Christian Homosexuality

[Benjie]

Controversial topic, I know. . .

Can a Christian be a homosexual?

Can a Christian be a celibate homosexual?

Can a Christian lead a gay lifestyle and still be a Christian?

These are the questions that face modern Christians. As homosexuality encroaches further and further into "unknown" territory, some are essentially blindly groping for answers to some pretty difficult questions. I pose these queries to you, not to come to the end-all-be-all answers, but just to get us thinking and formulating our own, well thought out and scripturally supported, ideas.

I have had to wrestle with these questions as of late due to some people who are very close to me coming out of their respective closets. I would like to discuss, not argue, the topic of homosexuality and the Christian and come to some sort of resolution to the questions that I, personally, have been dealing with.

Anyone else up to the challenge?

[Titus]

I'm in the same boat Benjie. I have a couple of family members who are gay.Honestly, the charity that they show others, the works they do put a lot of heterosexual christians to shame. If you ask them if they have accepted Christ as savior, they rell you thst they hav, and I want to believe them. So, basically I just love them and treat them like I would anyone else.

[Benjie]

I'm in the same boat Benjie. I have a couple of family members who are gay.Honestly, the charity that they show others, the works they do put a lot of heterosexual christians to shame. If you ask them if they have accepted Christ as savior, they rell you thst they hav, and I want to believe them. So, basically I just love them and treat them like I would anyone else.

This is kind of where I am headed. Can a person claim to be gay and also truly claim Christ? Are your family members engaging in the gay lifestyle? If so, I can't see how they can be Christians. I'm still working this out myself, so I plan on using this thread to think things through.

[Titus]

This is kind of where I am headed. Can a person claim to be gay and also truly claim Christ? Are your family members engaging in the gay lifestyle? If so, I can't see how they can be Christians. I'm still working this out myself, so I plan on using this thread to think things through.

Yes, they are both in relationships and like you, I have wondered how they can be Christians and live in this way. Since you and I disagree on eternal security, you may disagree with my way of thinking on this, but, I knw they were both raised in the church and have both made public professions. If their profession was genuine, then I view them as being in a prodigal state. By looking at their current lifestyle we only see a snapshot taken fromtheir life when you view it as a whole. I hold on to the hope that their faith is genuine, and that they will one day be convicted of their sin and repent. If they do not, ever, then I can only conclude that their faith was not genuine. In the meantime, they are family and I love them as such, and love their "partners" as such. I can't see their hearts; only God can. Had they never made professions of faith prior to engaging in this lifestyle, my thinking might be different.
We know that David committed grave sins, and he reaped serious consequences. His whole family was a mess and that was brought on because of his sin.
Abraham's sin brought forth the birth of a false religion that plagues his seed even today.

If they are christians there will be serious consequences to their actions. They will never know peace until they make things right, and even then there may be lingering consequences that they will have to face. Till then, all I can do is love them and show them Jesus. We know that the "you're a sinner and you're bound for hell if you don't change!" approach rarely works.

I may be full of beans, but this is where I am with it.

[other one]

Benjie, there are many many people who proclaim to be Christians who really are those who just asked Jesus into their hearts but don't really follow what he has told us to do (and not to do) and in the end will be among those who will be rejected because they practice iniquity.

Matt 7:22-23

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
KJV

I have known several very nice and caring homosexuals in my 65 years, but they are according to scripture in great spiritual danger. Problem is that the way to help them is not to shun them, though I could never be real friends with any of them. but we should not cast them totally out of our lives, though we should let it be known that their lifestyle is outside our realm of acceptability. We should aways be available to let the Spirit use us to make them understand.
I hope that makes some kind of sense....

[Benjie]

Benjie, there are many many people who proclaim to be Christians who really are those who just asked Jesus into their hearts but don't really follow what he has told us to do (and not to do) and in the end will be among those who will be rejected because they practice iniquity.



I have known several very nice and caring homosexuals in my 65 years, but they are according to scripture in great spiritual danger. Problem is that the way to help them is not to shun them, though I could never be real friends with any of them. but we should not cast them totally out of our lives, though we should let it be known that their lifestyle is outside our realm of acceptability. We should aways be available to let the Spirit use us to make them understand.
I hope that makes some kind of sense....

Absolutely.

My problem is that I find that my circles don't involve the gay community at all. It's not that I shun them, but I simply am not around them (that I am aware of, at least).

