THEOLOGY & APOLOGETICS

Homosexual Feelings and Security of Salvation

Christianity has a bad reputation among secular society as being homosexual haters. Of course you know the saying, "hate the sin, love the sinner." People don't like that saying. They just love to call Christians "haters." That is the modern day view that secular society has for Christians who say anything about God's standards of behavior for mankind.

But sin is all the same to God. Homosexuality is no greater a sin than drunkenness or lying or meanness or bitterness or revenge or foul language, etc. Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of our sins. If a person has believed in Christ, been forgiven and spiritually transformed, he or she is a child of God.

After a person becomes saved, however, they can continue to struggle with their natural inclinations — no matter what kind of sins they were most prone to commit prior to becoming a Christian. Some will still fight their feelings towards the same sex. Others will try to maintain control of their temper. Yet others will struggle with foul language.

Believers have entered a lifetime battle between their human tendencies and those standards of behavior that the Holy Spirit within them desires to produce:

I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don't do what you want. Galatians 5:16-17, HCSB

Will a Christian who struggles with homosexual feelings lose their salvation? The main part of the question has to do with the big divide within Christianity between the doctrines of "eternal security" and "losing your salvation." I happen to believe that a true Christian who has been forgiven of their sins, cleansed in the blood of Jesus, and inhabited by the Holy Spirit is eternally secure in their relationship with God. A Christian need never fear the torments of hell. We need only fear the chastisement of God as His spiritual children (Hebrews 12:5-11).

God will discipline His children like an earthly dad would his own children when they misbehave. Like an earthly dad, God does not want us to take advantage of His love for us by "doing our own thing" (Romans 6:1), but He will always be our spiritual Father, nonetheless.

There are a number of reasons why I believe that God has secured our position in heaven as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. I will mention only a few:

First, God's gift of grace through our faith in Jesus Christ is what saves us, so our works (or our behavior) could never save us or cause us to become unsaved (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 11:6).

Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. II Timothy 1:9-10 NKJV

Second, Jesus Christ's death in our place and His shed blood guarantees our complete forgiveness. Christ always represents believers to God when we sin (Romans 5:8-9; 8:33-34; I Thessalonians 5:9-10).

But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25, NKJV

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins — and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. I John 2:1-2, NLT

Lastly, the Holy Spirit enters us when we believe in Christ and guarantees our eternal inheritance.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:15-16, NKJV

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14, NKJV

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30, NKJV

There are many other reasons and Bible references why I believe that Christians should not fear the condemnation of hell. We sin every day of our lives in one way or another because of the battle between the flesh (human tendencies) and the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16-17). It's only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood that makes it possible for us to be reunited with God in the afterlife — despite ourselves.

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24, NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1, WEB

Only God can determine whether or not we have truly believed. All of us tend to look at other people's behavior and make snap judgments regarding whether or not they are Christians. Believers can look spiritual at times and not-so-spiritual at other times. But if the Holy Spirit of God inhabits them — and only God knows — they will be beamed up (so to speak) to heaven immediately after their last breath.

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Published 8-31-2015