Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last decade or so, you likely know that June has become “Pride Month” where our secular culture celebrates and affirms LGBT+ lifestyles. And as is fitting the current cultural zeitgeist, this sin is not only promoted, but on social media we will find that the bulk of any Scriptural addressing of these issues is combated in the form of memes and/or short TikTok/YouTube videos thinking they have clever arguments in favor of homosexuality, or at least saying that the Bible is not against homosexuality.

With that in mind, I thought it’d be helpful to briefly address 5 of the most common “biblical” arguments I see made online by folks who are in favor of homosexual activity and lifestyle. My hope is that this will help better equip Christians who may feel intimidated or stumped by the confident, but errant, assertions about what the Bible teaches with regard to homosexuality. So that being said, let’s dive in to some of these common arguments.

Argument #1: Leviticus says you also shouldn’t eat shellfish or wear mixed fabrics – you’re just picking/choosing! 

The same Old Testament book that refers to homosexuality as an abomination (Lev. 18:22) also condemns eating shellfish (Lev. 11:9-12) and wearing blended fabrics (Lev. 19:19), among other activities labeled as unclean, so why do we observe some of these laws but not all of them? Are Christians just hypocrites who like to ‘pick on’ LGBT+ people?

The answer here is to realize that the Old Testament contains 3 different types of laws.

There’s the Moral Law which are abiding laws for today like the 10 commandments, sexual ethics, etc.

But there’s also the Ceremonial Laws which were given to ancient Israel as a guide for their worship and how to be set apart as God’s people from the rest of the nations, all of which prefigured Christ and were fulfilled (abrogated) in him. This would include laws related to the sacrificial system, dietary restrictions, etc. Colossians 2:16-17 points out that these were shadows, but now we have the substance which is Jesus, which is why we no longer hold to these things. Not to mention we have clear teaching on this in places like Acts 10:9-16 when the apostle Peter is given a vision from the Lord showing that these foods were no longer unclean, and in Mark 7:19b where we read “Thus [Jesus] declared all foods clean.”

Finally, there’s Civil or Judicial Laws in the Old Testament which were given to ancient Israel for their theocratic nation-state at that period in history. This would involve various civil consequences for things like digging a pit that you leave uncovered and your neighbor’s animal falls into it (Ex. 21:33-34) or passages that speak of how someone should be put to death for a particular action like adultery (Lev. 20:10). Civil laws are no longer binding, but there are general principles we can glean such as we see Paul do in the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:18).

This threefold division of the law is not something new or invented by Christians in order to justify some “anti-LGBT bias”. This can be found, for example, in the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 19 which was written in 1646. All that said, it is important to understand how to rightly interpret scripture (the practice called Biblical Hermeneutics) because the irony is those who claim conservative Christians are cherry picking Bible verses to suit their agenda, are literally taking them out of context to promote their own.

Argument #2: Sodom’s sin was really inhospitality, self-indulgence, and pride. 

In Genesis 19, we have the famous story of Sodom & Gomorrah. The men of the city of Sodom surrounded the house of Lot, who had been visited by angels, and demanded that Lot hand over these ‘men’ that they may “know” them, meaning have sex with them. This is where the term ‘sodomy’ comes from.

But there are many who argue, in light of Ezekiel 16:49-50, that the REAL sin of Sodom was not homosexuality but rather inhospitality or self-indulgence and pride. Now, I don’t at all dispute what Ezekiel says here! But it is important for us to realize that this doesn’t negate Sodom’s sin of homosexuality. It just points to the sinful heart that fueled it. Indeed, the height of arrogant, self-indulgent behavior is sexual immorality that says ‘I know better than God as to what is good’. But God says through Moses AND Ezekiel that homosexuality is an abomination of his creation order. The very fruit of that which is inhospitable, self-indulgent, and prideful (again, “pride month”).

In fact, this point is addressed in the short New Testament letter of Jude, where we read “Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued UNNATURAL DESIRE, serve as an example of undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” – Jude 7

Some will try to argue that the phrase “unnatural desire” refers to the fact that the men of Sodom desired angelic flesh, not that homosexuality was the issue. The problem with that is the men of Sodom did not know these visitors were angels. This homosexuality was considered sexual immorality that was deserving of God’s judgment.

Argument #3: Paul doesn’t condemn homosexuality, only pederasty or male prostitution, in fact the word homosexuality wasn’t in the Bible until 1946. 

The claim here is that in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, when the apostle Paul references “men who practice homosexuality”, the original language didn’t mean that. There are many who claim he was simply condemning the abusive practice in the Greco-Roman world of men who took boys as their sort of ‘sex slaves’. And so, when the RSV translation came on the scene in the mid-20th century, they changed it to talking about any homosexuality.

The problem with that argument is that in the Greek two words here are used malakoi (μαλακοὶ) – sometimes translated ‘soft’ or ‘effeminate’ and arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖται) – sometimes translated as ‘abuser of one’s self with man’ or ‘male who lies with male as with a woman’. Similarly, the word Arsenokoitai is also used in 1 Timothy 1:10 which is translated as “men who practice homosexuality”.

