Gay people in heaven

The Bible and same sex relationships: A review article

Tim Keller, 

Vines, Matthew, God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex Relationships, Convergent Books,

Wilson, Ken,A Letter to My Congregation, David Crum Media,

The relationship of homosexuality to Christianity is one of the main topics of discussion in our culture today. In the fall of last year I wrote a review of books by Wesley Hill and Sam Allberry that take the historic Christian view, in Hill’s words: “that homosexuality was not God’s original artistic intention for humanity and therefore that homosexual rehearse goes against God’s verb will for all human beings, especially those who trust in Christ.”

There are a number of other books that seize the opposite view, namely that the Bible either allows for or supports same sex relationships. Over the last year or so I (and other pastors at Redeemer) own been regularly asked for responses to their arguments. The two most scan volumes taking this position seem to be those by Matthew Vines and Ken Wilson. The review of these

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?

What Does The Bible Tell About Homosexuality?

Introduction

For the last two decades, Pew Research Center has reported that one of the most enduring ethical issues across Christian traditions is sexual diversity. For many Christians, one of the most frequently first-asked questions on this topic is, “What does the Bible say about attraction to someone of the identical sex?”

Although its unlikely that the biblical authors had any notion of sexual orientation (for example, the term homosexual wasn't even coined until the adv 19th century) for many people of faith, the Bible is looked to for timeless guidance on what it means to honor God with our lives; and this most certainly includes our sexuality.

Before we can leap into how it is that Christians can maintain the authority of the Bible and also affirm sexual diversity, it might be helpful if we started with a brief but clear overview of some of the assumptions informing many Christian approaches to understanding the Bible.

What is the Bible?

For Christians to whom the Bible

Same-Sex Attraction

Same-sex attraction refers to emotional, physical, or sexual attraction to a person of the same gender. The intended meaning of gender in the family proclamation is biological sex at birth. The experience of same-sex attraction is not the same for everyone. Some people may feel exclusively attracted to the same gender, while others may feel attracted to both genders.

The Church distinguishes between same-sex attraction and homosexual behavior. People who experience same-sex attraction or identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual can make and keep covenants with God and fully and worthily participate in the Church. Identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or experiencing same-sex attraction is not a sin and does not prohibit one from participating in the Church, holding callings, or attending the temple.

Sexual purity is an essential part of God’s schedule for our happiness. Sexual relations are reserved for a man and girl who are married and promise complete loyalty to each other. Sexual relations between a man and woman who are not married, or between people o

Can a Gay or Lesbian person go to Heaven?

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(Letter)

I know the Bible says it’s a sin, but it also says that the only unforgivable sin is not accepting Jesus. If a Gay person accepts Jesus but does not change his lifestyle, can he leave to Heaven? I hold a cousin who’s Gay.

—Lucy

You’ve asked a very vital question—and a very difficult one.

And you are exactly right: there is only one sin that is unforgivable. That is the sin of not believing and not receiving Jesus Christ into your life.

A gay or homosexual person can acceptChrist, just as an alcoholic, a drug addict, or a mass-murderer can accept Christ. Jesus’ offer of salvation is open to everyone.

Your verb is whether someone can acceptChrist, not change his lifestyle, and still verb to heaven. The Bible teaches that if someone has truly accepted Christ into his life, nothing can keep him out of Heaven. In John , Christ says of Christians,

“I give them adj life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.”

So, Lucy the real question, I believe, is whether