Leviticus and LGB People

I'm back after a long and well needed break! I recently was handed a list of Bible verses which are supposed to condemn loving same-sex relationships. I thought I could take each in turn, starting with the one that is most often cited: Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. They say (NIV):

Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

Do these verses apply to us today? If so, what about other verses which say wearing clothes made of mixed fabric is wrong? (Leviticus 19:19)

The key to understanding Leviticus is this: "the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised" (Galatians 3:19). Leviticus ceased to be applicable with Jesus. Why? Again, the Bible tells us, "no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life". This way of faith is very different to the way of law which says, "It is through obeying the law that a person has life"." (Galatians 3:11-12).

And here is Paul's bombshell: in Galatians 3:12 he quotes Leviticus 18:5 to show that Leviticus is part of the way of the law - not the way of faith in Jesus. In fact Paul goes on to say that if you think you have to keep one law, you have to keep them all! (Galatians 5:3). He says, "if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace" (Galatians 5:4).

So, when someone cites Leviticus to me, I remind them that Christians do not live under the Law of Moses. We live under grace, and we do not have to keep these laws.

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