Are homosexual feelings sinful? Is homosexual / same-sex attraction a sin?
Many in today's culture believe that homosexuality is just another form of human sexual expression and that people are born that way. To them, if someone feels an attraction to someone of the same sex, then it's obviously a natural (and therefore good) inclination to be acted upon. However, this way of thinking is not in agreement with the Bible.In the beginning God created all things perfectly without any error. He created man and then created woman as a helper fit for man (Genesis 2:18–22). Every single mention of homosexuality in the Bible is in a negative context. The plain teaching of the Bible is that homosexuality is outside the bounds of what God designed and is against His will. No matter how strong the attraction or the feelings of "love," homosexual behavior is always sinful; in fact, it is the result of people rejecting God and receiving the punishment for doing so in their own bodies (Romans 1:21–27).
What about those who struggle against homosexual feelings? Some seem to have a natural proclivity toward homosexuality, and we would respond that all people have a weakness toward some type of sin. We are all born sinners, and we all exhibit tendencies toward one type of misbehavior or another. Not everyone struggles with lying, but, for some, lying seems to be second nature. The same holds true for heterosexual lust, stealing, out-of-control anger, etc. These proclivities stem from our being born in a fallen condition due to the corruption that entered the world through Adam (Romans 5:12). We are all born sinners. However, to say that sin is natural and therefore permissible simply because we are born with a weakness for it is absurd. A person with a weakness for alcohol abuse may feel that the addiction so permeates him as to be part of the very fiber of his being, but that does not make his drunkenness acceptable. A kleptomaniac feels a strong desire to steal, yet his stealing is not justified.
Having homosexual feelings is not, in itself, wrong, for the simple reason that it is not a sin to be tempted. Having a homosexual thought does not make someone a homosexual. It's always how we deal with the temptation that determines whether or not we sin. To yield to homosexual feelings—to indulge in them, foster them, or act on them—is to sin. To yield to the Holy Spirit is to take a stand against personal sin and resist the feelings that would lead us astray. As believers, we "walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4).
We live in a fallen world, and our human natures are depraved. We struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and confused feelings and aberrant desires are part of the mix. The fact that more people appear to be identifying with or supporting homosexuality as normal could be a sign of a general decline in morals and lack of concern for God. This "sliding away" from God seems to get worse with passing years (see 2 Timothy 3:13). But, even if every person on earth disagreed with God on this matter or any other, it changes nothing about God's truth (Romans 3:4). God has determined the proper order in sexuality and every other aspect of life. When people oppose Him, they do so to their own peril.
Is homosexuality a sin?
Does the Bible talk about lesbianism? What does the Bible say about being a lesbian?
Does the Bible say anything about bisexuality? Is being bisexual a sin?
Does the Bible say anything about transsexualism / transgenderism? Is gender dysphoria / gender identity disorder the result of sin?
Can someone be gay and Christian? Is it possible to be a gay Christian?
Truth about Sin
