Did Jesus approve homosexuality? The LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) community says He did. They assert forcefully that Jesus never spoke against same sex marriage or homosexuality. Therefore, His silence proved His indifference, because He found these issues unimportant and irrelevant.
Did Jesus approve homosexuality by His silence? The Bible exposes Jesus’ controversial attitude on homosexuality, but not as the LGBTQ community defines it.
Revelation #1: The Error Of Argument From Silence
The homosexual community argues that from Jesus’ alleged silence on homosexuality He saw homosexuality as irrelevant. Suppose that Jesus did not speak against homosexuality. Their conclusion from silence violates proper Biblical interpretation and the laws of logic.
The abuse of these fundamental rules eliminates conclusions on any theological doctrine because of the reliance upon silence. Argument from silence represents a logical fallacy. Many sides of an issue can claim that silence confirms their position. This rule forms the bottom line in Biblical interpretation: no one can prove anything from silence.
Contrary to LGBTQ’s opinion, Jesus spoke clearly against homosexuality. Jesus’ controversial attitude on homosexuality begins with His instructions on marriage.
Revelation #2: Jesus’ Teachings On Marriage
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about marriage and divorce, (Matthew 5:27-32). Moses granted Israelites the right to divorce their spouses, (Deuteronomy 29:1-4). The children of Israel stretched the bounds of Moses’ decree. A man could divorce his wife for any reason: the original no-fault divorce.
Later, Jesus expanded his teaching on marriage and divorce beyond His comments in the Sermon on the Mount. They convey implications for our day as well, (Matthew 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-10).
When Jesus taught further on these issues, He began with God’s created order, male and female, (Genesis 1:27; 2:18-24). After God created Eve from Adam’s rib, God brought her to Adam and put them together, male and female, in marriage.
He made the female to complement Adam. Note. God did not create another male to complete Adam, nor another female to enhance Eve. He created a woman for the man. God used this occasion to give His decree for all future marriages.
The man/husband and his female/wife would become one flesh in marriage. Note, again, the specific order for marriage, a man and a woman.
To say that Jesus never spoke about homosexuality or same sex marriage one must deliberately reject the clear teaching of Christ. In fact, Jesus confirmed God’s design for the sexual relationship between a husband and wife, male and female.
Jesus specifically ordered marriage between a man and a woman. Therefore, in Jesus controversial attitude on homosexuality, He specifically condemned not only homosexuality but also same sex marriage.
Revelation #3: Jesus’ Teaching On Sexual Immorality
When Jesus spoke about marriage and divorce, He described the evil that would destroy the marriage of a man and woman. Jesus granted divorce in a marriage for one cause only, fornication, (Matthew 19:1-12).
In our day, we typically describe this as sexual intercourse between a man and a woman: one of them unmarried, or between two unmarried people. However, in that day, fornication carried a much broader meaning.
In Jesus’ day, fornication included every evil sexual relationship outside of marriage. Therefore, it included adultery, fornication (as we know it), prostitution, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, and bestiality.
When He used the word “fornication,” Jesus condemned all sexual activity outside of marriage except between a husband and his wife.
On another occasion, Jesus responded to the Pharisees who chided Him for not following their prescribed traditions, (Matthew 15:1-20). They taught that eating food without using ceremoniously washed hands defiled the user. Like other occasions, Jesus used this setting to teach a truth.
Jesus taught that what goes into a person does not defile him/her. What comes out of the mouth defiles the person. In other words, He explained that the inward spiritual condition of a person reveals itself in outward behavior. The evil acts one performs fulfill inward evil desires and defile a person.
Jesus then provided a list of some of these wicked behaviors, which proceed from within humans. As expected, the list contains murder, theft, and false witness.
In addition, Jesus included a term that describes sexual perversion, fornication. Jesus used the same word that He used to explain the evil that destroyed marriage. Fornication in Christ’s time comprised all variations of sinful sexual practice.
Contrary to the homosexual community’s claims, Jesus clearly condemned homosexuality and same sex marriage. He referred to God’s created order, male and female. He described God’s decree for sexual intimacy exclusively between a married man and his wife, a woman.
