Could a person who is gay or lesbian still be considered a true Christian?

Question

I realise that this question is somewhat inflamatory, but I feel that its an important question in the ongoing debate over same-sex unions and ordinations of gay and lesbian persons in many mainline protestant Churches today.

Many faithful Christians could be found to practise behaviours on an ongoing basis that the Bible teaches to be wrong. We are all sinners. We all covet things from time to time. Would you question the faith of someone who was a gambling addict or an alcoholic if they told you they truly believed in Christ despite their problems? Most would not reject those persons claims of faith on their face. So what about homosexual persons? Can a person be homosexual and still be a good Christian?

Answer 1

I missed the part in the bible where it says that love is a sin. I do remember something about gluttony, and a little mention about pride. Maybe it's time to reframe the conversation.

Answer 2

Jesus said, in His first public message,
" Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". Matthew 4:17
The only way would be to ignore the first step towards salvation which is to repent. Which means to ask forgiveness for and turn from your sin. I won't bother to list all the verses that state that homosexuality is a sin, I believe you already know them.

1. Repent - see yourself as a sinner and turn from your sin.
2. Believe and confess that Christ died and rose again to pay for you sins.
3.Follow Him

You can't say "No Lord". That is an oxymoron. The words cannot go together. They cancel each other out.You cannot be a practicing homosexual, adulterer, fornicator, etc. and be a Christian. Jesus said " You must be born again". When you become born again it is from the inside out. You receive a new heart. That is why, throughout history when the great revivals occurred, the bars closed down and crime became nearly non existant. Peoples hearts were changed. A homosexual who becomes a born again follwer of Jesus Christ will have no problem giving up homosexuality. It will no longer have a grip on them. As the song goes.."I surrender all". Not, I surrender some.God bless!!!

Answer 3

Many answers here make an assumption that gays should live celibately. OK. But straight people are not allowed to fornicate. How many of them do? I think it is the most loathsome hypocrisy for Christian churches to turn a blind eye to the number of couples co-habitating or having sex before marriage, to those using contraceptives or having abortions, and yet insist that gay people give up expression of their distinct sexuality. Either the churches must demand the same level of moral accountability for both hetrosexuals and homosexuals and censure sinful acts equally or they have no right to demand gay people be celibate.

You can be gay and a good Christian. You don't have to be celibate, but you have to be willing to accept what Jesus taught EVERYONE about sexual morality. Do not have sex outside of a committed relationship. Be faithful to your partner (ie: no open relationships or sex with other partners).Do not lust. Respect your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Sexual morality is only one aspect of being a good Christian. Jesus specifically told us that we would be judged by the degree of MERCY we showed others. We must care for the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the homeless, the stranger, the sick and imprisoned. We must care for our neighbour as the "greatest commandment" teaches us.

Answer 4

The Basis for Christian faith is undeniable and scripturally supported:
Jesus told us what it is:
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

It doesn't say anything about this kind of sinner, or that kind of sinner. Whoever believes in God's one and only Son is granted eternal life.

I heard a preacher today on the radio preaching on this subject. He was saying that they could not be saved. They would not inherit the Kingdom. But I have more evidence that he is a Pharisee Christian than He has on them not inheriting the Kingdom, I don't care how many people go to his Sunday services or how much more experience or education under his belt. That preacher is wrong and has removed the covering from his status, making a 'clean Christian lifestyle' more important than trusting God.

Answer 5

First of all, You can believe in God and believe In Jesus, with out being a "Christian". Most "Christians" would tell you that Being Gay is a sin, Most christians spout the versus from the bible, with very little understanding of what there saying...
Question.... If Christians believe so strongly in the bible< why do they choose to ignore the most basic premise of it? Jesus taught love and understanding for all human kind. Yet most christians are constantley telling everyone that they will "burn in hell" if you dont do this or if you do that....It makes no sence to me...
I say that if you believe in god and you truley believe that Jesus was sent to Save us...Dont worry about wether or not "Christians" except it. be who you are and dont put a "label" on your spirituality..

Answer 6

First you would have to prove the Bible teaches homosexuality to be wrong.

Jesus never mentioned it; but He did equate divorce and remarriage with adultery, a "sin" widely accepted by the church today.

I am gay and I am a Christian. If I am living in sin, GOD can deal with me at my judgment - just like HE will deal with all the other Christian sinners saved by grace; which - the last time I checked - would pretty much be all of us.

"It is a hard saying and who can keep it?"

"Only those to whom it is given."

Answer 7

Only God knows the sincerity and the state of someone’s heart. But it troubles me to hear that one would profess to follow God, but would not attempt to turn away from something that the Word clearly states is a sin. And rather, the person desires to cling on to and even promote that sin. But then again, although your flesh pulls you one way, you must have been bothered by it. Otherwise you wouldn’t have posted your question.

It would be presumptuous for me to say whether you are or not a Christian. But what I can say is – yes, one could be homosexual and Christian simultaneously. However, a gay Christian would not be able to remain gay without feeling a lot of guilt. If you are a Christian, which seems like you are, I think you would understand what I mean. May I please suggest that you seek counsel with former gay Christians who are completely delivered and enjoy wonderful heterosexual lives in total freedom? Please refer to these sites for testimonies and other resources:

http://oneby1.org/testimonies.html
http://www.desertstream.org/
http://peoplecanchange.com/

God bless.

Answer 8

The Bible says that God loves the sinners but not the sins. I'm sure anyone can be a good Christian but in God's eyes, you are still doing wrong by doing the sin...but HE loves you anyway.

Answer 9

In my opinion, Yes.

To quote Grisson "Think of the oyster"

(That quote will only make sense if you know that some people believe that all organisms were originally designed to switch sexes, and that it was a genetically quirk or evolution which separated organisms into male and female. This is why some people are "stuck" in that sense of transition, and some oysters have the ability to change sexes at will. It's a most fascinating research.)

If you believe in God, and follow the 10 commandments and live the Word, then I believe you are a devout Christian of the first order.

Answer 10

A homosexual person can still be considered a true Christian as long the he/she no longer embraces the sinful practice of homosexuality.

If the person were a true Christian the Holy Spirit residing within the person would (at the person's own level) work out the sinful parts of his life (homosexual or straight). The sinful parts of his life would be revealed to him at the times God feels he is able to understand and comply. God does not force anything on us. He works with us at our own pace. As the person grows in Christ more and more sinful things are opened up and dealt with.

All that to say this: if the person flaunts his/her homosexuality while claiming to be Christian, I rather doubt the sincerity of his/her claim to be Christian.

Answer 11

No, and why would you want to be part of a religion that dictates man made rules and man made ways anyway ? To the Lord in heaven, it is the "spirit" which matters, NOT the flesh. Sexual preferences are DESIRES of the flesh, not the "spirit." To be "Christian" first of all means you have to accept their doctrines and being GAY is not part of what they accept in their faith. When Jesus taught the two commandments he didn't put in the word "if" in them. He simply said to love one another. The best example of what I just said is told in the woman who married seven brothers on earth, one at a time. When each brother died she married another and then "she" dies. Jesus was asked to which brother she would be married to in heaven and Jesus replied NONE, for in heaven is no such thing. (No marriage) One of the facts people do not understand OF heaven is that THERE, we are not beings of the FLESH. We are beings of the SPIRIT. As such we will have NO desires of the flesh, only those of the "spirit......"