There has been no shortage of controversy as gay people assume increased roles as parents and married couples in our society, but almost nowhere has this conflict been more intense than in the church. Many religious leaders have condemned homosexuality, calling it a sin or even an abomination, but for millions of gay people around the world, there is nothing inherently sinful about their sexual preferences.
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What Does the Bible Really Say About Homosexuality?
Yes it is a sin and will always be.
The Bible says in Corinthians Chapter 6 vs 9-10.
"Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled) neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality.
Nor cheats ( swindlers and thieves,) nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners, and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God."
Corinthians Chapter 6 vs. 18
"Shun immorality and all sexual looseness (flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed). Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body."
The Bible is not out dated and it always confirms itself it is the greatest predicter of human behavior.
Everything that a scientist or philosopher may be a fact or an opinion may last for a moment but the truth stands forever. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
If any who reads these words wants to continue to delude themselves or seer their conscience go ahead because you have been warned.
John 3 vs 16-17 says
"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in ( trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish ( come to destruction be lost) but have eternal ( everlasting) life.
For God did not send the Son into the world in order to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him."
John 3 vs. 20
For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works ( his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved.
Jesus is the way the truth and the life. He is also Light of the world.
Therefore, there is no such thing as a gay Christian that's an oxymoron.
- Tamara
September 7, 2008 10:08AM
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No - Homosexuality is not a sin.
η ουκ οιδατε οτι αδικοι βασιλειαν θεου ου κληρονομησουσιν μη πλανασθε ουτε πορνοι ουτε ειδωλολατραι ουτε μοιχοι ουτε μαλακοι [malakoi] ουτε αρσενοκοιται [arsenokoitai]- I Cor 6:9 in Greek, from the Textus Receptus.
The problem with saying arsenokoitai means homosexual is that, in ancient times, arsenokoitai was never used with our modern meaning of homosexual.
Conservative evangelical New Testament scholar, Dr. Gordon Fee (he's heterosexual) says that arsenokoitai is rarely used in Greek literature,
“especially when describing homosexual activity.”
The quote is from p. 244 of his commentary, The First Epistle To The Corinthians, Eerdmans, 1987, by Dr. Gordon D. Fee.
Dr. Fee still believes I Cor 6:9 refers to homosexual activity but he is honest enough to admit that his opinion is nothing more than "a best guess."
I am not willing to be silent when Christians attack gay or lesbian relationships with faulty "best guesses" while ignoring actual historical usage of arsenokoitai. When we factor in actual usage of the word, arsenokoitai, honesty compels the conclusion that arsenokoitai does not mean homosexual.
Some Christians admit that the word arsenokoitai was never used to mean homosexual. Then they insist that arsenokoites means homosexual anyway, since arseno means man and koite is a euphemism for sex. Their reasoning is that when the two parts are combined into one word, it must mean homosexual.
Famous British scholar, Dr. James Barr, (he was heterosexual) 1924-2006, was called by the Times Online obituary,
“probably the most significant Hebrew and Old Testament scholar in Britain in the twentieth century.”
Here is what Dr. Barr said about the etymology of words.
“The main point is that the etymology of a word is not a statement about its meaning but about its history...
...it is quite wrong to suppose that the etymology of a word is necessarily a guide either to its ‘proper’ meaning in a later period or to its actual meaning in that period.”
James Barr, The Semantics of Biblical Language, Oxford University Press, New York, 1961, p. 109.
The way arsenokoites was actually used in the ancient Greek language must be our guide as to its meaning. In ancient times, arsenokoitai was never used with our modern meaning of homosexual.
http://www.gaychristian101.com/Arsenokoites.html
- Rick Brentlinger
September 8, 2008 12:27PM
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I'm one!
Sorry, Tamara, but you can't judge whether someone is a Christian or not by whether they are gay or not. Just like I can't judge if someone is a Christian or not by whether or not they are fat. God said gluttony was a sin too, didn't He?
Sharone
- mmmmysharona September 8, 2008 6:46PM
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People who are gluttons are not necessarily fat (e.g., bulimia) and people who are fat are not necessarily gluttons (e.g., transplant recipients, people who don't exercise, etc.)
- Christian Mom September 10, 2008 7:05PM
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A sin but...
I believe that homosexuality is a sin. But it is impossible for us to determine who is a christian or not. There is a story that my pastor tells: "Two german missionaries weep on their beer glasses because they saw two fellow women american missionaries wearing jeans." For some drinking beer is a sin. For others women wearing pants are sinners.
I know homosexuality is not a cultural sin. But haven't God dealed with people that allow sins in their lives and still save them. The part of convincing them that is a sin lies on the Holy Spirit, not on us. But I agree church has the responsability to have a clear view of what is and what is not a sin.
- oveja September 11, 2008 8:39AM
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A sin is a sin is a sin
Jesus is the way the truth and the life. He is also Light of the world.
Therefore, there is no such thing as a gay Christian that's an oxymoron.
Your right in that there is no such thing as a gay christian, there is only a christian. Jesus loves us for who we are, if we love him. It hurts Him if we swear, if we curse, if we sex out of marriage, if we murder , if we..... I could go on.
The thing is, He will always love us and forgive us. He will also lead us to walk a closer walk with Him. If a gay turns to Christ, Christ will lead him on his path. As fellow christians, it's not are job to condemn but to build up and love as Christ loves us.
If a prostitute with a habit handed their lives to Christ, I wouldn't expect them to stop earning a living in the only way they know how, even if it is sinning. They would need our support and understanding to help them move into a new and productive career over a period of time. They would also need to be taught (with love) the message of the bible and help to understand how to accept His unconditional forgiveness.
Why do you seem to have difficulty with showing His love to fellow christians on their path?
- mickeyb
June 30, 2009 6:39PM
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