Yes. Every time the Bible talks about sex between two men or two women, it calls it sin. That's true whether someone is attracted only to the same sex or to both. But hang with me, because being tempted isn't a sin, and God's standard for sex is the same for every one of us.
Who gets to decide?
Over the years I've watched pastors get asked this question on national TV: "What does God think about homosexuality? Is it a sin?" It's usually a trap. If they say yes, the media pounces. If they say no, the Christian world pounces, and rightfully so. But there's a better question underneath it: What is right? What is wrong? And who gets to decide? If we don't agree on that, the specific question about homosexuality doesn't really matter.
Culture says society gets to decide, or your family, or you. But society changes its mind, families disagree, and none of us knows everything. As Christians, we can't look inward for answers, and we shouldn't take a poll from culture. Jesus gets to decide, and He's given us His Word. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives" (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT).
What the Bible says
There are six passages in the Bible that clearly talk about homosexuality, and in every case, it's described as sin:
Genesis 19 and Jude 7. Jude sums up the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah as "immorality and every kind of sexual perversion" (Jude 1:7 NLT).
Leviticus 18:22. "Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin" (NLT).
Leviticus 20:13. The same command, and both men are held guilty.
Romans 1:26–27. "Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other" (NLT).
1 Corinthians 6:9–10. Paul lists those who "practice homosexuality" alongside the sexually immoral, thieves, greedy people and drunkards, and says none of them "will inherit the Kingdom of God" (NLT).
1 Timothy 1:10. Paul reaffirms it, listing those who "practice homosexuality" with the sexually immoral and liars (NLT).
God's design for sex
God created sex as a gift to be used and enjoyed. But He designed it for a loving covenant called marriage, between one man and one woman for life. Any sex outside of those confines is a sin (Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5; Hebrews 13:4).
Think of it like a fire. A fire in a fire pit is wonderful. Put that same fire in your living room, and what was beautiful outside is now destructive inside your home. In marriage between one man and one woman for one lifetime, sex is wonderful. Outside of those boundaries, it has the power to burn down your whole life.
Notice that this standard isn't aimed at one group of people. It rules out porn, hooking up, sleeping together before marriage and cheating on your spouse just as clearly. Straight people don't get a pass.
What about bisexuality?
The Bible doesn't use the word, but it doesn't have to. Romans 1 names both men with men and women with women, and God's design is the same for every person: one man and one woman in marriage for life. So the answer for someone who's bisexual is the same answer as for everyone else:
The attraction itself is a temptation, not a sin. More on that below.
Sex with someone of the same sex is sin, for the reasons above.
Sex with someone of the opposite sex outside of marriage is sin too, the same as it is for anyone.
Marriage to someone of the opposite sex, kept faithful, is within God's design. You may still feel a pull toward someone else. So does every married person. Faithfulness doesn't mean you never feel it; it means you don't follow it.
You might be thinking, "I'm attracted to both genders. Do I just have to pick a side?" No. You're not picking a side, and you're not picking a label. You're picking Jesus, and letting Him decide what you do with your desires.
Is it a sin to be tempted?
Let me be clear: it is NOT a sin to be tempted. Struggling with same-sex attraction doesn't mean the temptation is a sin. I'm tempted to do things I know are wrong all the time, but the temptation to sin is not itself a sin. It's only when you act on those temptations or fantasize about them (that's called the sin of lust) that it becomes a sin. Jesus Himself "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15 ESV).
Common objections
"Why would God give me these desires if I'm not supposed to act on them?" All of us are born with sinful desires. If our natural desires were proof that God wants them for us, where does the line stop? What about the person whose natural desire is to lie, steal or sleep around? Just because you desire something doesn't mean God wants you to follow it. We all have natural desires we must deny to please God.
"Wasn't the word 'homosexuality' added to modern translations?" This is technically true but very misleading. Translations before 1946 don't use that word; they describe the act: a man lying with a man as he would with a woman. That phrase is obviously talking about homosexuality.
"Jesus never talked about it." Jesus also never talked about rape, porn or bestiality. Are you sure you want to use that argument? He condemned all sexual sin to a culture that knew God's standard, and He defined marriage as a man and a woman becoming "one flesh" (Matthew 19:4–6 ESV). What God condemns in Scripture, Jesus condemns, because He and the Father are one.
If this is you
If you've made it this far and this is you, I'm so proud of you. Our culture tells you that people who disagree with homosexuality are hate-filled bigots. That couldn't be further from my heart. You are loved by God. You are called by God. And God has a plan for your life.
Right after his list in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul says, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV). Your attractions are part of your story, but they aren't the most important thing about you. For what it looks like to follow Jesus with this struggle, read Can I Be a Gay Christian? And if you're wrestling with this, you're safe to talk to us.
A word to Christians
People won't repent of a sin they don't believe is a sin, so loving people doesn't mean turning a blind eye. But Scripture says it's God's kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Our love and grace build a bridge for truth to walk over. So be kind. Be gracious. And speak the truth.
Scripture: Genesis 19; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Matthew 19:4–6; Romans 1:26–27; 2:4; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5; 1 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:15; 13:4; Jude 7