Since the great flood, the rainbow has been remembered as the symbol of God’s promise. Unfortunately, that is not what crosses the minds of most Canadians when they see a rainbow nowadays. In Canada, the rainbow is rather known to the public as the symbol of so-called “gender diversity,” or, in other words, the LGBTQ community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer). Because of this, the rainbow is rarely introduced in sermons, public speeches, or articles in the Canadian church. The rainbow has become “taboo” within the church.

However, God said, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:15. The rainbow is sacred from its origin, and we should not stop calling it sacred because of the common image created by Satan. In tis article, we are going to see what the Bible’s perspective is on LGBTQ and the reasons why. Also, whether it is true that the Bible teaches Christians are to show hatred toward the LGBTQ community, and finally, what is the true meaning of the rainbow.

LGBTQ in the Bible

In the Bible, any sexual relationship besides heterosexual and monogamous marriage is declared to be a sin. For a sexual relationship before marriage, it is called fornication.  On the other hand, a sexual relationship after marriage with someone you are not married to is called adultery. For LGBTQ, it is called an abomination.

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Leviticus 18:22; 20:13

The Bible says this sin of abomination was one of the sins that led Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction. “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” Ezekiel 16:49–50; Jude 7–8

The Bible’s perspectives on LGBTQ practices continue as the same in the New Testament. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” Romans 1:26–27; 1 Timothy 1:8–11

These verses clearly condemn LGBTQ as a sin. However, it is important to ask, “why”? In every commandment of His law, we find God’s unmeasurable wisdom and love. The matter of LGBTQ is the same. We can see God’s love for us in the reason why He forbade us from it.

Restoring the Holiness of Sex

To understand the reason why LGBTQ practices are condemned, we first need to talk about another “taboo” topic. Another subject that “God hath cleansed,” and humans started calling it common due to Satan’s plot, is sex.

God created sex under divine purpose and reason. Firstly, God planned sex to be a tool for us to learn the deep and intimate love between man and woman. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.” Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:24–25

In the original language, the Bible uses two different words to describe sex within marriage and sex outside of marriage. Sex within marriage is called “yada,” which means knowing or understanding (Genesis 4:1, 25; 19:8; 24:16, 67). We can find the same thing in the New Testament also (Matthew 1:24–25; Luke 1:34). Meanwhile, sex outside of marriage is called “shakab” which means lying down with or sleeping with (Genesis 19:33; 30:15; 34:2; Leviticus 18:20; 20:11–13; Deuteronomy 22:22–25; 2 Samuel 11:4; Job 31:9–10).

What does this mean for us? Here, we can see that sex is not given merely for the pleasure of the flesh. Also, conception is not the only purpose of sex either. The first purpose of sex is to connect the couple and make them know each other from flesh to flesh and heart to heart.

Secondly, sex was to be a tool for us to participate in His work of creation. Through sex, humans were to learn that life comes from acts of love. And this correlation between life and love is the central principle of God’s kingdom. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” “For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Genesis 1:28; Psalm 139:13–16

Therefore, sex is sacred, just as marriage is sacred. Interestingly, the word “sex” and the word “holy” are pronounced the same in the Japanese language. The same thing can be found in the Korean language also. Sex means something way beyond the mere pleasure of the flesh. It is a unification between a married couple and participation in His creation. It is created as the divine school to learn about His kingdom. In this sense, sex is a form of worship.

When we keep all these in mind, this explains why intercourse must happen only within heterosexual and monogamous marriages. Sex is sacred because it teaches deep love to couples by physically making them one. Also, it is a participation in His creation. With LGBTQ, both are impossible. Through LGBTQ, couples can neither be one nor participate in creation. In this sense, LGBTQ cannot learn the lessons about love and life.

When marriage and the Sabbath were brought from Eden as two institutions, sex was part of it, having a significant role in marriage and family building. Let us think about the Sabbath: it has to be kept from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. If anyone tries to keep the Lord’s Day outside of this timeline, it is no longer a sacred day. Rather it is an abomination against His law. It is the same for sex. Sex is holy and meant to be within the married couple. Just as we cannot receive the blessings of the Sabbath if we keep Sunday, we cannot receive the blessings God gives through sex if it is done outside of marriage.

