God’s Love for the Sinner
God loves the sinner but hates sin. The ultimate expression of divine love is the Father’s gift of His own Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Through God’s love, it becomes possible for the believers to be “called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1).
What Does the Scriptures Say About a Homosexual?
While God loves a homosexual and all other sinners (Romans 5:8), the scriptures teach, in 1 Corinthians 6:9, that a homosexual will not inherit the kingdom of God. “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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
The Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin (Genesis 19:1-13) and an abomination to the Lord. The Lord commanded, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination” (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). And Romans 1:26-27 says, that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God.
God does not create a person with homosexual desires. The Bible tells us that a person becomes homosexual ultimately because of his own choice (Romans 1:21,24-27). A person may be born with a greater propensity to homosexuality, just as some people are born with a tendency to lying, murder and cheating. But that does not excuse the person’s choosing to sin by giving in to his sinful desires. If a person is born with a greater tendency to anger, does that make it right for him to give into those desires? Of course not! The same is true with homosexuality.
God Heals and Restores
The good news is that God’s forgiveness is just as available to a homosexual as it is to an adulterer, idol worshiper, murderer, thief, etc. The Lord promised, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The Lord is sure to forgive if man will truly repents.
Also, God promises not just to forgive the sin but to give the strength for a complete victory over sin, including homosexuality. Grace is given to all those who will believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior from the bondage of sin. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Through God’s power, the believer will be able to triumphantly declare, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
