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What Does the Bible Say About...Forgiveness for Homosexuals?

I was asking if you could enlighten me a little more on the bibles view of homosexality. I have read some of it and I am still confused. Are these people living in sin or does God forgive them for this type of life and they do have a chance for heaven even if they don't want to change their style of life.

You see my son has informed me that he is gay and says that he can't help it. But the bible says no one was born that way. He was molested by a neighbor boy when about 6 or 7 yrs old and he also claims that had something to do with it. Then as a teen-ager he was molested by the male secretary at his high school. From there it has been all downhill.

He has been diagnosed as HIV positive and that worries me so much. I am constantly out of it when he so much as sneezes. I need prayer badly. I had began to accept it when he first brought it to me so I could keep him in my life but the older I get the more I worry about him.

Answer

I am sorry to hear that your son is HIV positive, and I have and will pray for you and for him. Just last month I lost a brother in Christ to AIDS. In spite of his past, never was he happier than when he was buried with Jesus "by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Rom 6:4) He knew that God could forgive his past, and that the diseased body he had would soon be replaced with a new one.

The Bible is very clear about what God thinks of homosexual acts. In Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20: 13, and Deuteronomy 23:17-18, participating in homosexual acts is called "abomination." In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10 Paul says those who "go to bed sexually with a man" are violating sound doctrine and will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. In fact, the word translated in the quotes above was a Greek word that Paul apparently invented to be clear what he was talking about. In Romans 1:26-32 Paul said that God "gave up" those who would not acknowledge him as God to homosexual acts and other sins, such as murder and disobedience to parents.

Does this mean that your son and others who engage in these activities can not be forgiven and granted eternal life? Not at all. God can forgive any sin except a continual denial that he is God. God can even forgive this sin. "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 those who go to bed with a man, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor 6:9-11) Even some in Corinth had participated in these sinful acts, but had been forgiven. But forgiveness is dependent on repentance (Luke 13:3-5). Repentance, by definition, is turning away from past sins with the intent never to do them again. Paul says we can not continue in sin just to keep receiving God's grace (Rom 6:1-2). Nobody will receive forgiveness if they choose not to change their way of life.

You may have noticed that throughout I talk of those who perform homosexual acts. It is only during the past hundred or so years that the concept that a person "is a homosexual" has come about. The Bible does not talk of people being homosexuals but committing homosexual acts. One is not born gay and can't help it. It is a choice. Just as I can choose not to eat chocolate, but refuse to make that choice, your son and his companions are choosing not to choose to quit performing those acts that are pleasing to them. It comes down to a choice to obey or not obey God. Those who choose not to obey in this matter, Paul says, will receive "in themselves that recompense of their error which was appropriate." (Rom 1:27) Perhaps in some way HIV is part of that "recompense of their error."

Finally, let me add that you are not wrong in continuing to love and worry about your son. You don't have to approve of what he does, but you need to keep loving him. Only in that way is there hope that he will see his error and his need for God's forgiveness. While there is life, there is hope. Keep praying.

The questioner responded to this answer as follows:

Thank you very much. I have put this in my saved file for continuious reading.

I have a better understanding now I believe. He speaks of blessings from Christ and he claims he prays so maybe with the faith he has he will understand that he does have a choice and repent of his life style.

Thank you for your prayers and please remember me and my son in the future for I am constantly on my knees.