What the Bible teaches about sexuality, and why everyone is welcome

Every person is made in the image of God and loved by him (Genesis 1:27). Whatever your story, you are welcome to read and to ask questions here.

The Bible’s teaching on sexuality is old, clear and countercultural, and the church has not always spoken about it well. We want to set it out plainly and kindly.

What Scripture teaches

Scripture presents marriage as a lifelong union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6), and teaches that sexual intimacy belongs within it. For that reason the Bible treats same-sex sexual relations as outside God’s design (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Leviticus 18:22), alongside every other sexual sin, including sexual sin outside marriage by anyone and lust. This is not a message aimed at one group: the same chapters say that all of us fall short (Romans 3:23).

Good news for every sinner

Paul writes to the Corinthians, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Forgiveness, new life and a place in God’s family are offered to all who turn to Jesus. Following him costs every one of us something, and it asks for lifelong trust, not instant perfection.

The church’s calling

Churches are called to hold to Scripture and to welcome people warmly: speaking “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) and restoring those who struggle “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). Where Christians have been harsh, mocking or unkind, we repent and ask forgiveness.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV®. See our Scripture and copyright notes.

Further reading: John MacArthur’s sermon on this subject at Grace to You (offered as a resource; the wording above is our own).