“That which is Against Nature”

(Romans 1:18-27)

Introduction. Some years ago I read an article with a rather inflammatory title, “Sin is Making a Comeback in Churches.”  The article addressed how some things once called sin are becoming more and more acceptable in American churches.  The problem is not really that sin is “making a comeback”—sin has always been a problem for man.  The problem is that more and more people don’t seem to be able to identify what sin is.

Example:  Much of what is learned in school is how to identify our errors (e.g. misspelled words, miscalculations, etc.) Learning to identify mistakes helps us know how to operate correctly.  Most would not say to a teacher, “don’t be so negative!”

Let’s talk about such an area today, one in which the world has lost all sense of how to identify what is good and what is evil—homosexuality. The world has adopted the attitude that this behavior is fine and good.  The Bible says something much different.

I.  Homosexuality in the Old Testament.

A.  Sodom & Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-10). Note: vs. 7 “wickedly.”

B.  The Law of Moses

·         The law (Leviticus 18:22).

·         The punishment (Leviticus 20:13).  Note: “abomination”—punishable by death.

C.  The Men of Gibeah (Judges 19:22, 23). Here, homosexual lust led to the man giving his concubine to the men, who abused, raped, and left the woman for dead. This in turn, led to a national war.

II.  Homosexuality in the New Testament.

A.  Jesus on Homosexuality.

1. Some mistakenly argue that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.  This is not true! (Mark 7:20-23).  “Fornication” -  PORNEIA –  “Illicit sexual intercourse in general”  (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by Joseph Henry Thayer, p. 532). 

2.  What would Jesus consider to be “unlawful sexual intercourse?”  He was under the Law of Moses (Galatians 4:4,5; Matthew 5:17-20).

3.  Homosexuality was z type of fornication condemned by the Law of Moses.  In condemning fornication, Jesus condemned homosexuality.

B.  The Inspiration of the apostles.  Jesus promised that the apostles would be led by the Holy Spirit. (John 16:13;  I Corinthians 14:37).

C.  The Apostles’ Doctrine.

1.  Fornication: John condemned it seven times (Revelation 2:21; 9:21; 14:8; 17:2,4; 18:3; 19:2); Paul condemned it eleven times (Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:1’ 6:13, 18; 7:2; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

2.  Paul on homosexuality.

·         “Homosexuals”—“sodomites” describes active and passive participants in homosexual behavior (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

·         “Fornicators” and “sodomites” practice what is contrary to sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:8-10).  

·         “Vile”—“against nature” vs. 26. “Shameful” vs. 27 (Romans 1:24-27).

Conclusion.  No matter what the world says we must always uphold God’s word in defining sin as God defines sin.  The challenge is ours whether we will rise to this task, or yield to the world and thus stand against God.