Articles
Did He Really Have Nothing to Say About It?
Did He Really Have Nothing to Say About It?
In a letter to The Dallas Morning News some years ago, a writer made this point: “…Jesus said nothing about homosexuals or homosexuality.”
But we do know this: 1) Jesus expressed His approval of God’s plan for the union of one man and one woman (Matt. 19:1-9). 2) Jesus made reference to the destruction of Sodom (Luke 17:28-30). Homosexuality was a major lifestyle in Sodom (Gen. 13:13; 18:20-21; 19:1-29). This was the main reason God destroyed it (Jude 7).
Jesus’ earthly ministry was to His fellow Jews. For centuries the Jews had been instructed in the Law of Moses, which prohibited homosexuality (Lev. 20:13).
The Greco-Roman world, however, lived by a different standard. So it’s no wonder that Paul, Peter, and Jude address this issue in their letters to Gentile believers (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Tim. 1:9-11; 2 Peter 2:6-8; Jude 7).
The authors of the New Testament were not expressing their own bias, but preached and wrote by the authority of Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-26; 16:12-13; 17:6, 8, 18, 20; Acts 1:1-8; 2:1-4; 1 Cor. 2:12-13; 14:37; Gal. 1:11-12; 2 Peter 3:15-16).
They were Christ’s direct and official spokesmen (John 13:20; Matt. 28:18-20). To reject their teachings is to reject Christ who sent them.
Because Christ loves all of us sinners, He died for each one of us. Whatever our sin, repentance means turning our minds in a totally new direction—the only way that leads us out of our old selves into His glorious grace (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
In baptism, we enjoy a fresh start, a new beginning, FORGIVENESS! (Acts 2:37-38; Rom. 6:3-6; 2 Cor. 5:17).
Learning how to live this new life will be our greatest challenge, but by His grace it is definitely doable, and what a life it is—a life so far superior to any passing pleasure this old world can offer!
─David Gibson
