We have much more to say about this in our blog post, "Homosexuality and the Bible".
Table of Contents:
Leviticus 18:22 - Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
Leviticus 20:13 - If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.
Also, see Leviticus 20:10-16.
Romans 1:26-27 - Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1 Corinthians 6:9 - Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolators nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men.
Also, see 1 Thessalonians 4:2-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Corinthians 12:21; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; Mark 7:21-23.
Love does NOT mean affirming homosexual behavior, or any OTHER behavior the Bible calls sin.
There are many other instances where we don't allow certain behaviors, even though love is involved, including consensual sex with one's parent (even though they might love each other), sex with one's sibling, a child, an animal, etc.
If it's just ALL about love, should we permit these behaviors as well?
Furthermore, St. Paul condemned the man sleeping with his father's wife in 1 Corinthians 5:1, regardless of whether it was love or not.
Some people struggle with alcoholism. Other young men struggle with looking at other women while married or adultery. And there are married men who struggle with pornography.
Some people have anger issues, and they often want to punch other people in the face for the things they say, but have to give that to God.
Just because there is a sin you struggle with doesn't mean you should act on that desire.
Some argue that Christians should keep their religious morality out of policy.
But ALL LAWS legislate morality - it's just the question of WHOSE morality we use to legislate those laws.
Churches and the Bible ALSO teach that murder, rape, and child abuse are wrong, but one does NOT say that laws prohibiting such acts are a violation of the “separation of church and state.”
First of all, Jesus (God the Son) has existed forever (according to the doctrine of the Trinity) so anything that GOD said in the Old Testament was in agreement with Jesus, or the eternal Son of God.
Also, no first-century Jew could have spoken of porneiai (sexual immoralitites) without having in mind the list of forbidden sexual offenses in Lev. 18 and 20, particularly incest, adultery, same-sex intercourse and bestiality.
The reason that Jesus did not speak explicitly against same-sex intercourse is obviously the same reason why He did not speak explicitly against incest and bestiality.
The position of the Hebrew Bible on such matters was so unequivocal and visceral, the stance of early Judaism so undivided, with the incidence of concrete violations so rare, that nothing more needed to be said.
Check out our Blog - "Homosexuality and the Bible - What God's Word Actually Says"
Check out these books under the "Homosexuality" tab on our Book List.