HOMOSEXUAL

Homosexual activity is sexual intimacy between two persons of the same gender. This form of sexual conduct is uniformly condemned in the Bible. (a) It stands outside the divinely prescribed realm of authorized sexual gratification, i.e., the marriage union (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:4; 1 Cor. 7:2), and is, therefore, transgression (1 Jn. 3:4). (b) It is mentioned first within the community of ancient Sodom, where it receives the judgment of God (Gen. 18:20ff; 2 Pet. 2:6-8). (c) Moses' law strictly condemned homosexual conduct and made it a capital crime (Lev. 20:13). (d) Jesus upbraided homosexuality when he endorsed the original marriage law of God (Mt. 19:4), and denounced fornication explicitly (Mt. 15:19; Mk. 7:21) -- which embraces homosexuality (Jude 7; cf. Mt. 11:23-24; Lk. 17:29). See: FORNICATION. (e) The apostles of Christ rebuked this immoral conduct (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:9; 2 Pet. 2:6), and they wrote with divine authority (Lk. 10:16; 1 Cor. 14:37).