An Interesting Question

[Budman]

I was watching one of my favorite preachers on YouTube recently, and he asked a question of his congregation that I found very interesting. I am curious of any opinions on this:


Can a person who trusted Christ as his savior, and is a practicing homosexual, go to heaven?

How about a practicing liar?

Or a practicing gossiper?

Etc.

 

[blue_ladybug]

I was watching one of my favorite preachers on YouTube recently, and he asked a question of his congregation that I found very interesting. I am curious of any opinions on this:


Can a person who trusted Christ as his savior, and is a practicing homosexual, go to heaven?

How about a practicing liar?

Or a practicing gossiper?

Etc.

I'm assuming by "practicing" lying, gossiping, and being gay, that you mean someone who refuses to repent of all that and knowingly keeps doing it even though it's a sin. If these people don't stop their ways and repent of their sin, then no, they won't enter heaven because they refuse to repent and follow Jesus. You can't serve both Satan and Jesus. It just doesn't work that way. However, this is just my personal opinion.

 

[p_rehbein]

I was watching one of my favorite preachers on YouTube recently, and he asked a question of his congregation that I found very interesting. I am curious of any opinions on this:


Can a person who trusted Christ as his savior, and is a practicing homosexual, go to heaven?

How about a practicing liar?

Or a practicing gossiper?

Etc.

By "practicing" if you mean continuing to live in the lifestyle? In my opinion, no. And I would question if that person had ever really trusted Christ as his Saviour.

Just as with any other sin of man that separates him from God, to trust in and accept Christ as ones Saviour includes repentance. A change of heart and life. Old man dies, new man born.

I wish "other" just as damning "sins" were discussed from time to time.............this whole homosexual hang up grows tiring after awhile. Now, given the current climate, I can understand people focusing on it, but it AIN'T THE ONLY SIN that separates man from God and eternal life.

Just saying............

 

[Budman]

I'm assuming by "practicing" lying, gossiping, and being gay, that you mean someone who refuses to repent of all that and knowingly keeps doing it even though it's a sin. If these people don't stop their ways and repent of their sin, then no, they won't enter heaven because they refuse to repent and follow Jesus. You can't serve both Satan and Jesus. It just doesn't work that way. However, this is just my personal opinion.

I am talking about people who have indeed accepted Christ as their savior. If you really think about it, since we all still willfully sin, are we not all practicing sinners?

 

[p_rehbein]

I am talking about people who have indeed accepted Christ as their savior. If you really think about it, since we all still willfully sin, are we not all practicing sinners?

Wait.........hold on there............speak for yourself.............k? Don't include me in that lump............goodness.......

 

[Budman]

By "practicing" if you mean continuing to live in the lifestyle? In my opinion, no. And I would question if that person had ever really trusted Christ as his Saviour.

Just as with any other sin of man that separates him from God, to trust in and accept Christ as ones Saviour includes repentance. A change of heart and life. Old man dies, new man born.

I wish "other" just as damning "sins" were discussed from time to time.............this whole homosexual hang up grows tiring after awhile. Now, given the current climate, I can understand people focusing on it, but it AIN'T THE ONLY SIN that separates man from God and eternal life.

Just saying............

Agreed about the homosexual thing, but it was part of what the pastor asked.

The point, I believe, he was trying to make is; is homosexuality any worse a sin than what most average Christians still practice such as telling a "white" lie, gossiping, or lusting?

After all, the Bible says all liars and adulterers, (including those who lust with their eyes) will have their part in the Lake of Fire.

And it also says that God hates gossip.

 

[blue_ladybug]

I am talking about people who have indeed accepted Christ as their savior. If you really think about it, since we all still willfully sin, are we not all practicing sinners?

Indeed we are, although most of us repent of our sins, while others might not.. it's the ones who rebel and refuse to repent, who won't make it into heaven.

 

[Budman]

Wait.........hold on there............speak for yourself.............k? Don't include me in that lump............goodness.......

What sins aren't willful?

 

[Budman]

Indeed we are, although most of us repent of our sins, while others might not.. it's the ones who rebel and refuse to repent, who won't make it into heaven.

How many times must one repent? The Bible teaches that if we believe in Christ as savior, all sin is forgiven; past, present, and future.

And yet, we certainly all still sin.

 

[p_rehbein]

What sins aren't willful?

Yeah, never mind...........I'm not playing this game with you. Let others............and enjoy

 

[Budman]

Yeah, never mind...........I'm not playing this game with you. Let others............and enjoy

I truly am not looking at it as a game. Please forgive any offense.

