This post again takes up a thread we started in HOMOSEXUALS IN OUR MILITARY: THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.

What Is Sin?

To some extent the definition of sin depends upon who we ask.

• The Catholic Encyclopedia provides a detailed explanation philosophical in Sin. This explanation starts with an important point.
  

  Since sin is a moral evil, it is necessary in the first place to determine what is meant by evil, and in particular by moral evil.

• Dictionaries (see here, here, here, and here), oddly enough, seem curiously reluctant to mention the connection between sin and evil. Where they do they reference Bible dictionaries.
• Since the dictionaries referenced Bible dictionaries, that indicates that Bible dictionary probably provides the most appropriate definition. Here is a link to the definition of “sin” from the Easton 1897 Bible Dictionary. How does the definition begin?

Sin
is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is “not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment, and calls down the righteous wrath of God. Hence sin carries with it two inalienable characters, (1) ill-desert, guilt (reatus); and (2) pollution (macula).”, Hodge’s Outlines.

The moral character of a man’s actions is determined by the moral state of his heart. The disposition to sin, or the habit of the soul that leads to the sinful act, is itself also sin (Rom. 6:12-17; Gal. 5:17; James 1:14, 15)

Sinning is something we all do. However, just because we all sin that does not excuse sin or make sinning something we should do.

What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality?

The Bible unambiguously condemn homosexuality as a sin. These websites list and comment upon the relevant passages.

• What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Is homosexuality a sin?
• Is Homosexuality A Sin
• What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

These passages condemn both sexual relations between individuals of the same sex. The Bible only approves a sexual relationship between a married couple consisting of a man and woman. Here is a list of the relevant passages.

• Genesis 19:1-13 tells of Sodom and Gomorrah.
• Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus  20:13 offer straightforward statements explicitly condemning homosexuality.
• Romans 1:24-27 explains that when we refuse to acknowledge and worship God we will commit unnatural and evil acts.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 tells us that homosexuality is just one of many evil acts that men can and commit. This passage also reminds us we can repent.

Why Is Homosexuality a Sin?

The mere fact that the Bible says something is wrong is not enough to convince some people that that something is wrong. That is why many point to the health issues. And that is why we began this series by discussing the health issues, showing that homosexuality involves self-destructive behavior.

Part 6 of The Catholic Education Resource Center (CERC) six-part article, Homosexuality: The Untold Story, describes the criteria for authentic love.

Because humans have a soul, their union should far surpass the mere sense level of animals, and should involve the spirit as well as the body. In other words, it should be love that unites them, not just a physical urge. And this love that unites man and woman is meant to mirror God’s love, which has certain characteristics: it is free, total, faithful and fruitful.

Homosexual unions cannot be fruitful. Because it is unnatural, homosexuality can only be form of fornication. When people have sex just amuse themselves, their amusement generally turns upon them. The Apostle Paul explained.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (New Living Translation)

Avoiding Sexual Sin

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Think about it: “The two are united into one.” Is that not what literally happens? When we have sexual relations, we share our body with another person. If we choose to engage in sex frivolously, then we profane that gift. We make our own body cheap and worthless.

–Tom Salmon