
Does Homosexuality Go Against God's Plan?
Rev. Turner:Accepting my homosexuality and reconciling it with my new found faith is a difficult task. "Whosoever" has been a great help, but there is one area that I feel hasn't been covered. (I could be wrong as I haven't read the whole site yet.) I was hoping that you might be able to shed some light on this matter for me.
The issue is one that has been bothering me for awhile. Does homosexuality go against God's plan for humanity? When God created man and woman, did he have purely heterosexual relationships in mind?
My personal answer would be no, but I haven't really got any backing for this. I feel I need some reassurance that being homosexual does not go against God's plan for humanity. This would be especially helpful to me when I talk to other people about being a gay Christian.
Any help you could offer would be sincerely appreciated. Thank you.
John
Dear John,
The answer to your question has more to do with how you view the creation of
the world. If you take the creation story literally there are all kinds
of problems which come up besides that of "homosexuality", incest for
one. However if you understand Adam in the plural and Eve the same way then
the entire spectrum of sexual orientation would be included as part of the
creation. Personally I think since it has been fairly consistent throughout
history that about 5% to 10% of the population is gay, lesbian or bi that in
one sense it is part of the natural order for birth control -- a way for the
human race not to over populate itself.
As to figuring out what God's plan for humanity is I have come to use these
four scriptures as a basis for everything I do as a Christian. I use them as a
guide since they seem to be the most consistent with how the message of
Jesus plays out:
We are to act out justice...be forgiving and humble in the eyes of God.
Jesus spent his entire ministry "doing justice" and giving examples of being
"merciful."
This gives us the foundation in which we know how to do justice. This
makes clear who we are affecting with our behavior towards God's creation.
This chapter of the Gospel of Luke gives us a pretty clear picture of what
Jesus was telling us that God and heaven is like. I think verse 20 is
probably the most important of the whole reading, especially since Jesus is
giving us the example of the Father as God. This is especially helpful with
acts of mercy. Isn't it just so cool that God will come "running" to you?
Finally, James 3:17:
This passage helps make clear to us if something is of God or not. It
really helps us to discern whether the message coming from others is of God or
not. If it does not meet this standard then it is probably flawed in
some way and it would be wise to avoid it.
As you can see from this four point way of life one's sexual
orientation, what gender you are attracted to for sexual expression, doesn't
come into play. In fact if more heterosexuals paid attention to these four
foundational pieces, there would be fewer divorces and certainly fewer
"gay-bashings." I hope this gives you a good start on your Christian
journey that happens to include the fact you are gay.
God Bless,
Micah 6:8:
"God has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is
desired from you by the Lord; only doing justice, and acting mercifully, and
walking without pride before your God."Matthew 25:31-40:
31 "But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the
angels with him, then will he be seated in his glory:
32 And before him all
the nations will come together; and they will be parted one from another, as
the sheep are parted from the goats by the keeper.
33 And he will put the
sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34 Then will the King say to
those on his right, Come, you who have the blessing of my Father, into the
kingdom made ready for you before the world was:
35 For I was in need of food, and you gave it to me: I was in need of
drink, and you gave it to me: I was wandering, and you took me in;
36 I had no clothing, and you gave it to me: when I was ill, or in prison,
you came to me.
37 Then will the upright make answer to him, saying, Lord, when did we see
you in need of food, and give it to you? or in need of drink, and give it to
you?
38 And when did we see you wandering, and take you in? or without clothing,
and give it to you?
39 And when did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?
40 And the King will make answer and say to them, Truly I say to you,
Because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."Luke 15:
"Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval
to sinners, and takes food with them.
3 And he made a story for them, saying,
4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and
goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves,
and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?
5 And when he has got it again, he takes it in his arms with joy.
6 And when he gets back to his house, he sends for his neighbors and
friends, saying to them, Be glad with me, for I have got back my sheep which
had gone away.
7 I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one
sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men,
who have no need of a change of heart.
8 Or what woman, having ten bits of silver, if one bit has gone from her
hands, will not get a light, and go through her house, searching with care
till she sees it?
9 And when she has it again, she gets her friends and neighbors together,
saying, Be glad with me, for I have got back the bit of silver which had
gone from me.
10 Even so, I say to you, There is joy among the angels of God, when one
sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing.
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of
your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between
them.
13 And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was
his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went
in foolish living.
14 And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that
country, and he was in need.
15 And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that
country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food.
16 And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs'
food, and no one gave him anything.
17 But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's
servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through
need of food!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have
done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
19 I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of
your servants.
20 And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away,
his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took
him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
21 And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and
in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and
put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet:
23 And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast,
and be glad.
24 For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from
me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
25 Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the
sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.
26 And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might
be.
27 And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the
young ox put to death because he has come back safely.
28 But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a
request to him to come in.
29 But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have
been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me
even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends:
30 But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad
women, you put to death the fat young ox for him.
31 And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is
yours.
32 But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother,
who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.""But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy,
then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and
good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is."
If you are seeking guidance and pastoral care on your journey to fullness as a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person, please contact Pastor Paul directly at pastorpaul@whosoever.org.