The debate over homosexuality is raging as much as it ever was. Indeed, arguments advocating its acceptance have gotten more and more fabulous. This has not diminished the need for Christians to give a defense of what the Bible says about homosexuality but only increased it. But when it comes to actually confronting unbelievers about their sin, Christians frequently sally forth a confidence reminiscent of damp gingerbread.
Greg Bahnsen may have died over twenty years ago, but his works live on to help Christians think Christianly. His short work Homosexuality: A Biblical View despite being nearly forty years old is as relevant as ever. He presents what can only be described as a slam dunk case against the view homosexuality needs to be accepted.
If you’ve ever encountered a clever homosexual apologist and knew he was wrong but simply didn’t know why, you must read this book. He deals with every argument you can imagine, whether it’s dealing with the “cultic prostitution” objection, the mishandling of the passages concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, or the “let’s look at the Greek” arguments. The short of it is this: anyone who tells you the Bible teaches the acceptance of homosexuality is pulling a fast one on you, guaranteed. And invariably apologists who talk like this have at the foundation a deficient view of Scripture itself. They are those kind that Peter was talking about when he said that some twist the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). And if one has a deficient view of Scripture, one must have a deficient view of God Himself, as Jesus infallibly witnessed that “Scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35).
Now, Bahnsen makes clear the difference between repentant and unrepentant homosexuals. As 1 Cor. 6:9-11 says “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” There were men who had practiced homosexuality in the Corinthian church, but they were washed.
Everyone has hope, but only in the salvation, justification, and sanctification of Jesus according to the word of Jesus, which is the same as Scripture itself.
You can get your own copy of Bahnsen’s book at Amazon here.
Five questions I would like to ask Bahnsen
1. What are your thoughts on McDurmon’s article making the case that homosexuality should not be criminalized?
2. What do many Christians not understand about homosexuality that they should?
3. What can fathers do to quell the development of homosexuality in their sons?
4. Why is Asa referred to as doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord by exiling the cult prostitutes (1 Kings 15:12) if the penalty was death? (Lev. 20:13)
5. Is there anything distinctive about lesbianism as against male homosexuality that would help Christians minister to them?
I love the “Five Questions” at the end of your Blogs and this one is only different in that I felt compelled to comment on this one. Question 2. I think that one thing Christians need to understand about homosexuality is that we as a group, desperately, must drop the ugly and harsh tone that many Christians dip into when they talk to, and about, homosexuals. I believe that many tend to separate it out as higher sin and we don’t have to treat them as if they were people. That they are somehow something lower than your everyday sinner. I have friends who are homosexuals and while it is heart breaking that they don’t share my concern over what they are doing, I am not going to love them any less. It doesn’t say to love your enemy unless they are homosexuals. Its not our duty to degrade fallen, broken, image bearers of God. We are called to repent and believe, to Glorify God, love our neighbors, and gather the lost. To love them, not love them as long as they aren’t homosexuals. I am NOT saying we should stop speaking into these peoples lives I AM saying we need to do it with the love that we are commanded to have, that especially includes our words and how we say them.
I agree. Love the sinner, hate the sin.