The Bible and Homosexuality

Some people claim the word homosexual wasn't originally in the Bible and that being gay or lesbian isn't a sin.

How would you address this argument? Text us right now with your question at 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram accounts, and you can email us at questions at corechristianity.com. Today, a story about faith in the face of adversity. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott says he's excited about God's plan for his life following an ankle injury that ended his NFL season. As you may know, Dak suffered a terrible fracture to his right ankle in a game on October 11th that required surgery. Appearing in an Instagram video this week, Dak was smiling and upbeat, and he said, I'm excited for God's purpose and God's plan. I know it's bigger than anything that I could see or could have imagined, but I'm trusting him. That's the right perspective to have.

Isn't that great? We should all be keeping Dak in our prayers and that he'll make a complete recovery and be back on the field with the Cowboys next year. Bill, are you a football fan? I am. It's interesting because I used to live in San Diego where you live, and I was a big Chargers fan for many years, and then they moved to LA. What's the deal, man?

Yeah, I don't know. I feel abandoned. I'm grateful that the Lord will never leave me nor forsake me because the Chargers have.

I too am trusting in Jesus, and that's where my hope is. Well, let's get to our first question. This is a call that came in at 833, the core from William. In the Catholic Church, the purgatory, when did it come into existence? I appreciate your answer.

Hi, William. Well, thank you for your question. A doctrine that maybe a lot of people, a lot of our listeners aren't familiar with because it is a Roman Catholic doctrine, the doctrine of purgatory, and the idea is basically this, just to define it for those who are not familiar with this. It's that the souls of the just, people who have died with a particular kind of sin, still venial sins they're called, they still are going to face temporal punishments due to them after they have died. So they don't directly go into heaven to be in the presence of the Lord, but that they're in this sort of place of purgation, cleansing. I mean, simply put, it's the idea that some people don't go directly to heaven. Actually, many people don't go directly to heaven, but they still need further cleansing after their death to help to prepare them for heaven. And it's in that time of cleansing that they're made fit to enter into the presence of the Lord. Now, where did this doctrine originate? Well, Roman Catholics will point to some verses in the Bible.

There are a couple places in the Gospels that they'll go to, but really, there's no clear evidence for the doctrine of purgatory in the biblical canon in our Bibles. There are instances in a group of writings called the Apocrypha, which dated around the time of what's called the Second Temple, I think in 500 BC to about 70 AD when it was finally destroyed. And during that period, you had these writings referred to as the Apocrypha, where you, on occasion, had instances in those writings where individuals were praying for the dead and praying that they would have their sins forgiven.

You see this, for example, in a book like 2 Maccabees. There's a story of soldiers who had died, and on their corpses were discovered basically these tokens associated with idol worship. So the Jews prayed for these fallen soldiers who had died and asked that they might be forgiven. Well, it's maybe from texts like that that this doctrine began to develop in the early church. You're thinking second, third century, but you also have this idea in pagan literature or even in Gnostic literature early on.

Plato and others talked about an idea like this, a sort of cleansing process. Now, it's really a doctrine that I think causes a lot of people concern, especially Roman Catholics. I remember talking to someone who's very dear to me, a friend who is Roman Catholic, and asking them, you know, what's your greatest fear? And they responded by saying purgatory.

It was sort of an interesting response to me because it wasn't hell. My greatest fear isn't the fires of hell, it's purgatory. It's, you know, this time of cleansing prior to entering into heaven. And I just thought there's something so wrong with that because especially when you think about the New Testament, what the New Testament says about salvation in particular with regard to the doctrine of justification. When we're justified by Jesus Christ, all of our sins are washed away and Jesus' perfect righteousness is given to us. There isn't any more need for further cleansing in order to stand right before God's throne. No, Jesus has paid for that. And that's why Peter could say in 1 Peter 3 verse 18, For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit. See, Jesus suffered for our sins once for all.

