The Biblical View of Sexuality

Genesis 1-2 sets forth God’s design for human sexuality, and this profound portrayal at the beginning of Scripture is foundational for the treatment of the topic elsewhere in the Bible. Many biblical passages deal with sexuality, and a whole book of the Old Testament—the Song of Solomon—extols the beauty of married sexual love. This article focuses on the divine design for sexuality established in Eden, with implications for LGBTQ+ issues. The biblical understanding of sexuality may be organized under 10 major headings.¹

1 Creation Order of Male and Female

In lofty grandeur Genesis 1:27 portrays the creation of humankind: “So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (CJB).² Sexual differentiation is created by God, and not part of the divine order itself. In contrast to the pagan creation accounts in the ancient Near East, in which humans are created by the sexual union of male and female deities, the Genesis account radically separates sexuality and divinity.

Furthermore, humans are created “male [zakar] and female [neqebah].” According to Scripture there are only two genders, and biology, not social constructs (as claimed in transgender theory), determines these genders. The etymology of the Hebrew terms for male and female alludes to the biological male and female sex organs respectively, and Genesis 1:28 specifically relates these terms to their roles in reproduction: “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth.” When God created humans in His own image, male and female together were blessed to be able to procreate—to be cocreators with God. Throughout Scripture the binary pairing of male and female, man and woman, remains constant without exception.

2 Heterosexual Marital Form

The first marriage—that of Adam and Eve—was between a “man” and a “woman” (Gen. 2:22, 23). Genesis 2:24 states: “Therefore a manshall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” By using the word “therefore,” referring back to what precedes, the verse indicates that the marriage of Adam and Eve provides the divine model for all succeeding marriages. According to the divine pattern established with the first couple in the Garden (Gen. 2:18-24), the sexual relationship is to be between “a husband and his wife”—literally, “a man . . . and . . . his wife” (verse 24). This terminology identifies a heterosexual marriage relationship between a man and woman as the Edenic model, and this pattern remains the norm throughout Scripture.

Scripture does not condemn those with same-sex attraction who by God’s grace do not harbor or act upon their same-sex lustful thoughts (Rom. 8:1, 4; James 1:14, 15). However, both Old and New Testament passages consistently, without exception, implicitly or explicitly condemn same-sex sexual relations (Gen. 19:4, 5; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Deut. 23:17, 18; Judges 19:22; Eze. 16:48-50; 18:10-13; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; 1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Peter 2:6-10; Jude 7, 8). Porneia (“sexual immorality”), condemned by Jesus (Matt. 5:32; 19:9; Mark 7:21-23), includes homosexual practice, as evidenced by the Jerusalem Council’s decision in Acts 15:29, which cites the same four prohibitions in the same order as Leviticus 17-18 and uses the term porneia to encompass all illicit sexual intercourse mentioned in Leviticus 18, including same-sex sexual relations.

3 Monogamy

In Genesis 2:24 the pairing of the noun “man/husband” (Heb. ’ish) with the noun “woman/wife” (Heb. ’ishah), both in the singular and not plural, clearly implies that the marital relationship is to be not only heterosexual but monogamous. Jesus affirms this: “The two shall become one flesh” (Matt. 19:5). Although biblical characters at times sinfully deviated from this divine mandate, such practices were never cited approvingly by Bible writers and were tacitly condemned by depicting the disastrous results of polygamous relationships.

4 Equality and Mutuality

In Genesis 1:27 both the male and the female are given dominion over other living creatures, not over each other (Gen. 1:26, 28); both are to share alike in the blessing and responsibility of procreation (Gen. 1:29, 30). In short, both participate equally in the image of God.

Genesis 2 reinforces the position of Genesis 1. In Genesis 2 woman is created from a rib taken out of Adam’s side to show that she is to stand by his side as an equal. She is man’s “helper comparable to him” (Heb. ‘ezer kenegdo [Gen. 2:18]), a phrase that in the original language does not indicate a subordinate helper or assistant, but an “equal, mutual partner.” Genesis 2:24 summarizes the ideal of equality and mutual submission of husband and wife to each other (without denying the validity of Gen. 3:16 as a remedial provision of the husband’s servant leadership when necessary for couples in their fallen condition to preserve unity and harmony in the home).

Scripture provides very few gender-specific commands, such as a woman presenting oneself as a woman and not as a man, and vice versa (Deut. 22:5; 1 Cor. 11:2-16). Most gender stereotypes come from current culture, not the Bible. In fact, biblical men and women often defied contemporary gender stereotypes. See, for example, the amazing description of the model “woman of strength” described in Proverbs 31:10-31, and Jesus’ countercultural views of masculinity and femininity. Today those experiencing gender dysphoria may find freedom in the realization that one can be a woman (or man) without being stereotypically woman (or man).

5 Wholeness

Genesis 2 presents a wholistic view of the marriage relationship: the husband and wife need each other to be “whole.” The Genesis 2 creation account opens with the creation of the man, but he is incomplete, alone, and this is “not good” (verse 18). He needs a partner. Adam in effect exclaims at his first sight of Eve, “At last, I’m whole! Here’s the complement of myself!” (see Gen. 2:23).

Genesis 2:7 presents a wholistic view of the human being: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being [nephesh].” The Hebrew nephesh, commonly translated “soul,” never in Scripture refers to an immortal soul existing as separate from the body. According to Genesis 2:7 a human being does not have a soul, but is a soul! There is a psychosomatic unity in human beings (“souls”) as God created them. This passage rejects any dualism between body and soul. The Bible nowhere distinguishes between an “inner self” (or soul), which may have a different gender identity than the person’s biological sex, as is usually assumed in transgender theory. Gender dysphoria, a disorder ultimately arising as a consequence of the Fall, is not sin in itself, but it may lead to sinful choices if transgender people do not commit to ordering their lives according to the biblical teachings on sexuality and marriage. 

