First things first, we need to clarify that, biblically, homosexual acts are seen as an equal sin to any other sexual sin, such as adultery, lust, etc. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). All sin is offensive to God, so whether it's cheating on a test, stealing, or having sex outside of marriage, it's all the same to God. Of course, the consequences we experience due to various sins will be different in this world, but none of them are unforgivable or will cause us to lose our salvation.
Acting upon homosexual desires IS actually a choice. We may not always be able to control who we are attracted to physically, but we DO have the power to control our own actions. Same sex intercourse goes against what God has designed (Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). The reason why homosexual desire even comes into play is because of our sin nature. Read Romans 1:24-27 for more on that.
Okay, it IS possible that due to genetics and environment, a person might be more likely to have homosexual desires or behaviors. But! That is in the same way it is possible for a person to be more likely to have any other behavior—such as anger, short temper, violence, or even good behaviors such as a compassionate heart or the desire to serve others.
Does having bad genetics or an awful childhood excuse the serial killer from being the murderer he is? Of course not! Just because a little girl learns to bully others because her mother is cruel to her, does that make her free and clear to bully other kids? Nope. It's the same with homosexuality. Just because genetics or environment has made a person feel like they want to be with the same gender doesn't make it right.
Every person has the ability to CHOOSE how they act, and sometimes (okay, a lot of times) we choose the wrong thing (James 1:14).
The simple answer is because God said so in the Bible (see verses in the first paragraph). ☺ But I know that's not nearly enough of an explanation sometimes. The consequences of making this decision are widespread and could include long-term emotional issues, for God did not design the family structure for two dads or two moms. There are also hygiene issues to deal with; our bodies were not designed to have sex in any other way than how we were designed. Also because of this, there's a higher susceptibility to diseases.
It is true that homosexual behavior has been observed in hundreds of species in the animal kingdom. Research shows these creatures having homosexual, bisexual, and non-reproductive sex, though the reasons why they do these things are still unknown. However, even science has to admit that it is rare to find an animal that displays long-term homosexual behavior.
But let's look at this logically. We were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). All other creatures of creation were not. Because animals were not made in the image of God, we can't look at them as an example of how to live our lives. Yes, some male sheep have been known to only mate with other rams. But some lions will kill their own cubs so they can mate with their lionesses again. Umm...yeah. Not a good behavioral guideline for humans.
Animals are not going to be condemned by God because of their choices. But humans will be.
Please know that God is not against the homosexual boy or girl. He is against SIN—no matter what the sin is. He doesn't hate a person who has made a choice to sin. He loves every single human being—the pastor, the murderer, the high school freshman, the 6-year-old bully on the playground. He wants everybody to turn away from their sin (no matter what it is) and turn toward a relationship with Him (Acts 3:19).
God is not against the homosexual boy or girl. He is against SIN—no matter what the sin is. And the Bible is very clear that homosexual acts are a sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Giving into homosexual acts IS a choice, just like any other choice we make for ourselves. Even if a person is predisposed to homosexual behavior, that doesn't make it right, just as a predisposition to anger or gossip doesn't make it a positive trait. The consequences of homosexual acts range from emotional to physical to sociological. But there's hope, for God loves you no matter what you do, and He wants everybody to turn away from their sin (no matter what it is) by offering a relationship with Him (Acts 3:19).
Cat is the web producer and editor of 412teens.org. She is known as "412teens" on the 412teens Discord. She loves audiobooks, feeding the people she cares about, and using Christmas lights to illuminate a room. When Catiana is not cooking, gardening, or practicing creativity, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, five socially-awkward cats, and her amazing friend-amily.
