Romans 1:26 (KJV)
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections...
Romans 1:28 (KJV)
28 ...God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient...
A very sensitive subject today is the subject of homosexuality. There is a reason for its sensitivity, and needs to be addressed in the subject of healing. There has arisen a great anger amidst some against homosexuality, and the resultant resistance of those who are homosexual has generated an anger in them also. The resultant debate, attacks of both sides, has brought us to a time where laws, stigmatisms, and political correctness has brought about a silence of its true nature in the church toward the subject.
Certainly, we should not hate anyone. Lifestyles of many kinds of persons are objectionable. Christians are objectionable to many others, but they can talk against Christianity, we are told to be silent toward their contrary to Christianity lifestyles. We are not here to let sin run rampant, whether it be abortion, murder, or homosexuality. We cannot hate them that do such things, we are in the healing business. Yet, we must study the subject enough to have an answer for every man, and when the subject comes up, we must be able to show how even the reprobate mind can be healed and cleansed.
Because the subject has become politically incorrect to mention, the talk of Sodom and Gomorrah is practically an unmentioned subject in the church anymore. Sodom and Gomorrah were known to be wicked places. The story about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah shows how evil the corrupt minds of its citizens had become. They lied, deceived, cheated, and stole. The Bible shows that another great sin of these cities was homosexuality.
This issue of homosexuality has become a political "hot potato" in these last days. Laws are being written to give "special" (not simply "equal") rights to the homosexuals of today. Schools are teaching homosexuality as an "alternate lifestyle" and promoting it as a moral choice. The Bible condemns it, and Christians need to avoid the influence of media, government officials, and others who promote what the Bible calls wicked, as being good.
Genesis 19:5
"And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are these men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them."
Deuteronomy 23:17-18
"There shall be no harlot of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite (a person guilty of unnatural sexual relations, as between the same sex, or with beasts) of the sons of Israel. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the price of a dog (Hebrew word = qadesh, = a male devotee to licentious idolatry, practicing prostitution with the same sex), into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow; for even both of these are abomination unto the Lord thy God."
Jude 7
"Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange (Greek word = heteros = another of a different kind, men with men, or angels with women, all being contrary to nature) flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
Romans 1:26-28,32
"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections; for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature; and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient... knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
One of the names the Bible gives for it is a reprobate mind. Therefore it is a mental condition, one that comes, not by heredity, but by sins which bring God to let their minds be corrupted by this perversion.
Homosexuality is characterized by an unnatural sexual attraction for members of one's own sex. The term "homosexual" may apply to either sex, the term "lesbian" applies to women only. Active homosexuality causes some to solicit others to engage in homosexual perversion, and may bring some to commit homosexual rape. Active homosexuals are often repulsed by the thought of relations with the opposite sex. Some wear the clothes of the opposite sex (transvestism), and even change their names. Often the homosexual is fearful of involvement with the opposite sex, and turns to members of his or her own sex in order to receive gratification.
In this godless world, we have seen many turn to many different types of sexual perversion. In Romans 1:24-32, we see that the reason for God turning their minds over to such perversion, is the rejection of God. The main reason for homosexuality is the apostasy of mankind, and the sinful refusal to worship God, as Paul wrote in describing this sin, and its effects..
A strong program of spiritual development for the believer, and the genuine conversion of the unsaved are vitally important to the battle against this sin. We must love the sinner, but hate the sin. Then we must get the ones engaged in such sin to realize their need to be saved. They will not seek to remove the "reprobate mind" until they have come to know the need of spiritual conversion.
If Christian love is defined as tolerance of homosexuality as normal, godly, or acceptable, we are failing thereby to love them enough to lead them to salvation, forgiveness, a non-reprobate mind. True love is wanting salvation and healing from all that is unclean.