“Jesus Didn’t Condemn Homosexuality”

Apologetics Press ^ | Not Dated | Kyle Butt, M.A.

[GiovannaNicoletta]

By and large, the American culture is aggressively promoting the sinful lifestyle of homosexuality. In the midst of such pressure, many people who call themselves Christians are caving in and accepting this perverted lifestyle in spite of God’s clear teachings against it (Butt, 2003). Just recently, the country singer Carrie Underwood stated that her Christian faith lead her to support gay marriage (Nilles, 2012). In truth, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ could never be accurately understood to lead a person to conclude that homosexual marriage is moral (Miller and Harrub, 2004).

One of the most common arguments made in support of homosexuality is that Jesus Christ did not explicitly condemn the practice. Supposedly, since Jesus never stated specifically: “Homosexuality is a sin,” then His failure to denounce the lifestyle can be interpreted to mean that He approved of it. This reasoning is riddled with error.

First, Jesus explained to His followers that He did not have time to teach them everything they needed to know. He told them that the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance all that He had taught, and would include additional teaching that He had not had time to cover. He told His disciples: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12-13). When we look to the inspired writings of the New Testament, we see the authors boldly and specifically condemning the practice based on the revelation they received from the Holy Spirit (Miller and Harrub, 2004). Thus, it is wrong to suggest that only the “words in red” are Jesus’ teachings. On the contrary, He foretold that more teaching would be done after His return to heaven due to the fact that the apostles “could not bear” all of it at the time.

Second, even if Jesus did not explicitly condemn the practice (though He actually did, as will be noted later), that certainly could not be used as evidence that He condoned the practice. For instance, where does Jesus explicitly state that bestiality is wrong? Where in the New Testament does Jesus state that polygamy is wrong? Where are the “words in red” that specifically condemn pedophilia? Are we to suppose that the Son of God condoned using crystal meth because there is not an explicit statement from Jesus’ mouth that says “do not smoke crystal meth?” The idea that silence from Jesus on a subject means He approved of or condoned the practice cannot be substantiated.

Finally, it must be considered that Jesus did, in fact, speak against homosexuality. On numerous occasions, Jesus condemned the sins of adultery (Matthew 19:18), sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9) and fornication (Matthew 15:19). These terms describe any type of sexual intercourse that is not within the confines of a marriage ordained by God. Jesus then proceeded to define exactly what God views as a morally permissible marriage. He stated:

Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. (Matthew 19:4-6).

By defining marriage as between one male and one female, Jesus effectively condemned all other arrangements, including but not limited to one man and two women, one woman and two men, three men and one woman, three men and three women, one man and one man, one woman and one animal, etc. You can see the overwhelming logic of such. For Jesus to have to explicitly condemn every assortment of genders and numbers would be absurd. When He defined marriage between one man and one woman, He clearly showed that such an arrangement is the only one authorized by God.

Several years ago a man named Cory Moore “legally married his 2004 Cherry ES-335” Gibson guitar (“Man Marries Guitar,” 2007). He said: “The day I got her, I just knew she was the one…. I know it seems weird, but I really love her—like, really love her, with all my heart. I just wanted to make it official” (2007). Are we to conclude that because Jesus never specifically condemned a man marrying his guitar then the Son of God approved of such? To ask is to answer. In 2006, 41-year-old Sharon Tendler married a dolphin (“Woman Marries Dolphin,” 2006). Jesus never said one word explicitly about refraining from marrying a dolphin. Does that mean His “silence” should be viewed as approval? Not in any way.

Homosexuality is a sin. It always has been, and it always will be. The inspired New Testament writers repeatedly teach that to be the case. Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would bring to the inspired writers information that they could not handle at the time of His departing. In addition, Jesus did explicitly define marriage as being between one man and one woman. The ruse to suggest that Jesus approves of homosexuality because He never expressly condemned it cannot be sustained logically, nor can it be defended on any type of moral grounds. The person who presumes to claim to be a Christian, and yet supports homosexuality, misunderstands the teachings of Christ and needs to repent and stop approving of a perverted, destructive practice that Jesus condemns (Matthew 19:1-9).

