When we hear the word "homosexuality," strong emotions and opinions are stirred within almost everyone.  Few, if any, are neutral on this issue.  The violent physical protest are hardly something to be thankful for; but the openness by which we can address this subject is a blessing.  The homosexual has never been "those people over there."  They have always been what they are today; our neighbors, fellow church members, and even part of our family.  The attempt to understand the cause of homosexual behavior is a very recent thing,    but a proper understanding is important to Christian judgment of the matter.  

 (1)  Some believe an individual's earliest sexual curiosity is with their own body.  Later it may involve others of the  same sex, so a puberty phase of homosexual interest is normal.  They see the adult homosexual interest as simply an arrested behavior pattern or an arrested development.

 (2)  Others believe as in (1) above that some of the adult homosexual behavior is a regression to this puberty state of a  safer or more secure time.  They see this as the result of an  unhappy heterosexual experience, illness, or pathological fear  of the other sex.

 (3)  There are those who believe it is caused by environment.  This includes same sex society situations such as same sex schools, military units, and prison.  They see other environmental factors as being a wrong relationship with one or both parents,  being around an oversexed adult, or an unfortunate conflict in childhood which repressed, scorned, terrified, or disgusted the growing mind.

 (4)  Some believe the causes to be more constitutional.  This is to include genetic or hormone factors that condition a person from birth to respond sexually to others of the same sex.  They would even see the homosexual disposition to be prenatal in origin and wholly involuntary.

 (5)  There are those who see the causes to be of a vicious source.  This would include unbridled sensuality,  flagrant exhibitionism,  and a mischievous desire to shock.  It would also include exploitation by the depraved of the young, timid, or mentally unstable.

The analysis of causes has important consequences. Homosexual tendency arising from psychological, accidental, or environmental influences can be said to give way to other deep seated disorders.  A constitutional homosexual disposition could be seen as incurable.  An involuntary predisposition is obviously not a fitting target for moral condemnation or contempt, but would call for sympathy.  This has led many to say homosexual behavior is no more to be blamed than left-handedness or color-blindness.  It is no doubt this idea of constitutional homosexuality that has moderated the Christian community and judgment in more recent years.

We have no recorded words or teaching of Jesus where He expressly discusses homosexuality.  We do have some recorded teachings of Jesus which do apply to homosexuality.  It is at least as important to note what Jesus does not approve as it is to make note of what He does not speak directly against.

Jesus taught in the beginning, God made man in both "male and female."  He stated for this reason, "a man shall leave his father and mother and be united with his wife."  He went on to indicate this union was held in great importance to God by declaring, "what God has joined together, let man  not separate."  You will find this teaching recorded in Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9.  It also states the two are no longer seen by God as two; but as one.

When Jesus taught on the marriage relationship, it is important to note the absence of approval for any male-male or female-female union.  Jesus spoke only of God's plan and approval of male-female union.  And the argument cannot be made that there were no homosexuals in that era.  Mark 7:20-23 record more of Jesus' teaching.  He equates sexual immorality with theft and murder.  In this text, sexual immorality is differentiated from adultery and lewdness.  The sexual immorality spoken of here is believed by many to be none other than homosexual activity.  This passage also makes it clear sexual immorality, just like malice, slander, and arrogance, come from the evil inside a man's heart.

In Luke 16:15-17 Jesus taught permanence of the Law.  He declared it would be easier for the heaven and earth to disappear than it would be for the "least stroke of the pen to drop out of the law."  In Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus stressed the purpose of His coming was to fulfill the Law and not to abolish it.  So whatever the Biblical Law was before He came, was still the Biblical Law after He came.  Did the Biblical Law say anything regarding homosexuals?

Homosexuality had been condemned in Leviticus 18:22 and in 20:13, where it is abhorrent to God, defiling, and punishable by death.  In Deuteronomy 23:18,  it is forbidden to bring the hire of harlots or a homosexual (dog) into the house of God in payment of religious vows since both are abhorrent to God.  Deuteronomy 22:5 forbids transvestitism; neither male or female is permitted to wear clothes of the opposite sex.

Homosexual behavior was widespread in Greek society from at least the 6th century B.C. and nearly always between males and chiefly between young adult males and teenagers.  There are some historians who hold the tolerance of or institutionalization of homosexual prostitution contributed  much to the decay of Greek youth and their army. 

Roman law punished homosexual activity severely as early as the 3rd century B.C., which later protected minors and forbidding such practices punishable by the pain of death - even by burning.  Rome's concern was probably more military than moral, nevertheless it was not an acceptable lifestyle.