Further, Jesus denounced the evils of all sexual perversion, including homosexuality. He could not have stated it more clearly.
Revelation #4: Jesus’ Love For His Friends
The LBGTQ community also accuses Jesus of some sort of same sex love toward His friends. In particular, they describe Christ’s love for His disciple John in this vein. After all, John leaned upon Christ during the last supper that Jesus had with His disciples, (John 14:23).
At another time, a man came to Jesus and questioned how to obtain eternal life. Jesus loved him, too, (Mark 10:21). And how about Lazarus? (John 11:5)
Sadly, the homosexual community never lets the facts get in the way of their arguments. They follow the dictum, “Don’t confuse me with the facts, because I’ve already made up my mind.” This describes their accusations regarding Jesus’ love for His friends.
The word for “love” used to describe Christ’s love for His friends does not include any attributes of lust or sexual connotation. The original word that describes His love for His friends, agape, describes a love driven by a deliberate act of the will without any inherent feature in the object loved as the source or cause of love.
It differs from the two other Greek words commonly translated “love” in the New Testament, which describe either friendship or sensual love.
To imply a same sex love from Jesus toward His friends or even a heterosexual love for a woman denies the meaning of the word used to describe Christ’s love for people.
Revelation #5: Jesus And The Centurion’s Slave
In a further attempt to prove that Jesus did not speak against homosexuality, the LBGTQ community recites the story of Christ’s healing of a centurion’s slave. According to their interpretation, Jesus did not speak against homosexuality in this clear instance of a centurion and his homosexual slave, (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10).
The homosexuals refer to the word “pais” used to describe the centurion’s slave. In their judgment, the word means “boy” with homosexual connotations. They assert that since Jesus did not mention nor condemn homosexuality in this clear instance of a homosexual relationship between the centurion and his slave, Jesus did not view it as evil.
The word “pais” can mean more than one sense. In fact, its semantic range can describe a boy or a girl from the age of 1 to 14. The text does not provide any clue as to the sex or the age of the slave. Thus, the conclusions of the LBGTQ community fail again in their attempt support their beliefs. (See Revelation #1.)
Matthew and Luke record this incident, too. Luke used a different word to describe the servant than Matthew used. Luke used the word “doulos.”
This word does not have any age or sexual connotation attached to it. It merely means slave or servant. Further, Luke’s record used both words, “pais” and “doulos,” in his comments regarding his servants.
None of the texts provide a clear evidence of the sex or age of the sick servant, directly contradicting the assumptions of homosexuals regarding this incident. (Again, see Revelation #1.)
Summary
“Freedom to disagree with the Bible is an illusory freedom; in reality it is bondage to falsehood.” (John Stott)
The homosexual community today arrives at conclusions, which they claim the Bible supports, which clearly contradict what the Bible teaches. Therefore, they believe and advocate fallacies.
Jesus condemned homosexuality:
- when He confirmed God’s created order, male and female;
- when He ratified God’s purpose for marriage between one man and one woman;
- when He denounced all forms of sexual perversion, including homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, adultery, fornication, prostitution, and incest.
- To declare otherwise, denies clear Biblical truth.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus gathered with sinners of all sorts of people, including those just described. He never condoned their sin. He continuously demanded repentance from their sin. Jesus called them to trust Him exclusively for salvation from their sin.
The Bible applies that same message for our day, too. God accepts only those who come to Him through repentance from their sin and faith in Jesus Christ, God’s provision for sinners. Jesus said it plainly in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son; that whosoever believeth in him hath everlasting life.”
If you have heard, believed Christ’s message, and repented of your sin, as Christ demands, you know the reality of these promises in your life, have become a child of God, and a member of Christ’s kingdom.
Maybe you have not yet followed Christ’s requirements. He still calls people like you and me to join His kingdom. He said it like this: “Repent and believe the gospel…come unto me, all you who labor and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest,” (Mark 1:15; Matthew 11:28).
I urge you to heed His call today. Everyone who responds to it, He accepts, regardless of past or present behavior. Trust Christ today.