And the hope with that is that we're not going to have to suffer for our sins, not in hell and not in purgatory, but that Jesus presents us to the Father righteous in him, spotless because we've been justified. And so this doctrine of purgatory, there are several issues with it. One, that it's not found, I think, in the teaching of the Bible, but two, that it doesn't make any sense when you think about the doctrine of justification and what Jesus has done for us on the cross in his death and resurrection in order to justify us, to make us right. And so, William, this wasn't a doctrine, I believe, that was held by the apostles. It's something that developed over time in the Roman Catholic Church and in and throughout church history.

You do see some sort of examples of it early on in the second and third century, but I think that was really drawing from pagan literature and then also from these apocryphal books like 2 Maccabees. And so it's not a doctrine I think that we as Christians should hold to. Thanks for your question. You know, one of the things that troubled Martin Luther was the paying of indulgences to get people out of purgatory. So if you knew that Uncle Bob was there getting his sins burned off, you could pay the church and get him out. Yeah.

That doesn't seem right, does it, Bill? And you can see how something like that could be so abused. I mean, you imagine people who are just desperate because they've lost family members and they, oh, I just want to know that they're in the presence of the Lord. And if the church comes and says, oh, well, you know, for the low price of, you know, $29.99, I know that's sort of crass way of putting it, but at different times during the period of the Reformation medieval church, you did have this horrible abuse with these indulgences where people were really taken advantage of. And that's why the Reformers continually said, let's get back to what the Bible simply teaches.

And frankly, it doesn't teach that. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Here's a question that David posted on our Instagram account. He says, when Paul talks about principalities and powers in Ephesians 6, is he only referring to spiritual warfare or is he also referring to worldly forces of power?

Yeah, that's a good question. You're thinking in particular about Ephesians 6, verse 12, where Paul said, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Of course, here in Ephesians chapter 6, the context is the armor of God standing firm against Satan. And so Paul's main focus here is on the fact that we're in a spiritual fight. This is a battle that we're in as Christians, and we have to be well equipped for the battle.

We have to make sure that we're armed. We have to make sure that we're wearing the armor of the Lord and that we're praying. And that really is the focus in this passage is prayer against the evil one. But the fact of the matter is, is these spiritual forces, these principalities and powers do influence the world and even rulers of the world. I think of what John said in 1 John chapter 5, verse 19.

It makes it absolutely clear there. 1 John chapter 5, verse 19, for we know that we are from God and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And so even though I think, David, that Paul is referring primarily to demonic forces, these angelic beings, these principalities and powers, we also know that the world lies under their influence and that that has to do with worldly forces of power as well. You think about some of the wicked ideas and policies that have been enacted throughout the history of the world. I think about, even in our own day, things like abortion.

There is something absolutely heinous about these ideas, these policies. I think you could even say there's something demonic behind it. And so we have to be on guard. We have to pray and we have to realize that it's not just flesh and blood that we're fighting against, and I think this is what you see in the scriptures, but that the battle that we're in is spiritual. And so how do we fight that battle again? Well, Ephesians chapter 6, we pray and we ground ourselves in the truth. We take up the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, and with that truth we come against everything that would raise itself against the knowledge of Christ and the truth of God's word. So I appreciate your question, and it's a great reminder for us right now as we think about some of the turmoil that our nation is in, not just to think about it in terms of the physical, but to remember that there are spiritual forces at work and that we are called to pray in order to combat those forces. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adrian Sanchez. One of the controversial issues that comes up in our culture and in the church is the topic of homosexuality, and we actually have an excellent resource on that topic we want to tell you about today.

Yeah, people in different situations and with varying perspectives have asked us questions about the Bible's teaching on homosexuality, and so that's one of the reasons we created a resource on corechristianity.com called 10 Things You Need to Know About the Bible and Homosexuality. It's free when you sign up for our weekly newsletter, and it's really accessible. I mean, it's not too long of a resource.