6 Exclusiveness

According to Genesis 2:24, man is to leave father and mother. At the time Genesis was written, it was assumed that the woman would leave her parents’ house when she married, but Moses announces that in God’s plan the man also must leave! Both are to leave. The “leaving” of Genesis 2:24 indicates the necessity of exclusiveness: freedom from outside interferences that would encroach upon the independence of the marriage relationship. Note that the biblical passages forbidding same-sex sexual intercourse do not make exceptions for homosexual sexual relationships that are exclusively between two committed partners: all same-sex sexual relations are outside of the creation order and condemned by God.

7 Permanence

Genesis 2:24 also states that man is to cleave (be joined) to his wife. The original imagery of the Hebrew word dabaq is that of permanence in bonding: “clinging, sticking, as skin to flesh and flesh to bone.” In the Old Testament it is often used as a technical covenant term for the permanent bond of Israel to the Lord (see, e.g., Deut. 10:20; 11:22; 13:4). In Genesis 2:24 this term indicates the mutual commitment of the couple expressed in a formal marriage covenant, paralleling what may be described as the “marriage vows” expressed by Adam to Eve (verse 23), and it also emphasizes inward attitudinal dimensions of devotion and unshakable faithfulness between the marriage partners.

Permanence and mutual faithfulness in same-sex marriages, however, do not legitimize such relationships. The same Bible that enjoins faithfulness in marriage also forbids same-sex sexual relations and same-sex marriage.

8 Intimacy

According to Genesis 2:24, after the husband and wife are legally joined together in holy matrimony, they are to become “one flesh.” This phrase refers particularly to the act of intimacy in sexual intercourse (see 1 Cor. 6:16). The “one-flesh” union comes after the “cleaving” and thus according to the divine design occurs within the context of the marriage covenant relationship, not as premarital sex. The Bible describes at least 12 kinds of intimacy between human beings: physical (sexual), work, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, crisis, conflict, aesthetic, commitment, creative, recreational, and communication. Many of these may be legitimately experienced between two persons of the same sex in a relationship of deep friendship and fellowship (such as David and Jonathan, and Ruth and Naomi), but sexual intimacy (intercourse) is reserved by God for the relationship of a man and woman within the context of marriage. 

9 Procreation

Procreation is part of the divine design for human sexuality, as a special added blessing to be taken seriously and acted upon freely and responsibly in the power that attends God’s blessing (Gen. 1:26). A same-sex sexual relationship subverts the original blessing of being procreators with God in whose image humans are made.

At the same time, sexuality cannot be wholly subordinated to the intent to propagate children. The priority of the unitive over the procreative purpose of sexuality is highlighted in Genesis 2:24 by the complete absence of any reference to the propagation of children. This omission is not to deny the importance of procreation (as becomes apparent in later chapters of Scripture). But by the “full stop” after the “one flesh” in verse 24, sexuality is given independent meaning and value.

10 The Wholesome Beauty and Joy of Sexuality

According to Genesis 1:31, “God saw everything that He had made”—including human sexuality—“and indeed it was very good.” The Hebrew expression tov me’od (“very good”) connotes the quintessence of goodness, wholesomeness, appropriateness, and beauty. In the beginning God declares that sex is good, very good. It is part of God’s perfect design from the beginning and willed as a fundamental aspect of human existence.

After the formation of woman, the Lord God “brought her to the man” (Gen. 2:22). The Creator Himself officiated at the first wedding! Sexuality within heterosexual monogamous marriage is wholesome, yes, holy, because it is inaugurated by God Himself and hallowed (like the Sabbath [Gen. 2:3]) by His presence.

A final word on God’s Edenic ideal for sexuality in the Genesis creation accounts comes in 2:25: “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed”—or more precisely, according to Hebrew grammar: “they were not ashamed before one another.” The sexual relationship is designed by God as an experience of love, pleasure, celebration, and bonding between husband and wife, a blessing to be enjoyed without fear, inhibitions, shame, or embarrassment. God’s Edenic design for sexuality is indeed beautiful, joyous, and awesome!

God’s Grace

For those who have fallen short of His plan, committing sexual sins—whether heterosexual or homosexual—God has not forsaken us. All of us are sinners, in need of the grace of God (Rom. 3:23). And all sins, even those most strongly condemned by God, can be forgiven by Him (1 John 1:9)! He has promised to spiritually “revirginize” us as He did for repentant Israel (Hosea 2:14-23; cf. Rev. 14:4). The church is a hospital for sinners. We need to provide a “safe,” encouraging, empathizing spiritual family for those who have chosen to follow God’s will (Mark 10:29, 30). We need to assist those involved in same-sex and transsexual sexual activity to move from brokenness into chastity and healing by the power of God (1 Cor. 9:11). We need to “love the sinner and hate our sin” of hypocrisy and insensitivity. God has promised to send His gift of love—the “flame of Yahweh” (S. of Sol. 8:6, New Jerusalem)³—to ignite our hearts and homes and churches, leading us “back to Eden” in our experience of sexuality, ablaze with His holy flame!

¹ For further biblically based discussion of the issues dealt with in this article, see especially Richard M. Davidson, Flame of Yahweh: Sexuality in the Old Testament (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson; 2007); and Ekkehardt Mueller and Elias Brasil de Souza, eds., Sexuality: Contemporary Issues From a Biblical Perspective, Biblical Research Institute Studies in Biblical Ethics (Silver Spring, Md.: Biblical Research Institute and Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 2022), vol. 2.

² Bible texts credited to CJB are from the Complete Jewish Bible. Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

³ Texts credited to New Jerusalem are from The New Jerusalem Bible, copyright © 1985 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd., and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Used by permission.