A Homosexual Christian, is it possible...

Recently, someone emailed me about homosexuality, whether someone can truly be a Christian if they practice this lifestyle. And since this is such an important issue at our church and in our culture, I've decided to post my reply, together with the original email, so that anyone who keeps up with our ministry in the French Quarter can know our stance on homosexuality. Feel free to comment, reply, etc.

Rest assured, this is not just a nice, theological discussion at a coffee shop for me. We deal with this question every week in the French Quarter. In fact, at my first Wednesday night Bible Study at Vieux Carre Baptist Church, I remember a woman saying (with tears), "I'm gay, but I don't want to go to hell."

[This email does not address the issue, "Are some born homosexual?" I'm not going there in this email.]

Oh God help us. Help us to know Truth. Help us to walk in Love. And help us to never emphasize one over the other. Both are equally important, and they are both found in You alone, through Jesus alone, by means of the Spirit alone.



Hi Greg

[first paragraph deleted]

My question was in regards to homosexuality and if your church teaches it is ok for a homosexual to continue in their lifestyle, as long as it is monogamous yet still be a follower of Christ. I am very curious where your church stands on this topic (or really any fundamentalists classified sinful lifestyle, not just homosexuality). Please know I am NOT trying to "pick a fight" or "prove my point", I am sincerely wondering where your church stands on such topics and not having the past emails is leaving me in the dark. Specifically, can a person become a born-again christian yet still live a practicing lifestyle of sinning?

Thanks again for your time and I look forward to your response

Steve



Steve,
you and i bounced replies back and forth several times. and I'm fairly certain you even responded to some of them. I'll do my best to look in my sent folder and forward them to you.

i'm very excited that you are earnestly seeking a question to this answer. I do believe the scriptures indicate and right and wrong in several matters, and I would never do anything to steer away from the truth.

If I may, let me tell you what I believe. For the most part, and perhaps all of it, you may assume that everyone else at Vieux Carre believes the same. As far as I know, there isn't a written statement of beliefs for our church other than the generic one's we ascribe to such as the Baptist Faith and Message.

Let me respond by quoting 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

To my disdain, someone who practices homosexuality will not inherit the kingdom of God. Up to me, I wish that all were saved and all would inherit the kingdom of God. But that is not what the Book says, and my hearts desire for myself and for the church is that we be people of the Book. We believe it wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately for me, I fit some of those other categories. Example, "idolater," "adulterer," "drunkard," "greedy," and I could go on. That means I too am without hope and completely depraved.

But thanks be to God that he saved me from a life of sin and death, and gave me new life seen through a righteousness that is not my own, but granted to me through the provision of Jesus Christ, by means of his death on a cross.

That's why the next verse then says,

"And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." v. 11

God grants me the ability to walk away from my previous lifestyle, my lifestyle of sin, and embrace a sanctified life, and life full of holiness and purity. And this can only be done through the name of Jesus and by the Spirit of God. God is holy, his holiness demands justice, because He wouldn't be God if he didn't respond to sin. He will respond to sin by means of His wrath. He must, otherwise He is not God because He would be neglecting his holiness, which might be the most important trait about God. His wrath, however, is deflected by means of his love, because God's love is equally as important as his wrath. This is why He sent His Son Jesus. He responded to sin by sending his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus bore the wrath of our sin. Not just so He could pay for our sins, but so we could be set free from our sins. Sins, which include homosexuality, as the Bible indicates.

Can a person practice homosexuality, remain in a homosexual lifestyle, and still claim to be a follower of Christ? Absolutely not. In the same breath, neither can a cheater. Neither can a liar. Neither can an idolater or an adulterer. Sometimes the Bible teaches us to understand right from wrong. And with great sincerity in my heart, since I'm speaking as one who has homosexual friends, I agree with scripture by saying homosexuals will not and cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Can a believer still struggle with this sin? Can a believer fall back into the temptation of homosexuality? Absolutely yes. But Jesus has overcome the world, He is abounding in love, mercy, and patience. And calls us to repent daily and to live for him. The beautiful thing about this is that Jesus enables and empowers us to be more than conquerers, and to defeat and overcome our greatest sins and temptations. The key issue is godly repentance, not worldly repentance.

"Born again" Christians, as you phrased it, will always struggle with sin in this life until we are perfected when we enter into glory with Jesus, but true "born again" believers don't practice lifestyles of sinning because God has freed us from such a travesty.

I hope this helps and I look forward to your response.

Greg