Replies to '06/06 "I'm Gay, OK?"'

Quote From: melgibson

I do not automatically make my mind up - I do speak with a dear family friend/preacher.  This  Pastor has not only been given the gift of prophecy by God - we are all given a spiritual gift when we accept Christ - but has been preaching and knows the bible better than anyone else I know.  He has been preaching for 40+ years.  I am not making this based on my own opinions - but on what God expects of me as a Christian.  Challenge by you or not - I know what God expects of me as his blood bought child and I will follow his will for my life.  We all have moments of falling - but I choose to live by His will for my life and not my free will. God bless  MG   First, read Romans chapter one.  In this chapter the Apostle Paul deals with homosexuality as he writes the letter to those living in the city of Rome.  In his day, homosexuality was practiced openly by the Romans.  Even the Emperor had a harem of homosexuals attending him.  You will note that Paul says the first reason for the development of perverse sexual lifestyles was their rejection of God (vs. 20-23).  This denies the homosexual claim they were born that way.  Homosexuality is a learned experience (vs. 24-25).  It is a perversion, an unnatural practice (v. 26) It results in a depraved (a mind give to all sorts of wickedness and evil) mind (v. 28).  Homosexuality can be forgiven as any physical sin can be forgiven by God.  However, we need to realize homosexuality being a physical sexual sin is a very difficult one to over-come.  Coming to Christ is the only way a homosexual can be saved from his perversion.  Homosexuals I have talked with who demonstrate true conversion tell me the hardest thing for them was admitting it was a sin and the second hardest was denying themselves any homosexual sexual contact.  Because homosexuality is a physical perversion, being converted does not take it away from the person.  When you are saved, it is your spirit and soul that is saved, not your body.  Your body will die, because it has been the tool of sin, but at the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the believer will receive a new body free from sin.  Praise the Lord.  Paul urges in Romans 8:14-25 to deny your physical body any sinful practices.  In other words, the urge maybe there, but you do not have to give into it.   The question of whether a homosexual can be a Christian and still practice homosexuality is not biblical.  The same is true of the adulterer, the thief, and all other sinful practices.  If we claim to be saved from sins, then we are to give up our sinful practices and live like it.  The homosexual who claims to be Christian and still practice homosexuality is deluding himself and lying to everyone else. Since true conversion to Christ requires conviction of sins and repentance (turning from sins) the homosexual must demostrate his claim to conversion by his changed lifestyle.  There is no way a Christian or the church can approve of homosexuality as an accepted lifestyle.  It is a perversion and will be judged accordingly by God.  However, it is not an unforgiveable sin and homosexuals who have truly been converted  and live a Christian lifestyle should be accepted into the fellowship of the church as anyone else making the same claim.