Practice homosexual relationship or remain a celibate?

Once when I was leading a Bible study group, I remember one student from Hindu faith argue with with me that it is impossible to remain single as an adult. He argued that since sexual drive is pervasive and strong, it has to be released through some kind of channel. I was of the view that not all adult need to marry, and some singles of every generation that we know have remained unmarried all their life without getting into any kind of sexual union with anyone. Since then I have come across similar argument being used by some people to argue in favor of homosexual relationship. As in the past, I still believe that one can remain single and be content.

Homosexual practice in the Old Testament was condemned with severe punishment. Even in the New Testament, such teaching against homosexual relationship continued. There was no loosening of the teaching in the New Testament. Homosexual practice was not uncommon in the Roman world; yet Christians consistently taught against homosexual practice and maintained purity in this regard. For example, Romans 1. 26-27 says, “ For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passions for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. “( RSV) This teaching on homosexual relationship, however, is only for those who commit themselves to live by the biblical standard. Those outside are not bound nor should they be forced to live according to Christians' standard. Should the law of the land endorse homosexual relationship? Does it harm the society's vision of common good or should it be legalised as part of freedom for citizen to express their sexual preference? These questions are important, and they deserve another post!

The Scripture does exhort unmarried people to be single. For those who are single have less constraint in being available for His service. One can be single and live a fulfilling live if we would commit our life to Jesus and his mission. Whether it is someone with homosexual tendency or otherwise, if one is a single there will be attack – the temptation to seek sexual relationship outside of biblical standard or the attack of loneliness. But there have been people in the past who have been faithful to God, and whose service to humanity has been tremendous. And such people continue to be there even today. And so it is possible to remain single and be content. However, it is also the responsibility of the married ones to take extra effort in providing fellowship to those who are single.

There has been this attitude that being single is due to the person's weakness or shortcoming. And so our society has not learnt to be appreciative of singleness. As society we need to change the way we perceive those who are single. We need to accept that some people are called to be single. As members of society we would have experienced those who are single being more helpful and readily available for service than those who are married. And specially coming from a close knit society that has been experience. I have not been called to serve as single. But those who are called to be single and serve, I do express my respect for them.