Are Homosexual Relationships Pleasing To God?

The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)

Society is rushing to defend the homosexual lifestyle. Many individuals are bending over backwards to promote this wicked practice – a lifestyle that indicates the erosion of moral objectivity. Homosexuality is now an equal rights issue. Political advocacy groups, legislators, activist judges, the media, Hollywood, and some public schools, press to legitimize the behavior. Perversion is glorified. “Gays” can’t help who they are, they say. Sodomy is “the way God made me.” Supposedly, we must respect their “sexual orientation” as a matter of nature.

Long before "being gay" became a political issue, was dubbed a divergent - but acceptable - lifestyle, or was announced to be a natural orientation with which some are born, it was a moral issue. It is still a moral issue! The Almighty God does not discriminate (Acts 10:34). All sin is horrible, as demonstrated by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Although God proved his love by giving his Son to die for the world (John 3:16), many choose to stay in their sins, doing “their own thing.”

Some will object to this article, even though they are not themselves partakers of the sodomite “lifestyle.” It is not “politically correct” to call homosexuality “sin.” Therefore, any discussion that evaluates the morality of the matter is characterized as “gay bashing.” We are sorry that these rebuffed individuals may be more offended by this article than an evil lifestyle. We are sorry that such persons are more disturbed at the tone, than they are the filth that is taught to some school children. We regret that these people may have their sensitivities offended by this “unloving” diatribe, but they are not repulsed by shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, by the ACLU, and by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

God sternly condemns homosexuality and lesbianism (Romans 1:25-27). It is extreme rebellion against God’s design of humanity as male and female. The Bible describes it as strange fornication (Jude 7). Because of the sin of homosexuality Sodom and Gomorrah suffered destructive temporal fire and their inhabitants will also suffer God's "vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 7). Many in Washington, DC forget about Sodom. Many in America do not believe the Bible’s account of Gomorrah – to their shame. However, Abraham did see the smoke rising from the cities of the plain (Genesis 19:27-28). Measure a society by what is considered “normal,” and ours is not unlike those “tolerant” cities of antiquity. It is time to be disturbed by the kind of rebellion that brought down fire from heaven. Wise men will learn from the lessons of history.

Homosexuality is wrong (Leviticus 18:22). It cannot be overlooked, but it can be overcome. The Moral Judge gives sinners the opportunity to change (2 Pet. 3:9). Penitents are saved because their sins are forgiven through the gospel (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), but others wax worse and worse. These will die lost rebels (cf. John 8:24). For these reasons, the churches of Christ urge anyone guilty of this sin to change. According to the inspired apostle Paul, one not only can change, some have changed, and no homosexuals will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The truth shall set you free (John 8:32). The gospel freed some who were lost in homosexuality in Corinth (1 Corinthians 6:11). The blood of Christ still offers hope and healing for the penitent sinner.

However, let's go DEEPER into the answer of our question. One of the things that seems to cause some to miss the mark on the subject of relationships between men and women is the Bible phrase, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6). Just about all preachers, in performing a traditional wedding ceremony use this expression. Thus, they seem to believe that when a couple is being united into the bond of matrimony, God joins them. We do not believe a word of it. God certainly does not join men with men or women with women. Neither does the Bible teach that God joins men and women in marriage today.

Some of us are death on the sects for teaching a direct operation of God from heaven, and yet some of us are ready to impress upon the hearts of thousands that He does operate directly in some mystical, twistical, incomprehensible manner in the joining together of men and women in the bonds of matrimony. I wouldn't so accuse my Lord of such unfairness. He joins me to a bad one and joins my friend to a good one, and another to a bad one and then another to a good one, and on and on it goes. No, sir, God does not engage in such bungling. When God does a job, He does it well. If God joined men and women together, they would stay together. There would be absolutely no need for the divorce courts whatever. However, God does recognize whatever is done, whether the thing done is right or wrong.

Now, let us recap the procedures in the average marriage and see if we can find out where God comes in. If God acts in the procedure, certainly there is a place where He comes in, or acts. Here we go: (1) man meets woman, (2) she attracts him, (3) he asks for date, (4) courtship ensues, (5) infatuation or love results, (6) he asks for her hand in marriage, (7) she agrees and he purchases the license, (8) he secures the preacher, (9) preacher goes through ceremony and they pledge themselves, either to the other so long as both of them shall live, (10) the preacher pronounces that they are husband and wife on the grounds of the pledges that they made.

When did God come in? It must be admitted that God only recognized what transpired, whether it was right or wrong.

Well, someone may ask, what is taught by the phrase, "What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder"? Let us go to Matthew 19:3-6. "The Pharisees also came to him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? and he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh, what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

Now what is here taught? Just this: if you will kindly notice, He said in verse 4 that “he which made them at the beginning made them MALE and FEMALE.” Now don't put this asunder, don't change this. God did join them together at the beginning. He did NOT join a male to a male and a female to a female, but He made a female for every male and He did this only at the beginning. He said unto them, "Be fruitful and multiply." Thus He established the law of physical propagation. To put this asunder would mean an end to propagation.

Notice, Jesus said WHAT God hath joined together, not WHOM. If this had reference only to man and wife, God would have doubtlessly said, whom therefore God hath joined together. But He did not say whom. He said WHAT. This takes in beasts, fowls, fish and every creature upon the face of the earth. Put asunder what God joined together (and He did His joining together at the beginning - Matt. 19:3) would result in putting an end to reproduction.

As an example, we call your attention to some who did put asunder what God hath joined together. Go with us now to the first chapter of Romans and let us commence at verse 25: "Who change the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which is meet."

Now this is a clear cut lesson against putting asunder what God hath joined together. He certainly does not join men and men or women and women together in marriage. But let us also forget the idea that God in some physical way joins men and women together in marriage, for He does no such thing. They join themselves by the pledges they make to each other. God just recognizes the thing done.

But, says one, what is meant by the phrase, "The two become one flesh"? It simply means that the husband and wife (man and woman) are to live in unity in the flesh. Paul said, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" (2 Cor. 10:3). To be one flesh simply denotes an intimate communion, as if the two were but one person or one body (Gen. 2:24). Paul said that he could wish himself were accursed from Christ for his brethren, his “kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom 9:3). So we see the phrase, "the two shall become one flesh," has reference to their lives being united. They become one in purpose and aim to be accomplished; they become one in objective, and united as they live in their fleshly bodies; they go down the pathway of life, sharing their blessings and their woes, facing their obstacles and disappointments as on through life they go.

Go To: What the Bible says about Homosexuality

Return To: Homosexuality

Return To Home Page