In our society today, many are asking this question in broad terms. Can I really be a Christian if I'm attracted to the same sex? Does God still love me even if I'm homosexual? Why do Christians hate me for something I can't change about myself?
If you're struggling with these kinds of questions or a Christian who wants to know how to address these questions then this is the post for you.
To start this Blog I want to say to anyone struggling or apart of the LGBTQIA+ community that you are loved and in no way am I trying to disvalue you or trying to 'fix you'.
I'm making this post simply to address what the bible says and how to apply it to your life and what that may look like in the context of being a Christ follower.
First we need to know what a Christ follower is.
In order to tackle this subject we need to address what it looks like to follow Christ and how to show others that we are Christians.
In Luke 9:23 Jesus is speaking to the disciples, telling them of his sufferings and then he says to them “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." We as Christians are called to do the hardest thing in todays society and that's deny ourselves the inherent luxury of our sinful nature in favor of the prominent teachings of Jesus.
This I believe is the biggest way to be and identify a follower of Christ; to lay down our sins in favor of God's will for our lives.
So does Homosexuality classify as sin?
This in itself is a hard question to answer. I want to say that while the act of homosexuality itself is classified as a sin multiple times throughout the bible, I believe there is a distinct difference between attraction and action.
I feel there are many who struggle with attraction to the opposite sex but don't act on it; I wouldn't classify this as sin. We all struggle with attraction to things that would be sin if we were to act on it. Lust amongst many things is something that can't be controlled in a sense of non action and is something that everyone, not just the LGBTQIA+ community, struggles with.
Now on the other side of the coin is action. This is definitely clarified as sin within the bible very clearly.
Broadly the topic of unrepentant sin is clarified as behavior of those not saved in 1 Corinthians 6:9. The point of action on sexual inclination is when the attraction becomes a sin.
What does the Bible say about LGBTQIA+?
Though the Bible doesn't specifically state the topics that come along with the group, the topics are discussed all the same if not directly then indirectly.
The first topic I want to discuss is gender theory.
Is there different genders? Can we choose our own? Can we get rid of genders?
The Bible is very clear about gender. Even in the beginning God is making clear what his intent is with humans and the biological sex which he assigns them. In Genesis 1:27-28 it is stated "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." This point is huge to me. Specifically in the LGBTQIA+ there is an incentive to get rid of the difference between man and women; even to erase gender in general. This cannot happen. Scientifically it is impossible but socially I believe this has come from the devil himself.
If Satan can destroy the concept of man and woman, he can destroy the concept of the image of God. We are created in the image of God in the form of Man and Woman and if we deny that concept we deny his image.
The second topic is Homosexuality.
Is it a sin? Can you be actively gay or a lesbian and still follow Christ? Will you go to hell for it?
In short, being active in any sexual relations outside of marriage is a sin but if you've acknowledge Christ as your savior and the only way to come to God then you won't go to hell.
So what do I mean when I say sexual sin outside of marriage? Homosexual marriage is legal now! While yes, it is legal in many countries across the globe, I'm not speaking on marriage in the sense of human declaration. Instead I'm focusing on what God acknowledges as marriage in the Bible.
The first mention, or the invention of marriage, is mentioned in Genesis 2:24 when it is said that the man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife.
Throughout the Bible, marriage is only mentioned between a man and woman, therefore it is my belief that that is what is considered marriage under God.
Sexual relations outside of this type of marriage is sin. But like every sin, there is forgiveness and love from God and the opportunity to move past it.
Many of us live in sin everyday, and everyday we are loved and forgiven by God who casts our past transgressions as far as the east is from the west.
The third topic is "Want to".
Not a lot of people know what a "want to" is, so I'll explain it a little. A "want to" is a desire, and if you're want to is broken then you're not alone.
The question no longer is "am I gay?" or "do I care that I'm gay?", instead the question becomes simple. "Do I want to follow Christ?"
For so many this question is simple, but in reality it is the most difficult question that we struggle with daily. Following Christ is tamping down desires that come subconsciously all day long and we as Christians have to take those subconscious thoughts and turn them into conscious actions. Do we cuss consciously or is it second nature? Do I imagine myself acting on sexual action subconsciously or can I change my thought pattern? We have to take every thought captive and that is so hard to do every day all day long.
If we don't want to take these thoughts and actions captive then do we really want to follow Christ? It's a full time job with no money attached and yet it is so rewarding to do so.
So is being apart of the LGBTQIA+ a worse sin than others?
No. The answer is simple, all sin is sin in the eyes of God. But I will say the consequences of this particular sin do out weight say the sin of cussing or other sins. What I mean by this is that there are things associated with being in a homosexual relationship that stay with you longer than God's memory of said sin.
Depression, Suicide, Diseases, are just some of the plaques that have associated themselves with the LGBTQIA+ community that engages in homosexuality. Now you may say, "But that can plaque anyone!" and that's true. But specifically we see that increase in individuals who engage with sexual activities with the same sex.
So can you be LGBTQIA+ and still be a follower of Christ?
All of this to say is that being in an active homosexual relationship is a sin, just like any other sexual activity outside of the ordained marriage of God. But just like those who engage in sexual activities with those of the opposite gender, if you repent and ask Christ for forgiveness it is given with love and open arms.
So just like any other sinner you can still be a follower of Christ.
To Everyone
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post! I hope it was helpful to the topic and addressed the situation with love and understanding. I do want to say that if you struggle with homosexuality as a Christian, I know how hard that can be and I want you to know that this is a safe space where you are more than welcome to talk about those struggles. And for those who have overcome those struggles and have grown closer to God through it I want to say how proud I am of you and your journey.
I specifically didn't add any solutions to this blog post because I personally can't speak to that myself, I would encourage prayer and community as some of the solutions because of how helpful it is to talk with others going through the same thing and to the God of all creation.
Thank you again for reading this blog post, I hope it was insightful on the topic of LGBTQIA+. If your interested in more topics related to this please email me or DM me on social media and I would be more than happy to take those into account. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe and be notified when we post whether on social or on this blog!
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