A Biblical Catechism on Sex and Marriage: Sexual Sins: Homosexuality

[This post continues a series of posts entitled 'A Biblical Catechism on Sex and Marriage'.  The intention is to provide basic material for further instruction by a trusted teacher of God's Word in a church that is committed to Biblical authority.  The Church’s mission is to invite people to live under God’s righteous rule.]

Question 3. What sexual sins are mentioned in the Bible?

Answer: Any sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is sin.

Comment 1: The following sexual sins can be found in the Bible:

[Previous posts: adultery, sexual immorality, bestiality]

Homosexuality

Genesis 19:5 And they [i.e., the men of Sodom] called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them."  [Note: ‘to know’ someone in the Old Testament can mean to have sex with someone, as here.]

Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

Romans 1:24-28, 32 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,  ²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.  ²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;  ²⁷ and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.  ²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done…. ³² They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die -- yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that they will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be misled: neither sexually immoral persons nor idolaters nor adulterers nor ‘soft’ men nor homosexuals nor thieves nor coveters nor drunkards nor abusive persons nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.  Indeed, some of you were the likes of these.  But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were made righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. [My translation.]

1 Timothy 1:9-10 … understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,  ¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine….

Jude 7 … just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.  [Jude focuses the sin of these cities on sexual sin, particularly homosexuality.]

2 Peter 2:6-7 … if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;  ⁷ and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked.... [Note: the sin of these cities, following Jude 7, is ‘sensual conduct’; specifically, homosexuality, as seen in Genesis 19 and Jude 7.]