Youth in Danger

In this way, we can understand the reason for God’s structure on sex and marriage. This is exactly why Satan has been trying so hard to make sex a “taboo” topic within the church. He has made many people slaves of their own flesh. He has used his captives to illustrate sex as something shameful, something to hide.

I believe this caused Christians to avoid proper sex education. As no one explains to youth why sex is sacred and why it has to be done within the marriage, they lack reasoning and understanding of its significance. The silence of the church on this matter gives Satan an opportunity to interfere, teaching them wrong ideas from an early age. Canadian public education teaches children and youth that there is nothing wrong with sex before marriage as long as they know how to avoid sexually transmitted infections. They teach them that not accepting LGBTQ is an old-fashioned and uneducated way of thinking. They openly tell our children that masturbation is completely normal and there is nothing wrong with it.

If the church does not teach our children, the world will. Indeed, in many churches that regard the topic of sex as a taboo, our enemy succeeds in making youth fall into sin.

Restoring the sacredness of sex does not mean talking openly about an individual’s intimacy. That would be another way to despise God’s institution. What it truly means is to be able to perceive sex as how it was created to be, and to teach it to our new generation. If we regard this topic as a “taboo,” we are pleasing Satan. Just as we reform health and the Sabbath back to God’s original plan, let us reform sex also. Let us raise our youth to grow into the right perspective, strengthening with reason and understanding.

The Sin of Hatred toward LGBTQ

So far, we have understood that LGBTQ practices are sin and the reason behind it. However, we should remember that it does not justify hatred toward LGBTQ, as many so-called Christians have done for many centuries. We should remember that our sins are not any better.

Shortly after the clear statement that LGBTQ lifestyle is sin in Romans 1:26–27, Paul states as follows: “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Romans 2:1

Even if we are not LGBTQ ourselves, still we are sinners. And if we judge them and hate them, we are adding the sin of condemnation on top of what we already have, making ourselves even worse sinners than LGBTQ.

Let us think about the woman who was caught in adultery. People brought her to Jesus and asked, “Should we stone her?” Jesus did not answer. However, He started writing down the secret sins of those ready to stone her. They saw their secrets being revealed, they felt shame and unworthiness, and one by one they left. When there was no one there but Jesus and the woman, He told her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:1–11).

Calling sin a sin is one thing. But, our attitude toward sinners is another matter. LGBTQ is a sin, but are our sins any better than theirs? Jesus said only the one who has no sin could throw a stone. Can we? If we mistreat them, will not our sin be more significant than theirs? If we talk badly about them behind their back, will not God condemn us for hurting the souls that Jesus died for? Remember that we are the chief of sinners. Let us not fall into hypocrisy.

“Call sin by its right name. Declare what God has said in regard to lying, Sabbath breaking, stealing, idolatry, and every other evil. ‘They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.’ Galatians 5:21. If they persist in sin, the judgment you have declared from God’s word is pronounced upon them in heaven. In choosing to sin, they disown Christ; the church must show that she does not sanction their deeds, or she herself dishonors her Lord. She must say about sin what God says about it. She must deal with it as God directs, and her action is ratified in heaven. He who despises the authority of the church despises the authority of Christ Himself.

“But there is a brighter side to the picture. ‘Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted.’ Let this thought be kept uppermost. In labor for the erring, let every eye be directed to Christ. Let the shepherds have a tender care for the flock of the Lord’s pasture. Let them speak to the erring of the forgiving mercy of the Saviour. Let them encourage the sinners to repent, and believe in Him who can pardon.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 805

Some LGBTQ argue that Christianity shows hatred toward LGBTQ, and hence, its logic should be rejected. However, hatred toward LGBTQ has never been the spirit of true Christianity. The Bible has never instructed us to do so. The actions of so-called Christians who are not fully converted should not be mistaken as the teaching of Jesus.

