Sodom Within

by Clay Gentry

In our daily lives, especially this month, we’re immersed in a charged and polarizing cultural conversation over sexuality. We see headlines, scroll social media, and encounter perspectives that challenge, provoke, and sometimes anger us. It’s “Pride Month,” and for many Christians, this time often brings an understandable impulse: to declare biblical truths regarding sexual ethics boldly. Rightly so. The Scriptures are unflinchingly clear; I Corinthians 6:9-11 plainly states the condemnation of homosexuality as not God-honoring and sinful.

Perhaps you’ve observed a recurring strategy in some online discussions: the immediate, almost reflexive, invocation of Sodom and Gomorrah as the ultimate biblical proof text against homosexual sin. It makes sense, doesn't it? The story is vivid, the judgment severe, and the association seems clear. But today, we need to ask some uncomfortable questions. Is our frequent and often singular use of Sodom as the poster child for one specific sin truly a fair application of Scripture? More profoundly, what are the potential spiritual dangers of reducing Sodom to only a condemnation of homosexual sin? I fear that in our zeal to point out the “speck” in our homosexual neighbor’s eye, we might be entirely missing the “log” in our own.

1. Homosexuality was certainly a part of Sodom’s wickedness and downfall, but it was not their only sin (Genesis 19:4-5; Judges 7; Ezekiel 16:49-50).
2. Focusing solely on Sodom’s sexual sin can foster a self-righteous attitude because…
   1. If we’re not careful, we’ll point out the homosexual “speck” in our neighbor’s eye while missing the “log” protruding from our own eye (Matthew 7:1-5).
   2. The spirit of Sodom is within all hearts, regardless of sexual orientation.
3. For some, homosexuality is a sin in a category all its own. However, homosexuality (along with the all-encompassing term "sexual immorality”) is not separated from other sins but is listed along with more common sins (Leviticus 20:10-21; Romans 1:18-32; I Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:16-26).
   1. We don’t need to minimize homosexuality as a sin; instead, we should elevate other sins (the ones we commit) to the same level at which we view homosexuality.
4. Sodom’s Other Sins (Ezekiel 16:49-50):
   1. Proud, Arrogant, & Haughty Hearts (Proverbs 6:16-19; 16:18; Luke 18:9-14)
   2. Gluttonously Overfed with an Abundance of Food (Proverbs 23:20-21; 28:7; I Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 3:17-4:1).
   3. Lazily Complacent in Prosperous Ease (Proverbs 31:27; II Thessalonians 3:6-11; I Timothy 5:13)
   4. Unwilling to Help the Poor and Needy (Proverbs 14:21, 31; 28:27; Galatians 6:7-10; James 2:14-17)

This is where God’s Word turns the mirror to us. While we are called to speak out against sin, including the normalization of homosexual sin, our witness must always be accompanied by an honest examination of our own hearts. The true “spirit of Sodom” isn’t merely about specific sexual acts; it’s about a heart alienated from God – puffed up with self, consumed by arrogance, and devoid of compassion. That destructive spirit can reside in any heart, regardless of sexual orientation. So, let’s carry the message of Sodom, not as a stone to throw, but as a scalpel for self-reflection.

Let’s speak truth in love about all sin. But with even greater urgency, let us examine our own lives relentlessly, confessing our own pride, complacency, and apathy. Jesus’ words echo across the ages: it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those who hypocritically point fingers while refusing to confront the darkness within themselves (cf. Matthew 10:15; 11:24). Will you dare to look within? Will you humble your heart, confess your own “Sodom sins,” and allow God’s love to truly transform you first, so you can then reflect His grace to a hurting world?