The problem with the argument that this has to do with ancient pederasty/male prostitution is that Paul not only condemns the latter but also the former. In other words, both parties are listed as among those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. Instead, as is the historic interpretation, the reality is Paul describes both the active and passive partners in a homosexual relationship here, condemning them as immoral. Regardless of whether the word ‘homosexuality’ was first included in the English Bible in the last 100 years, the principle is the same, as we see clearly articulated in places like Romans 1:26-27 which says, “…For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men, and receiving the due penalty for their error.” – Romans 1:26-27

And anyway, as language evolves, we need clarifying words like “homosexuality” to better articulate what was intended in the Greek. (i.e. there’s a reason we no longer speak in Shakespearean English or King James thee’s, thou’s, and thine’s). It should be clear from our everyday vernacular that the word ‘gay’ itself has changed from ‘happy’ to a synonym for ‘homosexual’ over the last 50+ years. That’s how language works.

Argument #4: Jesus never spoke against homosexuality.

This one is an interesting one to me on a number of fronts. First of all, we don’t believe that only the ‘red letters’ are binding on Christians. We believe all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), including the letters of Paul (2 Peter 3:16).

But beyond that, there are many issues that Jesus never directly addressed but that doesn’t mean he showed no relevant stance. For example, he also never spoke directly to pedophilia, bestiality, etc, but he most certainly taught in a way that would condemn these forms of sexual immorality as well.

Matthew 19:3-6 is perhaps the clearest on this, when Jesus specifically answered the Pharisees questioning about divorce by articulating the view that God made mankind ‘male and female’ and he quotes Genesis 2:24 to articulate the two becoming ‘one flesh’ in a heterosexual monogamous marriage as the only acceptable sexual ethic. Against the postmodern concept of Transgenderism, Jesus lists only 2 genders – male and female. And against the sin of homosexuality or bisexuality, he says ‘a man shall… hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.’ This is a complementary (not to be confused with the word complimentary) view of how men and women are the only physically and relationally compatible romantic option, and only then within marriage.

So yes, Jesus did speak against homosexuality – by speaking solely in favor of heterosexuality as God’s design for human flourishing.

Argument #5: Well, all sin is equal in God’s eyes anyway, so we shouldn’t single out one particular sin.

I think of this argument as the ‘throw in the towel’ argument. Okay, so maybe the Bible DOES condemn homosexuality… but doesn’t it also speak against gluttony, greed, racism, etc? Why single out homosexuality? We’re ALL sinners!

First of all, we don’t ‘cancel out’ the sinfulness of one sin by pointing to another. Could you imagine doing this with other sins? Sure, he’s an axe murderer – but we’re all sinners! By the light of nature itself, we can tell that some sins are worse than others. But beyond that – Scripture attests to this.

Yes, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says we are guilty of murder if we have hate in our heart, adultery if we have lust in our heart. But he doesn’t turn around and say – so you might as well just go ahead and commit it! He’s showing us where the root of these things come from. A desire is sinful (which is why so-called ‘Side B’ Christianity is wrong, but that’s a post for another day), but the action compounds the sin to make it worse.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism #83 puts it like this, “Q: Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? A: Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations are more heinous in the sight of God than others.” – WSC #83 And this principle can be derived from Scripture in places like John 19 when Jesus, referencing Caiaphas, says to Pilate: “… Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” – John 19:11. We also see this in how Jesus addresses the Pharisees in Matthew 23:23 telling them that they are hypocrites who tithe to the smallest amount but neglect “the weightier matters of the law”.

So, yes, some sins are worse than others. Don’t get me wrong – all merit God’s wrath. But the punishment will be greater on those who committed greater abuses, atrocities, and abominations. If anything else were the case, there wouldn’t be true justice.

So fornication is a sin, but homosexuality is worse because it is a greater distortion of God’s design. Indeed, the further we get from God’s design for sexuality and marriage, the greater the sin (missing the mark), the greater the transgression (further crossing the line) and the greater the iniquity (pollution of the pure design). The reason conservative Christians make such a big deal out of LGBT+ issues at the end of the day is because of the greater harm it does to society and institutions (like the family/home), but also because of the greater distortion it is of the Gospel. In Ephesians 5:22-33, we read that the institution of marriage is meant to be a picture of Christ (depicted by the husband who sacrificially leads) and the Church (depicted by the wife who submissively follows). The further we get from that picture, the greater the Gospel itself is distorted. Which helps us understand why the world, the flesh, and the devil would have such a target on marriage and sexuality. Because as Paul says, “The mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” – Ephesians 5:32

But arguments aside, let me leave us with this. In the midst of all this debate about what the Bible does or does not say about homosexuality, there’s this beautiful verse back in 1 Corinthians 6:11. Right after Paul condemns several different types of unrepentant sins, including – as I’ve argued – both active & passive partners in a homosexual relationship. That isn’t the end of the story. He says none of those folks will inherit the kingdom of God. THEN he writes, “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.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11

Friends, you may be struggling against pervasive temptation and sins. You may feel like you were ‘born’ that way. But the hope of the Gospel is for us ALL to be born again (John 3:3-7). You’re not too far gone. You can have a new identity that comes from having a new heart given by the Spirit, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.