I am a Homophobe

I am a homophobe. No, not in the sense that most people mean it. The “phobe” in homophobe comes from phobia which indicates an irrational or unsubstantiated fear. But I have no irrational or bigoted fear of homosexuals, and there are many others that get labeled that way who do not appear to be irrationally afraid either. So while people are inappropriately applying labels in an attempt to make it seem people like myself have something psychologically wrong with us, why not join in? I will take the label homophobe but apply a different meaning to it. I am a homophobe because I fear FOR homosexuals. The wrath of God is coming upon them and all that support and encourage them in their sin, and I fear for them and want them to avoid this. If you identify as gay or lesbian (or whatever else) or support those who do, I implore you to read this post to the end as it’s not all condemnation, but contains good news also.

Homosexual sex is sin. Homosexual desire is wicked.

To start off let’s examine some of what God has spoken in regard to homosexuality:

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)

And even though the moral law contained in the Old Testament is binding on humanity today, I know the inevitable complaint will come that I’ve quoted from the Old Testament, so here is a New Testament citation:

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Romans 1:26-27 (KJV)

Homosexual relations are unnatural as the body clearly demonstrates, and it is wrong for those to desire to misuse the body. And verse 32 which is still discussing those referenced in verse 26-27:

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  Romans 1:32 (KJV)

This is a clear demonstration that people understand homosexuality is wrong. There is no excuse that people do not know, they just do it anyway or support those that do. A common response to the demonstration that homosexuality is sinful is “But I was born this way. It’s natural for me to be attracted to someone of the same sex.” Underlying this statement is the idea that if someone likes something, it must be good. But we all know people who desire to do things that are wrong. It does not matter if it is a ‘natural’ desire, it can still be wrong. Let’s look at this from the opposite perspective for a second.

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  Matthew 5:28 (KJV)

Many heterosexual men desire to lust after woman. It is a ‘natural’ desire in that sense. And yet Jesus condemns expression of that desire. Elsewhere the apostle Paul writes:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  Colossians 3:5-7 (KJV)

The word concupiscence means desire and specifically sexual desire. Is the desire to lie with a member of the same sex the same evil? It is. Why? Because it is wrong to desire that which isn’t good. Men were not designed to be with men and women were not designed to be with women. Without getting into too much graphic detail, it is obvious from the mere biology of the matter that this true. Not to mention the additional avenues for disease that are opened up by engaging in sexual activity in ways that were never designed to support that.

And as for so called ‘gay marriage,’ when there are two men as parents, the child has no mother as God designed us to have. When there are two women there is no father. Men can never be mothers, and women can never be fathers. They weren’t designed to be that way. Despite what the culture says, men and woman are inherently different and that is a good thing. Jesus teaches that the foundation for marriage is God’s creation of them as male and female:

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matthew 19:3-6 (KJV)

Nor is it good for men and woman to pretend to be one of the opposite sex.

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. Deuteronomy 22:5 (KJV)

I know that there are those out there that claim the Bible is compatible with homosexuality. To them I would ask, where is the positive case from Scripture? Where is the teaching that men with men and women with women is a good thing? It is not there. God has never condoned this behavior or held up this desire as a good thing. Sex was meant by God to be a blessing in the marriage relationship and for the propagation of humankind. Homosexual relations can never fulfill the good design of God and only harm those involved whether they recognize this or not.

The Good News

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 (KJV)

Despite these heavy Bible verses which condemn, there is still good news. I certainly have not lived up to the law, and if I wanted to be right with God I would have needed to keep the law perfectly (Galatians 3:10). However, in Christ my sin has been dealt with and I have gained the righteousness. And this goes for anyone who would call upon His name

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31 (KJV)

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 4:5 (KJV)

So what does this saving faith look like? We all know those that profess that they are Christians but live lives of overt hypocrisy. It is not enough to just say you believe in Jesus? Believing that Jesus exists is not enough, for:

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. James 2:19 (KJV)

The kind of faith that saves is one that doesn’t merely believe Jesus exists but one that believes in who He is in His entirety and trusts in Him. It is a repentant faith, which is why the Bible tells us we must repent to be saved (Acts 3:19, 2 Corinthians 7:10). To repent is to change one’s mind about who God is and what sin is, to recognize He has the right to tell us what to do, that His commandments are good, and we should want to follow them. And if there is anyone that believes that homosexuality is too grave a sin to be forgiven, we have this wonderful statement from the Apostle Paul:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)

The language of “abusers of themselves with mankind” is how they referred to homosexuals at the time the KJV was translated. In this passage Paul is saying some in the Corinthian church were like this, but they had been washed and cleansed. And it can be the same for any of you who will trust in Christ. You will find Him to be exactly as He is – the Perfect Savior.

A word to the ‘allies’

For the rest of this post I would like to address the so-called ‘allies’ of the LGBTQ. You are not allies in the true sense of the word. An ally assists those whom they are allied to. A friend helps a friend even if the friend doesn’t appreciate what you are doing. Would we say that the person who gives their alcoholic friend more alcohol is a friend? Or would it be the person who attempts to get them rehabilitated? Some of you reading this may even consider yourselves Christians. But know that God, who has the right to determine the bounds of sexuality, has told us what is and isn’t good. And no one has the right to tell Him He was wrong to do it the way He has.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Leviticus 19:17 (KJV)

To fail to warn our neighbors or to allow them to continue in sin is hatred. I know it doesn’t seem like hatred, as you don’t feel like you have contempt in your heart towards them, but hatred is objective, not subjective. It’s hatred to neglect to help a neighbor in need regardless of how you feel. So repent and trust in Christ. Be a homophobe, for the sake of your friends.