How does Leviticus 18:22 connect with New Testament teachings on sexual morality? Setting the Old Testament Foundation Leviticus 18:22: “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.” • Placed in a chapter that repeatedly says, “I am the LORD,” underscoring God’s authority. • Surrounded by prohibitions of incest, adultery, and bestiality—sexual sins viewed as universally sinful, not merely ceremonial. • The term “abomination” (Hebrew toʿevah) in this moral context signals an enduring ethical standard. Moral Law Carried into the New Covenant • The civil and ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law met their fulfillment in Christ (Colossians 2:14). • Yet its moral core is reaffirmed for believers (Romans 13:8-10). • Leviticus 18:22 sits within that moral core, and the New Testament echoes its substance rather than setting it aside. Direct NT References to Same-Sex Behavior “Even their women exchanged natural relations for what is unnatural. In the same way the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another.” “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral… nor men who have sex with men… will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed…” “The law is… for the sexually immoral, for men who practice homosexuality…” • These passages use Greek terms (arsenokoitai, malakoi) drawn from the Leviticus wording (“male” + “bed”), showing deliberate connection. • Each text treats homosexual practice alongside other sins such as adultery and idolatry, presenting a consistent moral landscape. Jesus on Sexual Ethics “‘Haven’t you read,’ He replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female… For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife…’” • By rooting sexual ethics in Genesis 1-2, Jesus affirms the male-female design that Leviticus protects. • He intensifies, rather than relaxes, moral standards (Matthew 5:27-28). Holiness, Identity, and the Gospel • Holiness remains the believer’s calling: “It is God’s will that you should be holy: you must abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). • Grace is equally central: “Such were some of you… but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 6:11). • Scripture offers hope of transformation without redefining sin. Walking in Obedience Today • Guard the heart: Ephesians 5:3—“But among you, as is proper for saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.” • Honor marriage: Hebrews 13:4—“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” • Pursue purity together: Galatians 6:1 calls believers to restore one another gently, upholding truth and extending mercy. |
    |