 

[blue_ladybug]

I truly am not looking at it as a game. Please forgive any offense.

We are human, made imperfect for a reason. Therefore, we sin. Some more willfully than others, I'm sure.. I think it's the ones who sin MORE willfully that are basically saying, "to heck with you, God" if you know what I mean..

 

[oldthennew]

Yeah, never mind...........I'm not playing this game with you. Let others............and enjoy

==================================================

yes, p_rehbein,

it truly is an 'old-game' -

as it is written:

'They tried to entrap Him in His conversation'.

 

[oldthennew]

We are human, made imperfect for a reason. Therefore, we sin. Some more willfully than others, I'm sure.. I think it's the ones who sin MORE willfully that are basically saying, "to heck with you, God" if you know what I mean..

=============================================

pretty insightful, Blue.

 

[oldhermit]

What sins aren't willful?

All sin is willful and deliberate.

 

[blue_ladybug]

=============================================

pretty insightful, Blue.

thank you.. I hope you and hubby (or wife, whoever is here, lol) are doing well..

 

[nowyouseem033]

Scriptures do not hold the two statements together as they are, and I believe, an oxymoron.

By definition anybody who is born of the spirit 'does' or 'practices' the things of the spirit.
Scripture affirms homosexuality and liers etc are not fruits of the spirit but of the flesh.
Therefore for one to say I trust in Christ as my saviour and yet the fruits thereof are in no manner related to the spirit is essentially someone who is not 'in Christ'. For believers we express the fruits of the spirit not because it is we who does them but God in us who works through us to bring about these fruits of the spirit.
So in the most generous sense the person who is a practicing homosexual and professes Christ, would be only professing Christ as a saviour but not as a Lord. For Christ to be Lord of your life requires submission to his word and authority which is given through the bible. Bible says in 1 Timothy 1:10 that those who practice such sins are not of God, and yes homosexuality is in the negative not the positive.
Conclusion.. He who is a practicing homosexual is displaying the fruits of an unsaved, unregenerate, unchanged, fleshly and depraved heart.

 

[JesusIsAll]

I'm assuming by "practicing" lying, gossiping, and being gay, that you mean someone who refuses to repent of all that and knowingly keeps doing it even though it's a sin. If these people don't stop their ways and repent of their sin, then no, they won't enter heaven because they refuse to repent and follow Jesus. You can't serve both Satan and Jesus. It just doesn't work that way. However, this is just my personal opinion.

That's scripture's opinion, also, repentance essential to salvation, to forgiveness. You can't serve two masters, can't walk in darkness and walk in the light. God is not mocked. (Not bad, for a blue bug!)

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[JesusIsAll]

Agreed about the homosexual thing, but it was part of what the pastor asked.

The point, I believe, he was trying to make is; is homosexuality any worse a sin than what most average Christians still practice such as telling a "white" lie, gossiping, or lusting?

After all, the Bible says all liars and adulterers, (including those who lust with their eyes) will have their part in the Lake of Fire.

And it also says that God hates gossip.

Sin is sin, none of it acceptable. I can even get a sense in scripture adultery is worse, from one standpoint, that it's a parable of unfaithfulness to the Lord in scripture, spoken of by Israel, by false religion, by covetousness of the things of the world, idols. But those who don't repent cannot be saved. It becomes rather academic what the sin is that damns.

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Can a person who trusted Christ as his savior, and is a practicing homosexual, go to heaven?

How about a practicing liar?

Or a practicing gossiper?

Etc.

No one of those sins is greater than any other. The key is not the sin. The key is what the sinner believes. If we are convicted of our sins, believe that Christ is the sacrifice for our sins and as that sacrifice has paid the price for them, and that He has risen from the dead to bring us eternal life -- if God acknowledges through the gift of the Holy Spirit that we have sincerely, truthfully, and humbly confessed those beliefs to Him -- we are saved, and nothing can keep us from Him.

There are strongholds in everyone's life. Addiction. Adultery. Selfish ambition. Idolatry (with money, things, people, even work being the "idol we worship" each day). No one does not sin. No one is perfect. Only Christ is perfect. That's why He died for us, and rose for us.

Nothing we do can earn heaven or its treasures for us. By faith through grace, what we do has nothing to do with our being bound for heaven and its treasures. Anyone who tells us otherwise does not understand Christ's sacrifice, our responsibility, or the economy of God.