Homosexuality was largely unknown in Judaism.  This was true probably because the offenders where sentenced to death at the hands of the community, such as public stoning.  The Old Testament Judaism stressed the homosexual element in the Sodomite's attempted rape of Lot's male guest recorded in Genesis 19:4-5  and Judges 19:22.  Early Christian reaction is expressed by Paul where he states, homosexuals "will not inherit the kingdom of God" in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.  Because of their idolatry, God gave them over to "dishonorable" passions.  The women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another. Men were committing shameful acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error as reported  in  Romans 1:26-27.

This association with idolatry, the unnaturalness of the practice, and the divine judgment which abandons individuals to it all echo of Sodom.  The Sodom account recurs in Jude 7, described as unnatural lust; and in 2 Peter 2:6-7, where it is called lust of defiling passion.  These text perpetuate the tradition that homosexuals were under a divine ban.

Paul declared homosexuality, both male and female, as symptomatic of the depravity of fallen humanity in Romans 1:26-27.  He also included homosexuality in his list of vices.  The Hellenistic Jewish writers denounced homosexuality as frequently as any other sin.  The Greek word "arsenokoitai" in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10 denote "males who lie with males" and is in direct continuity with Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.  

In Romans 1:22-27 the text is clearly prohibiting homosexual practices.  If God had created some people to be homosexual, then surely this would have included an exception statement to provide for those who are righteous homosexuals.  This same type of argument can be made from 1 Corinthians 7:2-7 where emphasis is placed on the one husband and one wife relationship and nothing is said about a same sex partner.

There have been several proponents of the homosexual lifestyle who have tried to convince people that Paul of the New Testament was himself a practicing homosexual.  If this were true then they have already lost their case for acceptance of this lifestyle for righteousness.  The most critical words written against homosexual practices came through the writings of Paul.  Had he been a homosexual, why did he write such strong statements against these practices?  If he had been a homosexual and wrote these statements, then one would have to read these as evidence from one who knows firsthand how unacceptable they are to God.  There is no historical or Biblical evidence to even hint that Paul was homosexual.  By his writings, the exact opposite conclusion would be most reasonable.

The early Church fathers universally condemned homosexual behavior.  They held to a standard of sexual sins which included adultery, fornication, and homosexuality.  These included such honorable Church leaders as Theophilus, Origen, Tertullian, Eusebius, John Chrysostom, Augustine, and Gregory the Great.  There is no known patristic source document that excludes homosexuality from being sin.

Contemporary prohibitions against homosexual activity follows a solid history concerning these matters.  The Didache, an early church document, extends the commandments to forbid corrupting of boys; Athenagoras classes pederasty with adultery.  Early Christian law laid down penalties for homosexuality.  In Britain from the 16th century the law prescribed death for this behavior.  Aquinas was the first to articulate the age-old intuition reflected in Leviticus and in Deuteronomy where homosexuality is linked with bestiality as a perversion; and in Paul’s writings that homosexual activity is essentially unnatural.  Paul presented the concept that homosexual activity is a perversion of the natural linking of sex with procreation and as such is a defiance of divine natural law.

Society as a whole still disapproves of homosexuality.  Secrecy and deceit have always been a necessary part of this behavior.  Even with today’s more open public tolerance for this lifestyle, it still requires a certain amount of deceit and secrecy to maintain the peace in the neighborhood and workplace.  Homosexual behavior alienates it's participants from "normal" society, making normal relationships more difficult, which in turn leads to frustration and despair.  Homosexuality may not be in itself a psychological problem, but there are many associated attitudes and emotions which do require professional and Godly counsel.

Some who promote the homosexual agenda have been trying to solicit social acceptance by claiming a large percentage of our population is homosexual.  There are a number of surveys which state a number or percentage in our contemporary society who are homosexual.  These numbers vary greatly and cause us to question their accuracy.  Perhaps the numbers closest to accurate say 4-5 percent of white males in the United States of America are homosexual, 10-20 percent are bisexual, and the remainder are heterosexual.  At best this is a small part of the population.  Regardless of the percentage who are homosexual, biblical right and wrong would not depend upon a majority opinion so this is hardly worth bringing into the discussion.

Scriptures reprobate such practices.  The New Testament teaches us to put aside any actions or activities that would use only for sensual purposes the body, mind, or emotions of another person.  The unnatural relations such as homosexuality degrades and undervalues the partner of such actions.  When one considers the ongoing battle between the flesh and the spirit in the Christian life, the deliberate cultivation of homosexual sensuality has no defensible place.  At it’s least possible harm to another, it adds to their emotional and spiritual degradation of self worth and value as a human being and fuels the question of acceptability.  In short, homosexual practices cause the other person to struggle even more so in the contest between fleshy desires for pleasure and spiritual desires for righteousness.