[SkyDancer]

Well then Yashua didn’t condemn smoking or snorting cocaine either so I guess by that logic it’s okay.

[huldah1776]

homosexuality doesn’t make sense to the average person who believes in survival of the fittest and procreation for evolution of the species, unless I missed something.

[jongaltsr]

I pointed those scriptures to a coworker of mine. He said he wasn’t a Christian. Those were rules for us, not him. I stopped arguing right then and there.

Good Man. It is a wise man who knows not to waste oxygen on an argument with the ignorant.

[daniel1212]

And the N.T. establishes the distinction btwn ceremonial typological laws and moral laws, and which exist in more than one type. But which does not translate into an abrogation of basic moral laws, which the N.T. manifestly upholds, esp. as regards sexual immorality.

See http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/Homosex_versus_the_Bible.html for an extensive examination of prohomosexual polemics, by the grace of God.

[daniel1212]

Friendly fire? Read the article if you think it is supporting the title.

[sport]

Bookmark

[Orange1998]

Anyone notice the authors last name. Just saying.

[uncbob]

Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.

These words have been used to forbid divorce

That didn't work too well

[WildHighlander57]

“Jesus Christ is God incarnate. His name is The Word of God.”

The Word......

The Law.

The fulfillment of the Law, Incarnate, is the Messiah.

The sword coming from the Messiah’s mouth is the Word which will divide and rend asunder... It will distinguish who will stand with Him and who will be numbered with the apostates and those who will NOT turn from their wicked ways.

The Law is eternal, unchangeable.... immutable.... and carries an immense penalty (unless one is in God’s grace and shelter).

It has NOT been abrogated or done away with.

Until those who practice perversion turn from their wicked ways, and call upon the Lord of Heaven, and ask for forgiveness, they will reap what they sow.

And it will be the whirlwind of destruction. (again, if they are outside God’s grace.)

[stevio]

Great article.

[ducttape45]

So much for “Jesus Take the Wheel.” I guess Carrie decided she wanted to drive instead. No pun intended.

[SoConPubbie]

However, some of the first Christians were likely former homosexuals, (1Cor. 6:9-11) and there is room at the cross for all who want the Lord Jesus over sin, and believe upon Him to save them who died for them, and rose again. And who thus are baptized and follow Him, to the glory of God.

Exactly!

And it is ONLY through the cross that Homosexuality can be cured as it is both a sin and a disease brought on the individual by continually choosing to server self over God.

Furthermore, all sin, can only be cured through the cross; it is the only method/cure given to man to resolve the issue of sin in man.

[starlifter]

Jesus did that? Who would have thought...

[cripplecreek]

Nuked it from orbit.

It was the only way to be sure.

[higgmeister]

Nothing like an ill worded title to bring out the non-article reading Freepers. :>)

Yes, it seems to work every time!     ;^}

[WildHighlander57]

So if one is an evolutionist, it makes no sense; homosexuals cannot naturally procreate and then take advantage of “survival of the fittest”.

Also if one is a creationist it makes no sense from that perspective. (God created male and female....) there is no procreation for homosexuals there either.

It seems that all bases are covered in regards to rebuttals to homosexuality.

In my opinion, there are two genders, and two alone.

Anything else is a state of mind (and soul/spirit) that ignores physical and spiritual reality.

[Chode]

i'm prolly wrong but, i don't remember him condemning murder either, so...

[rawcatslyentist]

Preaching to the perverted is like giving singing lessons to a pig.

It's expensive, it doesn't work, and it annoys the pig.

Pray for them, but don't hold much hope. Few of them return from the madness they impart upon themselves.

[color_tear]

I’m a Buddhist and in Buddhism scriptures are very clearly written that homosexual is against the precepts.
I’m wondering if I can use it to against the homosexual...just wondering.....
By the way it was written almost 3000 years ago and taught for 3000 years. So now Buddhism is BAD & Evil?

[Rutles4Ever]

Jesus absolutely condemned homosexual behavior, when He (the Holy Spirit) inspired Paul to write of its evil.