Leviticus Chapter 18
It would seem that the laws and instructions for sexual morality set forth in this chapter would not be necessary, but humans are peculiar, and they push the boundaries between what is morally right and wrong. You will find that God spelled it out for us very clearly what is sexual perversion, or sin.
Some would say that God never said that homosexuality is a sin, yet He clearly declared it a sin in scripture and it unmistakable especially in this passage when He said in verse 22, “you shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Of course, reading the proceeding verses in the chapter allows one to see that God is speaking to a man, who should not lie with another man. We can of course also apply this to a woman too. A woman shall not lie with another woman.
People might also argue that this is Old Testament Law, and we do not live under the law anymore but under God’s grace. While that is true the New Testament writer’s wrote scriptures of admonishments for Christian living based on the Old Testament Law. Here is just one of many examples in the New Testament. This example can be found in the writings of Paul.
Ephesians 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
Let's Reflect
1. God is calling the people of Israel to be different than other cultures (referring to their sexual immorality). What two cultures did God specifically say they were not to be like?
2. Why were the Israelites instructed that they must keep the laws and statues of God?
3. In verses 6-18 God clearly spelled out for them that they were not to have sexual relations with close relatives. What phrase is used repeatedly in these verses that would be inclusive of all types of sexual perversions including incest, molestation, inappropriate fondling and modern pornography?
4. It is also difficult to believe that God would have found it necessary to write a law like verse 21. This law told them they were not to offer their own children as a live sacrifice burned to death, to worship an idol god. Yet we find people today offering their unborn babies up for death and calling it their right to choose. What was the name of this idol god that people sacrificed their babies to?
5. God wanted these laws set in their hearts before ever arriving into the promised land. What was true of the people that inhabited the land that would be their future home? See verse 27.
6. People who practiced these sexual abominations were to be cut off from the rest of the camp, or exiled. They were not to make themselves unclean by practicing the customs of others before them. This refers to the people first mentioned in this chapter. Who should they not imitate according to verses 3 and 30?
7. When a Christian practices sexual immorality or homosexuality they are sinning, and in reality, they are shaking their fist at God and saying the opposite of verse 30. They are saying, “I am my own god.” What did God say should be true in the life of every believer?
Devotionals
