Jude – Real Christians … Unaware of False Teachings
Emotional Stories
- Emotion does not dictate truth
- Emotional stories do elevate compassion
Read the story of Matthew Vines, Kathy Baldock, James Brownson, and Justin Lee
- Hard Struggle
The Newness Argument
- They did not know about sexual orientation in the biblical days. They viewed homosexual attractions as excessive temptations that could tempt anyone who let their passions get out of control.
- Not true/irrelevant
- Bible condemns the homosexual acts despite motivation … no motivation could change what God has called evil into good.
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
- Islam was not around when that was written. “No one comes to the Father except through Jesus and Islam.”
Jesus didn’t talk about Homosexuality
- He didn’t talk about men having sex with aunts, children, beasts either.
- But … by reaffirming the good; he implicitly condemns each and every distortion of the good
Temptation vs Application
James 1 differentiates between temptation and sin
Jesus was tempted in every way, yet without sin
Local Church and Homosexuality
Unbelievers – Give them the Gospel
1 Corinthians 5 - 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world
Believers –
Proud Christians who Refuse to Repent (Matthew 18)
Broken Christians who Want Help in the Fight (LG)
Rosia Butterfield, David Bubb,
- Theocracy – Death
- Greco-Roman Times –
If a house servant committed adultery with the wife of the house, the husband was permitted to kill him.
- America
2014 – “In 21 states, cheating in a marriage is against the law, punishable by a fine or even jail time.”
New Hampshire - Class B misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of up to $1,200 (HB 1125)