Hope for LGBTQ

Another argument of the LGBTQ community is that they cannot help being this way because God created them the way they are. Hence, they should be accepted and estimated without giving up on their sin. However, did God really create them in this way?

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 1:27–28; 2:24

God never doomed men or women to be LGBTQ. As for every other sin, each one of us was born with some tendency to fall: some lust, some tell lies, some are greedy and lovers of money. It is not that God has created them like that. God created humankind perfectly. But, due to sin, we became like this. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5. Therefore, LGBTQ is a result of sin.

Here, we see the hope for LGBTQ. The principle of born-again and redemption applies just the same. Just as the adulteress was redeemed from her sinful nature, God can redeem LGBTQ too. Is it possible for LGBTQ to leave their sins and become heterosexual? Can they have a gender identity according to their genetics? The answer is definitely “yes”. The principle of God’s justification and sanctification applies to LGBTQ just as any other sin. If God can cause the miracle of renewing us into a new creation, any sinful tendency can be overcome.

Another verse that clearly states LGBTQ as a sin is 1 Corinthians 6:9–10. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” However, let us note that the verse that follows right after is the hope for salvation and being born again. “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

The True Meaning of The Rainbow

Now that it is made clear that LGBTQ is not according to God’s will, let us separate the rainbow from LGBTQ. Just as we reformed the true characteristic of sex, let us reform the meaning of the rainbow also. What does it represent?

“I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Genesis 9:13–15

The sin of humans was so great that God had to destroy the earth with a flood, according to His justice. Yet God was merciful to us, and He kept our race by saving those who believed in Him. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Hebrews 11:7

The rainbow is a reminder of God’s salvation for us. God will never forsake those who trust Him. Those who find a safe place in God will be declared to be an heir of righteousness in His just judgment.

“As I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Isaiah 54:9–10

As we can see, the symbol of the rainbow includes a warning against the inevitable and destructive result of sin and the promise for the salvation and protection of those who believe His promise. This rainbow has such a sacred and significant meaning that it is also a part of His throne. “And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” Revelation 4:3

“The rainbow spanning the heavens with its arch of light is a token of the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature. (Genesis 9:16). And the rainbow encircling the throne on high is also a token to God’s children of His covenant of peace.

“As the bow in the cloud results from the union of sunshine and shower, so the bow above God’s throne represents the union of His mercy and His justice. To the sinful but repentant soul God says, Live thou; ‘I have found a ransom.’ (Job 33:24).” –Education, p. 115

Therefore, in this sense, the rainbow is totally opposite from the symbol of LGBTQ. The rainbow declares that God’s judgement is sure and that sin will be called sin. No matter how they think or try, sin is a sin. However, at the same time, the rainbow gives hope to LGBTQ that it is not too late for them to be saved. If they have the faith of Noah and accept the power that can save them from their sin, they will be heirs of righteousness.

Living in the last days, we are surrounded by the flood of sins and abominations. Soon the judgment of fire will be laid upon this earth. However, those who believe in the promise shown through the rainbow will be kept pure and receive righteousness. God will never forget nor forsake them.

“By faith let us look upon the rainbow round about the throne, the cloud of sins confessed behind it. The rainbow of promise is an assurance to every humble, contrite, believing soul, that his life is one with Christ, and Christ is one with God. The wrath of God will not fall upon one soul that seeks refuge in Him. God Himself has declared, ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you.’ [Exodus 12:13.] ‘The bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant.’ [Genesis 9:16.]” –Manuscript 19, 1890

My dear brothers and sisters, let us look upon the rainbow of promise. Yes, we are living in an evil day. Through the governments, Satan is surrounding us with immorality and abomination. We might be committing sins of abomination. If not, we might be committing the sin of judging others. Or, it could be any other sin. Let us look at the rainbow. God has promised salvation. The same God who delivered Noah and his family from the flood will also deliver us from our wicked ways and our sinful nature. Amen.

Makoto Matsumoto