It's one of those things you can sit down while you're having a cup of coffee and just sort of go through it. In a highly politicized world, we see that all around us right now, where important matters are reduced to sound bites and shouting matches. It's crucial to remember that we're dealing with people, not just issues. So head over to corechristianity.com forward slash offers to download 10 Things You Need to Know About the Bible and Homosexuality. One of the things I love about this resource is it really gets into God's created intent for human beings, that he made us male and female. And really what that means and the implications for that, we would really highly recommend you get this resource. It'll help you enter into discussions with people that might have a different perspective.

Call us for that or any of our resources at 833-843-2673. Again, that's 833, the core. Speaking of homosexuality, we had a question that came in from Mark by email, and he says this, I've heard some people say the word homosexual was never in the Bible. They claim it was translated pedophile but later changed. They say this means being gay isn't a sin because the Bible was actually talking about pedophilia. How would you address this argument? You're hearing this argument more and more these days, and I've been confronted with this very argument even in the city where I pastor. There are several other churches, some of which are very accepting of gay and lesbian relationships. And accepting not in the sense of they just love gay and lesbian people, but accepting it in the sense that they're affirming and celebrating same-sex relationships, same-sex sex acts, those kinds of things. And they're trying to do it in a way that suggests, I mean, this is what they're teaching, that there's nothing wrong with this according to the Bible, that people have been misreading the Bible for many, many years, for 2,000 years. And that now, all of a sudden, we've unlocked the key. We're really truly understanding what the Bible teaches now, and everybody else just sort of missed it.

Well, there are all sorts of problems with that idea, Mark. First, it's very clear from the teaching of Scripture that homosexuality was forbidden, condemned. Under the Old Covenant, we see this in places like Leviticus 20, verse 13.

If a man lies with the male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them. I mean, that's absolutely clear there under the Old Covenant. Now, of course, some people will say, well, yeah, that was the Old Covenant, which forbade things like eating shellfish and whatnot. Under the New Covenant, in the New Testament, it's not the case that homosexuality is forbidden. But then you turn to a place like Romans, chapter 1, in verse 27, and again, it's just absolutely clear. Romans, chapter 1, I'm going to begin in verse 26.

It says this. For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions, 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 in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Right there. I mean, Paul doesn't even necessarily use the word homosexual there, but he's describing essentially the act, and he's saying it's condemned by God. It's against nature. It's not okay with the teaching of scripture. Now, you do find that word homosexual in places like 1 Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 9. This is in the context of one of the vice lists that the Apostle Paul gives where he talks about these things that people do that will keep them from inheriting the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6, 9. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And then listen to what Paul says in verse 11. 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.

See, right there you see two things. One, you see that these sins, including homosexuality, are condemned by God. They're sins. They're not to be celebrated. It's not something we should be proud of or take pride in. It's something we need to repent of. To turn to the Lord and ask for his forgiveness.

But here's the good news. And this was the case for the Corinthians that Paul is writing to. Paul says, such were some of you, but that didn't keep Jesus from loving you, from embracing you, from washing you and cleansing you. And that is not to say that there aren't genuine Christians, believers who love Jesus, who struggle with these feelings, with these ungodly feelings, same-sex attraction, those kinds of things. No, there are people who are in the fight, who are fighting against these things and walking with the Lord Jesus Christ. But we have to affirm what the Bible teaches.

Now, Mark, you're right. Some people will look at that word in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 9 and they'll say it's been mistranslated. It doesn't mean homosexual. It means something else.

It's the Greek word malakoi and it can refer to effeminacy. Sometimes it was used and it is used even in the New Testament to describe luxurious clothing. Sometimes in the ancient world, in some contexts, it was referring to pedophilia, but it doesn't need to be limited to that. You see, this is just one of the ways that I think people try to get around the clear teaching of scripture. And again, that's why you look at other passages as well, like in Leviticus or in Romans that outline specifically what it is that's taking place. It's not just one word that we're talking about here.

