Homosexuality: A Christian Understanding

India’s on breaking point over a law in the Indian Penal Code, section 377 which criminalises all sorts of sexual activity which is not considered natural. Different views are flying all over the place. Some say its draconian and its a step backwards for society. While others say its not natural, its against family values and morals. In this heated battle its quite easy to find yourself in a position which is not favourable by all. I write this article for two reasons…First: dealing with the humanitarian view, and second: To deal with the question which is on every christian’s mind – Can one be a homosexual christian?

I’ve had a few discussions over this topic with some friends of mine, who believe in LGBT rights. Let me first state my position over this matter: “I am AGAINST the criminalisation of such people and believe section 377 should be scrapped. But I am also NOT FOR LGBT rights as it is against the natural law of things. I believe such people need a self realisation of what nature has made them to truly be.We should not brand them as criminals!”

Every person who is speaking for or against gay rights believes his/her position is the most logical. The real question is what is logic? cause everyone seems to hold their logic is true. The oxford dictionary defines it as, ‘reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity’.

I’ve been told that my position on this issue is illogical and theirs logical. Who are we to say that they are wrong? or we are wrong? But this question raises an even deeper question, which we’ve got to answer first: do right and wrong really exist? Before you can determine what is right and wrong, you have to know that there really is right and wrong, whether Logical and Illogical truly exist:

1. If there are somethings which are illogical then there must be other things which are logical.
2. If there are things which are Logical and Illogical, there must be a set of laws/principles which differentiates between the two.
3. If there is a law which differentiates between the Logical and Illogical…There must be a ‘Lawgiver’ superior than the law itself.

Who then is the lawgiver? you and me? Clearly one human cannot dictate laws upon another. Otherwise we’ll disagree with everything.

Therefore:

1.  The lawgiver cannot be an idea, a thought or an abstract object. It has to be universally personal to everyone.
2.  The lawgiver of logic must be timeless because it must apply to all generations throughout history.
3.  It cannot be a material, cause matter came into existence at a point in the finite past.
4.  It cannot be ever-changing, cause universal laws which apply to all generations cannot forever be changing.
5. Therefore: Only one being fits that description..that is GOD!

The reality is GOD EXISTS and He has expressed Himself through The Bible.
The Bible teaches us the nature of God being perfectly holy and good. He is just, loving, patient, merciful, generous—all that is good comes from Him and is a reflection of His character. Now God’s perfectly good nature issues forth in commandments to us, which become our moral duties, for example, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength,” “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”, “You shall not murder, steal, or commit adultery.” These things are right or wrong based on God’s commandments, and God’s commandments are not arbitrary but flow necessarily out of His perfect nature.

This is the Christian understanding of right and wrong. There really is such a being as God, who created the world and made us to know Him. He really has commanded certain things. We really are morally obligated to do certain things (and not to do others). Morality isn’t just in your mind. It’s real. When we fail to keep God’s commandments, we really are morally guilty before Him and need His forgiveness. The problem isn’t just that we feel guilty; we really are guilty, regardless of how we feel. I might not feel guilty because I have an insensitive conscience, one that’s dulled by sin; but if I’ve broken God’s law, I am guilty, regardless of how I feel.

If I don’t believe in certain laws and still violate them, ignorance of the law is no excuse. So we are still guilty even though we deny a law exists or even don’t know about it. For example: a serial killer feels no remorse for his victims and takes pleasure in his acts, but that doesn’t mean he’s doing the morally the right thing. He’s still guilty of the law.

Here are some passages in which homosexuality is mentioned: Leviticus 18:22, Lev. 20:13, Genesis 19, I Corinthians 6:9-10, I Timothy 1:10, Romans 1:24-28. While these passages are very evident. One must ask the question: What is the Sin being committed through homosexual activity? The seventh commandment is being violated “Do not commit adultery”. As christians we should not be judgemental towards them cause we all are guilty of committing the same; Jesus said “If you look at a women with lust..you have committed adultery.” We all are guilty of the same sin, we have no right to judge them cause of their actions as we too fall short of the righteous standard of God. Jesus came to redeem the whole world, Christ also paid for the sins of homosexuality. God hates the Sin…Not the sinner.

Coming back to the crux of the matter…

If some conclude that if someone is born with only a male sex organ but is strongly confused about his gender (or strongly thinks he is female) then he might really be female. The logical form of this reasoning is completely fallacious. How one feels about one’s gender doesn’t determine gender. To give a crude example: If I wake up feeling like I can fly, am I a bird? No. Someone might object to this example because “being a bird” is determined physically, but on their view gender isn’t. We could change the example, then: If I wake up feeling like the President of the U.S., am I he? Of course not; and it’s important to this example that the property of being the President of the U.S. is a socially constructed property—e.g., it’s not that some but not others are born with the attribute/property of “being a future President of the U.S.”—that’s crazy. So feeling doesn’t determine gender.

Nature by the power of God has already physically sort out who you are going to be. And coming to terms with it through prayer, love, support and social acceptance is what we christians must stand for.

Paul writes “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

Who are we to determine right and wrong, logical and illogical…thats left upon God to judge.

But if you are a homosexual and you’re reading this and believing in the Lord Jesus as your saviour….growing in the faith also means sharing the faith and the hope you have with others. That will be challenging, as you have to deal with God’s righteous laws which are revealed in the Bible (which I mentioned earlier). To you my advice would be…’just as St. Paul wrote about himself in restraining himself from sexual activity and choosing celibacy.’ There is no shame in it, it is a sacrifice for the great glory of God through your life.

C.S. Lewis in his book ‘Mere Christianity’ gives an illustration of Christendom as – a Big House which one can enter by accepting the Lord Jesus as your saviour, but to find food, nurturing and rest…one must enter the rooms which are there in the house. Each room has it own charm and decorum, with its own rules and uniform.

For a homosexual to find an affiliation to teach and preach the faith He/She has accept…they must abide with the conditions of the community at large. It’s not that minorities don’t matter…its just is, the right thing to do in the eyes of God. To God it matters.

God Bless you and May His wisdom and understanding rest upon each and everyone!

*PLEASE NOTE: THIS ARTICLE IS PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE. IT SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS DOCTRINAL TO ANY CHURCH/DENOMINATION OR TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.*

Study Notes: 

A Christian Perspective on Homosexuality - Dr. William Lane Craig
Dating Advice for Hermaphrodites - Reasonable Faith Team
Acceptance of Homosexuality in Christianity - Dr. Ravi Zacharias
Transgender - Wikipedia