The content of this article is not aimed at delving into the religious beliefs of homosexuals or how they view themselves spiritually. Instead, it is about the spiritual meaning of homosexuality as it relates to the Bible.
Created Order
Biblically, homosexuality is a sin that is clearly condemned in Scripture (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rom. 1:26-28). But it seems to be more than “a mere sin.” The spiritual meaning of homosexuality goes much deeper. When we look at God and Adam and Eve, we see a manifestation of the will of God in making a man and a woman (Gen. 2:21-24), not a man and a man, nor a woman and a woman. We see the heterosexual pattern that God established in order to fulfill the creation mandate:
“And God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth,'” (Gen. 1:28).
It is not possible to carry out God’s command, fill the earth, and subdue it via homosexual unions. Therefore, homosexuality is a direct contradiction to the command of God.
Messiah
In addition, it was through procreation that the Messiah would come, who would deliver sinners from eternal damnation. Biblically speaking, Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary who in turn was born through the heterosexual relationship of a married couple, and so on. Such progeny could never have been produced via homosexuality. So, if homosexuality were rampant, it would have been a threat to the messianic line — with dire spiritual consequences for us all. Therefore, it could be said that homosexuality is an attack not only on the created order of God making man and woman in order to fill the earth and subdue it but also upon the Messiah as well. The spiritual meaning of homosexuality is war on Christ Himself!
Spiritual Consequences
Perhaps this is why in Romans 1 we see what appears to be a unique judgment upon the hearts and minds of homosexuals.
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error,” (Rom. 1:26-27).
These two verses are a condemnation of homosexual practice. But notice that within them there is a declaration that God gives people over to the depravity of their hearts and minds when they’re involved with homosexuality. I know of no other sin mentioned in Scripture where it says the sinners are given over to it. Thus, if the spiritual meaning of homosexuality is also the judgment of God on a people with a reprobate mind.
Furthermore, not only are they given over to their sins (a type of judgment), but the result of this is that then they want to promote their sin to others.
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them,” (Rom. 1:28-32).
This is exactly what we see in the homosexual agenda with its heavy-handed and persistent promotion in society, schools, movies, TV, internet, literature, and politics. As Christians, we need to be cognizant of the spiritual consequence and its effect on the material world. We need to pray for them and their deliverance from this great sin. Also, we Christians cannot remain isolated from the rising tide of homosexual social reconstruction. We need to take a stand against it so that we might promote the righteousness of God and inform sinners of the need to repent.