[Benjie]

Yes, they are both in relationships and like you, I have wondered how they can be Christians and live in this way. Since you and I disagree on eternal security, you may disagree with my way of thinking on this, but, I knw they were both raised in the church and have both made public professions. If their profession was genuine, then I view them as being in a prodigal state. By looking at their current lifestyle we only see a snapshot taken from their life when you view it as a whole. I hold on to the hope that their faith is genuine, and that they will one day be convicted of their sin and repent. If they do not, ever, then I can only conclude that their faith was not genuine. In the meantime, they are family and I love them as such, and love their "partners" as such. I can't see their hearts; only God can. Had they never made professions of faith prior to engaging in this lifestyle, my thinking might be different.

I won't get into an ES debate with you here (another time, perhaps?), but this is one of the dangers that I see with ES: some could look at this particular situation and say that since they made a profession at one time, they are saved for all time, and therefore their current actions have no bearing on their salvation. I disagree. I think you would as well, but that is a rabbit trail we need not journey today. This was just a thought.

One justification that I have heard, as of late, that has given me pause is the thought of a homosexual couple in a committed relationship. In engaging in debates with pro-homosexual people, they have brought up the possibility of it being permitted in the context of a committed relationship, similar to heterosexual marriage. Personally, I just can't get past the myriad scripture that call that an abomination. Thoughts?

We know that David committed grave sins, and he reaped serious consequences. His whole family was a mess and that was brought on because of his sin.
Abraham's sin brought forth the birth of a false religion that plagues his seed even today.

If they are christians there will be serious consequences to their actions. They will never know peace until they make things right, and even then there may be lingering consequences that they will have to face.

So true. I have to wonder how they sleep at night. I know what it was like when I voluntarily separated myself from Him by committing willful sin and I had a hard go of it.

Till then, all I can do is love them and show them Jesus. We know that the "you're a sinner and you're bound for hell if you don't change!" approach rarely works.

Absolutely. I admit that it's difficult to love one of them, but that is due to the issues surrounding his coming out. Not good stuff for my family. But we must still love the person despite the gravity of their sin. After all, Jesus did.

I may be full of beans, but this is where I am with it.

I'm right there with you. :/

[Titus]

One justification that I have heard, as of late, that has given me pause is the thought of a homosexual couple in a committed relationship. In engaging in debates with pro-homosexual people, they have brought up the possibility of it being permitted in the context of a committed relationship, similar to heterosexual marriage. Personally, I just can't get past the myriad scripture that call that an abomination. Thoughts?

Yeah, like being in a loving committed relationship somehow makes it okay. It doesn't make it okay for peole of the same sex to live together out of wedlock, even though they may be in a loving committed relationship.
I guess my thing is, I can't read a heart. Only God can. I know what God's word says, but I also know that God gives us examples in his word of people who committed grave sins who were and remained to be His children. Moses committed murder. David - murder and adultery. Peter denied Jesus.
It's not up to us to judge them. That is not to say that we condone or otherwise endorse that relationship. No it's clear what the Bible calls it, and it ain't pretty, but honestly, I tink the christian community owes the gay community an apology, because instead of loving them like Jesus, we stand on street corners with signs that say God hates fags. Yeah I know, Westboro is a fringe group, and very few christians actually do that, but how many christians secretly say, "got that right!"? I just feel like they are a community that collectively we have failed just because we find their sin so distasteful.

[Israel]

The answer is yes! In Christ there is neither male or female. Now if all of the law and the prophets hang on two laws, can then a gay person obey the whole of the law? Yes! We are to LOVE God with all our heart mind and soul, but how does one know if ANY OF US truly obey this??? IT'S SIMPLE. By the second commandment WHICH IS JUST LIKE IT. To love your neighbor as YOURSELF. No man has seen God (Spirit) at any time. You being in the image of God is lord of your own temple (body). With the head being Christ, being led of Him we have crucified the flesh.

Israel, do not post in the "Christian Only" section. You can post in the general section

[Benjie]

The answer is yes! In Christ there is neither male or female. Now if all of the law and the prophets hang on two laws, can then a gay person obey the whole of the law? Yes! We are to LOVE God with all our heart mind and soul, but how does one know if ANY OF US truly obey this??? IT'S SIMPLE. By the second commandment WHICH IS JUST LIKE IT. To love your neighbor as YOURSELF. No man has seen God (Spirit) at any time. You being in the image of God is lord of your own temple (body). With the head being Christ, being led of Him we have crucified the flesh.

Please, no one feed the trolls.

Thank you.