Many in the secular world are trying to convince us that sexual fulfillment is a necessary part of being human. This leads to the idea that it is mean spirited to try and deny the homosexual the right to experience an essential part of life.   It is important for Christians to remember the Word of God tells us that the sexual experience is not essential to being a fulfilled person.  Sexual relationship with another person in the bounds of marriage is a tremendous gift from God.  But it is not portrayed as necessary or indispensable to our humanness.  Jesus remained single and he was perfect, complete, and fulfilled in his life.  He was able to say at the end of his life that he had finished what he was supposed to do.

When one tries to defend the activity between two consenting adults as the "relief" from the desires of the body, the argument carries no more weight.  These kinds of "needs" are no greater than those of the heterosexual who is a widower/widow, impotent, divorcee, or single and desires to be married.  Not only for these but for any of us, prostitution or promiscuity may offer constant temptation; but God's Word is clear that we are to resist such actions and that God will help us to do so.

Clement of Alexandria and Ambrose wrote clearly that homosexual practices were regarded as contrary to the created constitution and function of men and women, and not merely the disposition of individuals.  All evidence indicates that the early Church unreservedly condemned homosexual activity.  Yet at the same time there is no evidence this sin was singled out for special attack by the Church.  As early as the 4th century A.D., the Church would exclude such practitioners from the Church but no more so than those practicing other sins.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 states emphatically, "...Neither the sexually immoral nor... homosexual offenders...will inherit the kingdom of God."  God would not "make" someone into a state of being which would exclude them from the "kingdom" He has prepared for them.  The homosexual, just like the thief, the murderer, the liar, and all the rest of us, must turn from our wicked ways; accept Jesus as Savior; and follow Him in obedience.

To try and excuse the actions of the homosexual for reasons of environmental cause,  arrested or regressed natural behavior,  genetic or hormonal cause  is to go directly against the teachings of the New Testament.  It is important that we understand the root cause of homosexual desires and activities is nothing more or less than a sinful heart.  To single out homosexuals for specific harassment or condemnation is also going against New Testament teachings.  The homosexual condition, until indulged, is innocent, and should be cleared of guilt like any congenital deviation from the norm.  This is no more or less true than for the person who feels a strong pull toward alcoholic drinks or intoxicating drugs.  The desire and the temptation is not the sin.  The giving into our temptations and engaging in the sinful activity or lifestyle is the sin.

A mature Christian view of homosexuality will be to recognize prevalent homosexual activity not as a "liberation" but as a symptom of moral malaise.  The homosexual lifestyle is nothing but a life of sin according the New Testament.  The mature Christian will love the sinner while hating the sin.  As mature Christians we cannot approve of nor accept the homosexual activity of anyone;  but we must love the person committing the sin as one for whom Christ died.  We are to befriend the homosexual and not ostracize them if we are to have any hope of reaching them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The search for the cause may be an attempt to find someone to blame, such as parents, genetics, or God.  Some search for a cause wanting to believe it is temporary and can be changed quickly once the cause is identified.  Others may have accepted the long term implications and are looking for the cause in an effort to better handle and manage their life in the future.  Who will we believe and who will we follow on such crucial and important matters?  Will we follow the wisdom and the counsel of the world, which so frequently revises it's position, or will we follow the Word of God which has withstood so many tests through the years?

The contemporary homosexual "activist" are calling for all homosexuals to come out of  secrecy and make public their lifestyle of homosexuality.  This is being done under the banner of demanding their rights as normal human beings.  On the other side of this position are those who believe homosexuality is a sinful destructive choice and the issue has nothing to do with human rights.  It is not uncommon to see proponents on both sides fighting for their point of view in the absence of any compassion for their opponent.

For the most part, the church is failing in the Great Commission where the homosexuals are concerned.  The homosexual rights activist are openly pleading for the homosexual to join them and be a part of a group that cares about them.  Even though many homosexuals may have reservations about joining with such aggressive activist, they answer the invitation because it is the only invitation they receive.  The church has said nothing to the homosexual or has communicated, "you are not welcome here."  What if we gave this message to the "thief, liar, adulterer, etc.?"

The church needs to offer hope to homosexuals.  We can offer hope and help of change to those who believe they can change.  We can offer hope of acceptance and support to those who don't believe they can change but will at least live a life of chastity and celibacy.  Homosexuals usually find only "eros" love in their relationships.  Some very few may find "phileo", or  brotherly, love as well.  The Church is commissioned to show and teach the homosexuals as surely as any other persons the great gift of God's "agape" sacrificial unearned love.  John 13:34-35, as I have loved you, then love each other.  Offering hope of encouragement is what we are instructed to do:  Hebrews 10:23-25  spur one another on to good works. 

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