Amid the ten vices Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 6 are two terms that have given rise to significant debate, especially over the past 50 years: effeminate and homosexuals.

We should look at these terms because many believe Christians should make allowances for homosexuality. Because churches have often couched arguments in complications and apologies, a lot of believers struggle to address these issues biblically or respond to fine-sounding arguments seeking to justify homosexuality in part or in whole.

Scripture, however, speaks clearly on this issue. Christians should be reminded that there’s nothing we can do to make a culturally unacceptable truth acceptable to our world. The most faithful approach is to state what the Bible says about this subject with compassion, clarity, conviction, and courage.

Let’s start by first seeking to understand key biblical passages about homosexuality.

The opening chapters of Scripture contain everything foundational to understanding God’s design for human sexuality (Genesis 1-2). God created two genders, so anyone who thinks he or she is something other than male or female has delusionally rejected the Lord’s design. God assigns gender, so anyone who thinks he can become she (or vice versa) is rebelliously defying his Creator. And God designed marriage to be a lifelong covenant relationship between one man and one woman. Any form of sexual behavior outside of this God-ordained institution of marriage is rebellion against the created order and the Creator Himself.

Once we come to the fallen and divinely cursed world, we see God’s standard for human sexuality remains the same, even if people now live in rebellion against His commands. When humanity rebelled against God’s design for sexuality in Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord destroyed them with fire, which was a foreshadowing of the judgment to come when Christ returns (Jude 7). Homosexuality, make no mistake, is outside of God’s design for men and women; and Genesis and Jude make clear that homosexuality brings divine judgment.

In Leviticus, God gives Israel the holiness code to teach the people how to live before Him in the Promised Land (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). There are two passages on homosexuality in this code. The first is that it is an abomination before the Lord for a male to have relations with another male (Leviticus 18:22). God, then, reiterates this prohibition of homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13). None of this would have been surprising to anyone familiar with the creation account or the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Another passage in Deuteronomy speaks to God’s design for human sexuality and common perversions of that design in our culture (Deuteronomy 22:5). God forbids men from dressing like women (and vice versa), which is a command against what now is commonly described as transgenderism. It’s also a clear prohibition of homosexual conduct. Once again, God is reinforcing His standards for Israel, which He established at creation for those made in His image.

God makes these commands clear in the New Testament, too. Paul speaks of how the Lord reveals His wrath against all ungodliness of men through their idolatry (Romans 1:26-27). In response to man’s idolatry, God gives him over to a depraved mind to do improper things. Homosexuality, then, not only leads to divine judgment on the last day but is a manifestation of God’s judgment in the present time. And sinners not only practice these things but give hearty approval to those who do.

We see again that God’s standard has not changed with the times. Homosexuality was sinful from the garden to the time of Abraham and Moses, and all the way to Paul.

This leads us to our current text in 1 Corinthians 6:9, where we have two terms that refer to homosexual behavior. The first word, effeminate, refers to the man taking the woman’s role in sexual relations. The second word, homosexuals, speaks to the person taking the male role. Paul says that both homosexual men are outside the kingdom of God.

The final major New Testament passage on homosexuality in 1 Timothy 1:10 is where Paul refers to the seventh commandment against adultery, addressing immoral men and homosexuals, indicating that this command covers all sexual sin. Those who practice homosexuality are lawless, rebellious, ungodly, sinful, unholy, and profane. These things characterize unbelievers.

Scripture, then, makes a compelling case that all forms of homosexuality are rebellion against God.

Next, we should know how to overcome objections to biblical teachings against homosexuality.

The first is that Jesus never condemned homosexuality. It is true that Jesus never said the word homosexual in the gospel records. However, Christ’s sexual ethic expressed the norms established in the Old Testament. We should base our understanding of Jesus’ teaching about human sexuality not on modern ideas but on the ethics derived from the Old Testament.

The second is that the Law is outdated. If someone means the law is outdated in terms of sophistication or its value as revelation, we recognize that such an argument is refuted by the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture; thus, those who think that do not understand the nature of divine revelation.

A third objection is that the Bible only condemns heterosexuals practicing homosexuality, not homosexual desires themselves. Scripture, though, speaks of immoral sexual desires, such as homosexuality, and the actions that spring from those desires as sinful, showing that homosexuality as an orientation, preference, desire, or passion is contrary to God’s will.

The fourth is that the Bible only condemns certain types of homosexuality. Scripture, as we have seen, condemns all types of homosexual activity and desires.

The fifth is that we should be guided by love. Because homosexuality is a sin, Christians must speak up to call homosexuals to repentance. The motive for doing so ought to be love for the sinner and to bring glory to our Savior. Love cannot rejoice in unrighteousness or sanction it.

The sixth is that we have better insight today. Since the Spirit of God is the Author of Scripture, we know nothing the Spirit didn’t already know when He inspired these writings. Man today does not have better insight the Spirit who inspired God’s written Word.

Finally, if we want to approach this subject with biblical fidelity, we must know how to offer hope in Christ.

All homosexual inclinations, desires, and acts are sinful. However, all men, women, and children have sinful desires – even if those might not be the same. We were born sinners, and we must fight all our sinful desires regardless of the reason for those. People tempted with homosexuality must go to war with those desires, recognizing they are contrary to God’s will.

All homosexuals need the gospel of Jesus Christ. Homosexuals are not a special class of sinners who need a special gospel; they are normal sinners who need the same gospel everyone else needs. All sinners require total transformation through the power of the gospel. Homosexuals must realize that they have innumerable sins deserving eternal wrath, but that God has sent His Son to die for sinners who repent of their sins and place their trust in Christ. The gospel is filled with grace for every sinner.

What’s more is that our God offers forgiveness in the gospel. It’s beyond human comprehension that where our sin abounded, the Lord’s grace abounded even more. No matter our past sins, history, how dirty or defiled we think we are, where we’ve been, or what we’ve done – the gospel has enough grace for every kind of sinner. God will forgive us, welcome us, and count us perfectly righteous in His Son.

That’s why we must proclaim that God offers deliverance in the gospel. There are no Christian homosexuals because all believers have been transformed and no longer are what they were. Every homosexual saved by Christ can say, “I used to be a homosexual, but I am one no longer. I’ve been washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ.” Though some may still battle those desires, those desires don’t define them as believers – Christ does. We are not yet what we will be, but we are no longer what we were. Our identity is found in Christ.