Witnessing to the LGBT Community
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Understanding Why Sexual Sin is Sin
Understanding Why Sexual Sin is Sin
Sexual sin is one of the biggest issues in today’s culture. Sexual sin steadily gets more and more perverse. Really to understand why sexual sin is so bad we need to have a Biblical understanding of sexuality. We know sexual sin is wrong, but why? With this series you are not just going to get a because it just is. You are going to get a thorough answer.
Genesis 2:21-25 says:
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Sexual sin is sexual sin because God set up how a intimate relationship should look and whatever deviates from that is sin.
Their is no or statement in Genesis 2:21-25.
So first you start off looking at God’s design in Genesis 1-2.
Also when you think about marriage what does it paint a picture of?
Ephesians 5:22-33 shows marriage paints a picture of the Gospel.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
So marriage paints a picture of the Gospel. Of our relationship with Christ. Marriage is meant to point people to the Gospel.
When we enter sexually impure relationships we start to present a false gospel.
So since we are talking about LGBT tonight let us use it. So in marriage the husband is the spiritual head is symbolic of Christ, while the wife is the body and is symbolic of the church. Man and Man relationship shows a picture of Jesus coming to redeem Jesus. Did Jesus need redeeming? Woman and Woman relationship shows a picture of the church redeeming the church. Can we redeem ourselves? Trans gets into all kind of false gospels. Pre marital sex paints a picture of we can get the blessing without the commitment. Does it work that way?
So one it is simply sin because God says so. Sexual sin does not point to the true God.
So now let us get to the passages dealing directly with homosexuality.
Homosexuality and the Old Testament
Homosexuality and the Old Testament
So let us start with some of the first passages wrote directly addressing homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
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.
Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13 address homosexuality.
So old testament makes it very clear homosexuality is an abomination.
Merian-Webster defines abomination as “something regarded with disgust or hatred.”
So God cannot stand sexual sin.
Does anyone know though the most common response to these Scriptures is? Is someone is somewhat knowledgeable of the Bible they may remind you we are no longer under the Old Covenant. The other way the may respond is well I better not see you eating bacon and crayfish and catfish or wearing that outfit or well you got a tattoo. These responses show people’s lack of understanding or discard for the Bible.
So how do you respond?
Well the first and quickest way is to show them the New Testament also list homosexuality as sin as we are going to see later.
It is important thought to also address why we follow some OT laws and don’t follow some. So let us discuss that now.
One sure way to know if we still follow an OT law is if the NT repeats it.
Let me ask you this, does God change? No.
What is right morally is always what is right morally.
Old Testament laws can be broke down into four categories, ceremonial, dietary, civil, and moral.
Ceremonial
Are laws that have to do with the sacrifices. Why do these laws no longer pertain? The cross fulfilled them (1 Peter 2:24). Also Colossians 2:16 is good showing ceremonial laws are no more.
Dietary
Set the Jews apart as a people. Also the New Testament says we are no longer under dietary laws (Acts 10:9-33). Also if you look at these laws they would have kept the Israelites healthy during the time in the wilderness.
Example Leviticus 11:9
“These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat.
Civil
These laws would deal with the laws that ruled Israel as a nation.
Example Leviticus 25:29
“If a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, he may redeem it within a year of its sale. For a full year he shall have the right of redemption.
Moral
Moral laws are the ones we are still under. Simple example is the ten commandments. God morally does not change. What is an abomination does not change.
Homosexuality is a moral law. Key word in these verses is abomination. That is why God listed it as a law.
Homosexuality and the New Testament
Homosexuality and the New Testament
So the New Testament addresses homosexuality in several spots.
Jesus refers to Genesis in Mark 10:6-9
But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
So now the earth had about the population of the united states when Jesus said this. So God did not just say it in the Garden because he needed the earth to be filled.
Another passage is Romans 1:26-27
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 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.
Romans 1:26-27 shows homosexuality is not natural and shameful.
This passage brings out two things about homosexuality. One it is not natural. Secondly it is shameful. The shame is connected to the spiritual and physical aspect.
Here is a good spot to bring up the debate on rather or not someone is born gay. Despite what the culture wants you to believe their is no science to back up the claim of being born gay. They have done scientific test after test trying to prove it. And from a spiritual standpoint someone can not claim they were born gay. Just like i cannot say I was born a cheater or a thief or an alcoholic, etc. Now we all have our sins we are moe tempted towards, but still it is a choice to cave to it. Things in our life can happen that make us seem to struggle with certain sins. Things can happen in our young years that psychologically cause us to feel attraction towards the same sex. The LGBT movement takes advantage of this psychological hurt and says it is alright to have these feelings and make people think these psychological hurts are really not hurts but sexual orientation. When in reality people need help dealing with trauma, abandonment, and abuse, but instead the LGBTQ+ movement adds to the psychological hurt.
This passage also mentions shame. Why does the LGBT+ community search for so much affirmation? Shame. Their is a a weightiness of Spiritual shame that ways all down in this movement. The suicide rate among LGBT teens i much higher than other teens, an LGBTQ+ suicide attempt happens every 45 seconds.
The LGBT movement is so pushy because they see the shame they feels as coming from nonacceptance, rather than the brokenness inside of them.
When dealing with people struggling with LGBT we need to be compassionate and patient. Take time to listen to their stories. They more than likely have a lot of hurt in their life. So one way to minister to the LGBT community is being willing to take some time to listen.
Another scripture that addresses the issue is 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 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 by the Spirit of our God.
Again their is several takeaways right here. One homosexuality is sin, just like this other stuff. Sin at its heart is a heart issue. If we don’t come to Christ sin will send us to hell.
Homosexuality is not considered a trait of those who will inherit heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
So you cannot be gay and a Christian comfortably. If you are and not feeling convicted about it you need to be concerned about your salvation. This passage also let’s us know their is hope of being delivered from homosexuality.
When witnessing to LGBT people don’t try to convince them to be straight. Share truth and Gospel with them in love. When they get Christ, He will begin to mold their heart and help them walk out of homosexuality. After they are saved you can walk beside them and help give them guidance and encouragement as they fight their sins.
Then lastly you have 1 Timothy 1:10
the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
This passage just reiterates that homosexuality is contrary to sound doctrine.