Whether or not Christians think that homosexuality or being gay is a sin or is sinful according to the Bible, they still must abide by several biblical rules and duties:

          1. Murder, harrassment, and assault are sins.

          2. God loves repentant sinners.

          3. Parents sin and commit crimes if they abandon or neglect their children.

          4. Gay Christians exist.

 

1. Murder, harrassment, and assault are sins. Murder is condemned throughout the Old Testament and in the sixth Commandment"You shall not commit murder" Exod. 20:13 ESV.. Murder is also condemned throughout the New Testament and by Jesus in Matt. 5:21-22"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire" Matt. 5:21-22 ESV., 19:18"He said to him, 'Which ones?' And Jesus said, 'You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness . . .'" Matt. 19:18 ESV., Mark 10:19"You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother'" Mark 10:19 ESV., and Luke 18:20"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother'" Luke 18:20 ESV.. God hates those who promote violence and who are bloodthirsty (Ps. 5:5-6"The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man" Ps. 5:5-6 ESV., Ps. 11:5"The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence" Psalms 11:5 ESV.). Any Christian who promotes or supports the killing of homosexuals because of their sexual orientation is sinning. Furthermore, bullying, assaulting, and harrassing homosexuals are also sins. These actions violate Jesus's second greatest commandment in Mark 12:31 ESV: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:29-31"Jesus answered, 'The most important is, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these'" Mark 12:29-31 ESV.).

Cross - murder is sin

2. God loves repentant sinners. Some Christians follow the adage, "Hate the sin and not the sinner." This saying is not explicitly found in the Bible, but Christians believe that since Jesus and God hate sin (see Psalms 45:6-7"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness" Psalms 45:6-7 ESV., Hebrews 1:9" You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions" Hebrews 1:9 ESV., Prov. 6:16-19"There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers" Prov. 6:16-19 ESV.) and since Christians are tasked to follow Jesus's example (1 Pet. 2:21"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps" 1 Pet. 2:21 ESV., 1 Cor. 11:1"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" 1 Cor. 11:1 ESV., Matt. 7:21-23"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" Matt. 7:21-23 ESV., 1 Pet. 1:14-16"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" 1 Pet. 1:14-16 ESV.), then they, too, are directed to hate sin.

Unfortunately, some people who refer to themselves as Christians hate the sinner as well as the sin. Interestingly, their beliefs have some biblical basis, such as in Ps. 5:5"The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers" Ps. 5:5 ESV. in which God hates evildoers, Lev. 20:23"And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them" Lev. 20:23 ESV. in which God detests idolatrous nations, Prov. 6:16-19"There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers" Prov. 6:16-19 ESV. in which God hates a believer who creates discord among fellow believers, and Hos. 9:13, 15"Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter. . . . Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels" Hos. 9:13, 15 ESV. in which the Lord hates Ephraim. One may wonder how God can hate His own creation, since He created man and woman, blessed them, and declared them as "good"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. . . . And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good . . . ." Gen. 27-28, 31 ESV.."

God hates those who are sinners and who are evil, haughty, and unrepentant (see Ps. 5:4-6"For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man" Ps. 5:4-6 ESV.). Because God hates sin, He hates those who are prideful and who sin continually without asking for God's forgiveness, and He will judge those people accordingly (Luke 12:43-47"Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating" Luke 12:43-47 ESV.
; Matt. 24:48-51"But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" Matt. 24:48-51 ESV.). However, Jesus intermingled with sinners and forgave their sins (see John 8:3-11, Mark 2:15-17"And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?' And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners'" Mark 2:15-17 ESV.) and God forgives our sins when we ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:7-9 ESV.). Moreover, God cannot possibly hate all sinners, since everyone is a sinner (Rom. 3:22-24"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" Rom. 3:22-24 ESV., Isa. 64:6"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away" Isa. 64:6 ESV.). People who declare that "God hates homosexuals" forget that only God can judge people's worthiness for eternal life and only God can forgive people for their sins.

Similarly, some Christians believe that it is their duty to loudly condemn homosexuality as an evil. Some Bible verses support their actions (see Luke 17:3-4"Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him" Luke 17:3-4 ESV., James 5:19-20"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" James 5:19-20 ESV., John 7:24"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" John 7:24 ESV., 1 Cor. 6:1-6"When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?" 1 Cor. 6:1-6 ESV.), but some Bible verses discourage their actions without first discontinuing and repenting from their own sins (see Matt. 7:1-5"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" Matt. 7:1-5 ESV., John 8:7"And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her'" John 8:7 ESV.). Whether or not Christians are tasked with spreading God's word by specifically speaking out against homosexuality is uncertain, especially since Jesus never spoke out against the "sin of homosexuality;" however, if a Christian's actions are pushing non-Christians away from God instead of closer to God, then that Christian's actions are against Jesus's tasks for His disciples, which were to serve others, even sinners (see John 13:14-16"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him" John 13:14-16 ESV.) and bring non-Christians to God through their preaching and good deeds (see Matt. 5:16"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" Matt. 5:16 ESV.).

Each Christian should reflect inwardly and honestly ask himself or herself if his/her actions bring people (including other Christians) closer to God or push them away from God. If a Christian's actions are causing people to turn away from Christianity, then that person is wrong.

Cross - Christians think being gay or homosexuality is a sin

3. Parents sin and commit crimes if they abandon or neglect their children. Parents who abandon their children for any reason, for example if their children are homosexual or bisexual, are not only are committing child abuse and are breaking the law, but they are also acting against biblical instruction, which states that parents should provide for their children (see 2 Cor. 12:14"Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children" 2 Cor. 12:14 ESV.) and be kind to their children (see Eph. 6:4"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" Eph. 6:4 ESV. & Col. 3:21"Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged" Col. 3:21 ESV.).

Cross - Parents sin when they abandon their children

4. Gay Christians exist. Some Christians believe that a person cannot be both a homosexual and a Christian. There is no biblical basis for their beliefs. All Christians are sinners. The Bible condemns murders, adulterers, fornicators, prostitutes, perjurers, liars, thieves, drunkards, and blasphemers (see 1 Cor. 5:10-11"Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat" 1 Cor. 5:10-11 KJV., 1 Cor. 6:9-10"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (n)or thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" 1 Cor. 6:9-10 KJV., Eph. 5:5"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" Eph. 5:5 KJV., 1 Peter 4:15"But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters" 1 Peter 4:15 KJV.). The Bible also condemns people who are greedy, gluttonous, prideful, and lustful (see 1 Cor. 5:10-11"Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat" 1 Cor. 5:10-11 KJV., 1 Cor. 6:9-10"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (n)or thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" 1 Cor. 6:9-10 KJV., Eph. 5:5"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" Eph. 5:5 KJV., Luke 12:15"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" Luke 12:15 KJV., Luke 18:11-14The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" Luke 18:11-14 KJV.). Of course, there are many Christians that fall under one or more of the above categories and/or harbor one or more of the above vices in their hearts. Thus, homosexual Christians exist, and they may also fall under one or more of the above categories and/or harbor one or more of the above vices in their hearts.

A person who wishes to be a Christian does not have to be a perfect person; he or she must only believe in God and declare Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. Moreover, the question of whether homosexual Christians who practice homosexuality in a monogamous relationship are sinning is highly debatable, as this website has proven.

Top

 
 

Copyright 2012-2015 http://www.thegreatbiblicalgaydebate.com

By: L. Jelle