It's a practice. It's something that the scriptures talk about and the scriptures say it's sin. But brothers and sisters, we are still called to love those who are sinners, to pursue them. Remember that Jesus is the good physician. He came to seek and save the lost, not to point the finger at the lost, not to say I'm disgusted with you, get out of my presence. No, Jesus welcomes all those who come to him and he doesn't leave us as we are. He cleanses us, he washes us, and he walks with us as we struggle, as we seek to pursue the truth, as we seek to know him. And we need to walk with those who are struggling as well. We need to love them. We need to put before them the hope of the gospel that there is no sin beyond the power of Jesus's redemption, that his blood is sufficient to cleanse us of all things.

And that is a great hope. And that is good news, brothers and sisters, that we should hold out to all people regardless of what their sin is. Once again, if you have questions about this issue, we'd encourage you to call us for that resource, 10 Things You Need to Know About the Bible and Homosexuality. You can either get it online by going to corechristianity.com forward slash offers, or you can call us at 833-THE-CORE.

This is Beth calling from Max Creek, Missouri. In the Bible, it says that a deacon should be the husband of one wife. Does that mean that a deacon cannot be divorced and remarried? Or does that just mean one wife at a time?

Thank you. Hey, Beth, thank you for that question. And you're referring to, I mean, you have these two places where you have qualifications for elders and deacons, 1 Timothy chapter three, and in Titus chapter one. And you do have the language of deacon or the elder being the husband of one wife. I don't think that that means that if an individual has been divorced, that they're automatically disqualified from, you know, being in one of these positions, from being an elder, for example. Obviously, right there, I mean, there are instances where someone was married and divorced prior to ever exercising faith in Jesus Christ, to ever being a believer or walking with the Lord. And there are also, it seems in the New Testament and the Gospels and in other places like in 1 Corinthians, legitimate grounds for divorce, according to God. Now, that doesn't mean divorce is a good thing or something that we should always pursue in those instances.

But it does seem like there are legitimate grounds for divorce that would not keep an individual bound up by their having been divorced. And so I don't think that what Paul is getting at there in 1 Timothy three and in Titus one means that people who have been divorced and remarried are automatically unfit for these offices, for the office of elder or the office of deacon. Certainly, I think one thing it does mean is that they can only have one wife at a time.

You mentioned that. But I also don't think that it necessarily means that they have to be married. I think what Paul is getting at there is if they are married, that they're the husband of one wife, a one woman man, that they're ruling their household well, and that that's one of the indicators of the fact that they're qualified. So Beth, I appreciate your question and feel free to give us a call back again if you want to follow up. Adriel, there are actually a variety of other qualifications for elders that's mentioned in the Bible.

Yeah, there are. And again, those lists, I'm just looking at the one right now in 1 Timothy chapter three where Paul says, The saying is trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife.

And that's what Beth was referring to in her question. Sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive.

For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. You've got that whole list there, and it can be kind of intimidating, you know, when we are training new elders in our church, or when we're talking to people about potentially pursuing this call to eldership because we feel like they meet these qualifications. I know you read this list and people feel like, oh boy, that just, whoa, that seems like a pretty serious thing.

And it is a serious thing. We really need to take church leadership and these positions in the church very seriously because we see and have seen how much damage it does when you have people put in positions of leadership in the church who don't meet these qualifications. God calls church leaders to be examples to the rest of the flock so that other people can look at them and say, I want to follow Jesus like that. Now, of course, no one is perfect, but the fact of the matter is, is we have to take this very seriously because it really is one of those things that it's about protecting the church and caring well for the people of God. And ultimately, Jesus is the chief shepherd.

Now, of course, all of us, as I already said, fall short of that. You're never going to have a pastor who's just like Jesus, so don't expect your pastor to have those kinds of flawless qualities. But we should have pastors who know Jesus. They're turning to Jesus and they're not living in ways that disqualify them from the ministry because they're clinging to Jesus. And so I'm really glad that Beth asked this question about the qualifications because we need to have good pastors who are going to lead us day by day to Christ and point us to Him, not to themselves, but point us to Him. Because at the end of the day, more than anything, what each of us needs is the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for the sheep. When you contact us, please let us know how you've been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time as we explore the truth of God's Word together.