Study for January 4 - Homosexuality

God, Marriage and the Family
Homosexuality
In the last few months we have been studying God’s plan for marriage and the family. Hopefully our students have been seeing God’s design and things are a little more clear. One of the most serious distortions of this plan is homosexuality. This is one of many sexual sins that occurred in the Old and New Testament and continues today. It is a hotly debated issue and one that should be thought about very carefully. Questions like “Do you believe God condemns homosexuals?” or “Do you believe homosexuality is a sin?” are hot topics.
The question that we should really be asking is “what is marriage?” This is a question we have been asking all year and hopefully it is one you can answer. Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman. We see this in Genesis 2. Sexuality is intended to be within a marriage. Marriage is a picture of the gospel, a picture of unity. All sex outside of a heterosexual marriage is sin. This includes fornication (sex before marriage) adultery, and pornography.
Though the sin of homosexuality is no greater than sex before marriage or any other sexual sin we will take a special look at homosexuality because of its tendency to be justified by many who claim to be believers.

Homosexuality when compared to the biblical pattern of marriage and intimacy falls way short in several ways (This discussion can be found in “God, Marriage, and the Family” by Andreas Kostenberger).

First – It is at odds with God’s design for marriage at a foundational level. God’s design is man and woman. Genesis 2.

Second – It is at odds with the complementary nature of marriage found in the bible. Marriage is designed so that the husband and wife are equal but with different roles. Roles that complement each other. Same-sex partners cannot participate in this aspect of the design.

Third – It is at odds with its duty to procreate. One of the purposes of marriage is procreation. Having kids. This is undeniably part of God’s plan within marriage as seen in Genesis 1:28.

Three main sections of Scripture deal with homosexuality explicitly – Gen. 18-19, Lev. 18 and 20 and Paul deals with it in his letters to the Romans, Corinthians and Timothy. Study Romans 1:18-28, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Tim. 1:9-10.

In reading all this one will find Scripture to be consistent. Homosexuality is sin and an offense to God. But just like adultery and “fooling around with your girlfriend or boyfriend, this is a sin that can be forgiven. Homosexuality is not the unpardonable sin. Anyone struggling with this sin should repent and seek forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

1. In your opinion, is homosexuality a sin? Why or why not?

2. Is the sin of homosexuality worse than a girlfriend and boyfriend sleeping together before marriage? Why or why not?
3. How should you respond to a friend struggling with homosexuality?

4. How is homosexuality at odds or against God’s design for marriage?

I realize there is much more that we could teach concerning homosexuality. Feel free to go as deep as you want. I have given you just the basic teaching. If the students have any tough questions let me or Jason know.