Is a practicing homosexual person unable to be saved without repenting of their lifestyle?
None of the four gospels mentions the subject. This means that, so far as we know, Jesus never spoke about homosexuality, and we simply have no way of determining what his attitude toward it might have been. Moreover, there is nothing about homosexuality in the Book of Acts, in Hebrews, in Revelation, or in the letters attributed to James, Peter, John, and Jude. Further, homosexuality is not mentioned in ten of the thirteen letters attributed to Paul. It is only in Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and 1st Timothy 1:8–11 that there may be references to homosexuality. The paucity of references to homosexuality in the New Testament suggests that it was not a matter of major concern either for Jesus or for the early Christian movement.
The strong language in Leviticus 20:13 combined with Romans 1:26-27 was directed towards especially the ancient gentile people who had no laws or knowledge of God and were worshippers of various types of idols. Then the Law arrived through Moses to warn the Israelites not to engage in those activities with the surrounding gentile nations who practiced all kinds of wicked and immoral acts. The same stands true for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who were very wicked in their activities which also existed before they were aware of the Laws of God.
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
They concede that this verse is speaking of homosexuality-sex between members of the same gender. Their argument is that it no longer applies to them as Believers in Christ under the New Covenant, stating that they are no longer under the Law of Moses.
How about other Mosaic Laws that condemn certain things that are an abomination also? Should we continue to see them in the same manner as Leviticus 20:13?
Exodus 21:17 Anyone that curses their Father and Mother shall be put to death.
Exodus 31:15 Anyone that does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.
Leviticus 20:10 Anyone that commits adultery shall be put to death.
Leviticus 20:27 Anyone that is a sorcerer or magician or performs witchcraft shall be put to death.
That just names a few things that carry the same penalty in the Mosaic Law. Are any of these things more or less egregious than practicing homosexuality? If a person cannot be saved for any of these other practices, then is practicing homosexual behavior worse? Are all of these things sins? Do they have anything to do with having faith in the Lord? The answer is No..No..No..No.to all of them.
New Testament references to this subject are as follows:
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.
It appears that this passage speaks of idol worshippers in the past i.e. Lev 18:22…God gave up on them, the gentile nations. These people had no law to follow and didn’t know God and lived their lives in a manner where few if any morals existed.
1 Cor 6:9 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such *were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Paul is speaking to those of the Gentile Nations who lived in Corinth and had become believers in the Gospel. Where Paul says: “and such were some of you” in the original texts could have been saying: and such are some of you. Paul could have been saying that these new believers were still engaged in these objectionable behaviors. Then Paul follows up with the statement saying to them that “they are judged to be justified” and will not be held accountable for these acts. The scripture in Acts 13:39 states that those who are believers are justified from all things.
Acts 13:39 “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Paul goes on speaking about being justified by his faith saying because he is justified “All things are lawful unto me,” meaning that he will not be held accountable for anything.
Paul goes on speaking about being justified by his faith saying because he is justified “All things are lawful unto me,” meaning that he will not be held accountable for anything.
1 Tim 9:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Justification is an act that a sinner is freed through faith from the penalty of his sin and is accepted by God as being righteous. Nothing is inferred by this gift of justification that a person must have repented from anything to be justified and free from a penalty that would normally be inflicted upon a transgressor of any infraction.
After repenting of your sin of unbelief and being converted from an unbeliever to a believer in the gospel, all acts, no matter what they are, are justified by the blood shed by Jesus Christ. The only sin that will keep a person from being saved and inheriting eternal life is to disbelieve the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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