Dear Conrad -- I'm sure you've gotten a question like this somewhere along the line, but I'm new to Decapolis and haven't seen anything on the subject so far. How can one be a Christian and be a 'practicing homosexual'? How do gay-friendly churches all over North America explain their stance? For argument's sake, let's say I'm a searching, lesbian Christian asking you this. -- Sincerely, kristinka

Dear Kristinka,

Great question. First off – we all sin. Christians sin everyday. Some deal with pride, others lust, envy, greed, strife, etc. Some deal with sexual sin that are listed in the Bible – such as adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, etc. All these according to the Bible are sins. Homosexual sin is a sin as is heterosexual sin. To God – sin is sin.

I will focus on one main passage of Scripture to answer your question. But let me not single out homosexuality, we’re talking all kinds of sins here. So I’ll adjust your question to be “How can one be a Christian and while living in a certain sin?” And you can put in whatever sin that the Bible lists as that particular sin.

First we have to make a distinction between merely sinning and living in sin.

We all sin everyday - Christians and non-Christians. So the issue isn’t if we sin or not. The issue is - how do we see our sin? The Biblical way of looking at our sin is - we realize it is wrong and seek repentance for it. It is still sin – but we know it’s wrong and seek to change.

“Living in Sin” goes beyond that. It takes the sin - does not think it’s wrong and makes no repentance or effort to change. This is when a Christian really gets in deep. Again, it is okay to struggle with temptation – but it is not okay to give up and just live in that sin with no remorse. Our fellowship with God is greatly damaged as we now live our lives for ourselves and not for God.

Now let’s take a look at this passage in Romans…

RO 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. (note: this sentence is talking heterosexual sin) [25] They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

RO 1:26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. [27] In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

RO 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. [29] (Note: Look at all the sins listed) They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, [30] slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; [31] they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [32] Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

But how do we treat Christian sinners? We should treat them the same way we treat ourselves – because we are sinners also. We treat each other with love. This is why an overwhelming majority of Christians do not, and should not, support gay bashing, bombing clinics, etc. - because these acts obviously do not show love.

The same passage we were talking about supports this…

RO 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. [2] Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. [3] So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? [4] Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

But the question now lies with, “Now what?” The Christian living in sin needs to attempt to stop that sin. They first must realize that is it a sin, submit themselves to God’s authority, repent and seek to live in obedience to God – not because he’s we see him as some unchangeable judge – but as a loving father who wants the best for his children.

God as a father has told us as children stuff like - Don’t touch the stove, don’t eat food off the ground, brush your teeth. All these things as kids we don’t see how they make a difference. We just think that God is being mean and not letting us have fun. But as a parent knows more than a 2 year old, God knows more than we do on what is best for us.

So, is it possible to be a Christian and sin? Of course. But a life of disobedience is not how God would like us to live, will not bring us any joy and is destructive to the people we sin against and with. We become that kid who plays with matches or runs with scissors. Eventually we’ll end up hurting ourselves, others as well as saddening our father.

For the second part of your question - humans will always try to find excuses for their sin. That is why you have churches supporting all kinds of unbiblical things. In your question – being a gay-friendly church depending on it’s usage could be okay - if it’s used as a church trying to reach the gay community. But if the church is being used to excuse any particular sin (such as polygamy, adultery, promiscuity), then it merely is serving it’s own purpose or allowing people to feel good about their sin by not calling it one.

As in the passage we are talking about “Rom 1[32] Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

The life of a Christian is very hard because they live with their sinful nature and the spiritual nature.

Listen to how later in Romans Paul relates his personal struggle with sin.

RO 7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God's law; [23] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

Now Paul give the answer to his rhetorical question.

“[25] Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

and finishes off with hope…

“RO 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

Sin is a problem we all face. But because of Christ we can find forgiveness, life and love.