Can a openly gay person enter heaven?

[Trellis S. Hamilton]

Gospel singer/pastor Tonex say's he is now gay and will go too heaven if he was to die today,because he is not lying about being gay.He also say's God allows covenants so its okay to sleep with just one person;fornication is when there's no covenant between you and who ever your sleeping with.Plz pray for this lost brother.

[Ruth]

Dear Dee,

The Bible never directly mentions smoking. There are principles, however, that definitely apply to smoking. First, the Bible commands us not to allow our bodies to become "mastered" by anything. "Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be mastered by anything" (1 Corinthians 6:12). Smoking is undeniably strongly addictive. Later in the same passage we are told, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Smoking is undoubtedly very bad for your health. Smoking has been proven to damage the lungs and the heart.

Can smoking be considered "beneficial" (1 Corinthians 6:12)? Can it be said that smoking is truly honoring God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:20)? Can a person honestly smoke "for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31)? We believe that the answer to these three questions is a resounding "no." As a result, we believe that smoking is a sin and therefore should not be practiced by followers of Jesus Christ.

Some argue against this view by pointing to the fact that many people eat unhealthy foods, which can be just as addicting and just as bad for the body. As an example, many people are so helplessly addicted to caffeine that they cannot function without their first cup of coffee in the morning. While this is true, how does that make smoking right? It is our contention that Christians should avoid gluttony and excessively unhealthy eating. Yes, Christians are often hypocritical by condemning one sin and condoning another, but, again, this does not make smoking honoring to God.

Another argument against this view of smoking is that many godly men have been smokers, such as the famous British preacher C.H. Spurgeon, who was known to smoke cigars. Again, we do not believe this argument holds any weight. We believe Spurgeon was wrong for smoking. Was he otherwise a godly man and fantastic teacher of God's Word? Absolutely! Does that make all of his actions and habits honoring to God? No.

In stating that smoking is a sin, we are not stating that all smokers are unsaved. There are many true believers in Jesus Christ who smoke. Smoking does not prevent a person from being saved. Nor does it cause a person to lose salvation. Smoking is no less forgivable than any other sin, whether for a person becoming a Christian or a Christian confessing his/her sin to God (1 John 1:9). At the same time, we firmly believe that smoking is a sin that should be forsaken and, with God’s help, overcome.
(www.gotquestions.org)

GBU

[Paula Olufsen]

Romans 12:1 (King James Version)

Romans 12

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

[Mary Munsey]

I agree with you Brian. "Nough said"

[Kamau]

I fully agree with Brian J.
More to it, and i like basing my propositions on the Bible- The words at Leviticus 20:13 " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

This is Gods Law and has no room for intepretations- its all in black & white.

[veronica boyd]

He must not agree with the Word , because he is debating with you like you are judging and it's purely the Word of GOD!

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with MANKIND AS WITH WOMANKIND , IT IS ABOMINATION

Leviticus 20:13 If a MAN ALSO LIE WITH MANKIND as he lie with a WOMAN , both of them have committed an ABOMINATION they shall SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH THEIR BLOOD SHALL BE UPON THEM.

Yes black and white
May GOD bless you !
veronica

[Laurie Walls]

I don't believe they can...the Bible is very clear on this subject...It is sad that the world is taking scripture out of context but the Bible does say in the last days people will do this. We need to pray for the church as a whole. The bible and God's truth is the same yesterday, today and forever!

[Carla]

Hi Trellis,

I found this on www.gotquestions.org. I have found this site to adhere to scripture. The responses are well researched and fair. I would like to add my own two cents worth also: I am Thankful to God that I am not the judge.... Praise Him that He does not require us to be... God's Grace, Mercy, Compassion and absolute Love for me gives me the strongest desire to please Him and Live for Him entirely. I make mistakes...lots of them! Thankfully, He knows my heart! When my own children make mistakes, I don't love them any less, I feel an overwhelming compassion towards them. I want things to go well for them, so I try my best to guide them to make a better choice next time. God does the same with us. My kids act out in rebellion...but so far they turn back to me in Love...and any brokenness in our relationship is always restored. God's forgiveness is ......overwhelming to say the least.

Anyhow, having said that, here is an answer which gives a biblical response to your question.

Question: "Is it possible to be a gay Christian?"

Answer: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). There is a tendency to declare homosexuality as the worst of all sins. While it is undeniable, biblically speaking, that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural (Romans 1:26-27), in no sense does the Bible describe homosexuality as an unforgivable sin. Nor does the Bible teach that homosexuality is a sin Christians will never struggle against.

Perhaps that is the key phrase in the question of whether it is possible to be a gay Christian: “struggle against.” It is possible for a Christian to struggle with homosexual temptations. Many homosexuals who become Christians have ongoing struggles with homosexual feelings and desires. Some strongly heterosexual men and women have experienced a “spark” of homosexual interest at some point in their lives. Whether or not these desires and temptations exist does not determine whether a person is a Christian. The Bible is clear that no Christian is sinless (1 John 1:8,10). While the specific sin / temptation varies from one Christian to another, all Christians have struggles with sin, and all Christians sometimes fail in those struggles (1 Corinthians 10:13).

What differentiates a Christian’s life from a non-Christian’s life is the struggle against sin. The Christian life is a progressive journey of overcoming the “acts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21) and allowing God’s Spirit to produce the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). Yes, Christians sin, sometimes horribly. Sadly, sometimes Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians. However, a true Christian will always repent, will always eventually return to God, and will always resume the struggle against sin. But the Bible gives no support for the idea that a person who perpetually and unrepentantly engages in sin can indeed be a Christian. Notice 1 Corinthians 6:11, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

First Corinthians 6:9-10 lists sins that, if indulged in continuously, identify a person as not being redeemed—not being a Christian. Often, homosexuality is singled out from this list. If a person struggles with homosexual temptations, that person is presumed to be unsaved. If a person actually engages in homosexual acts, that person is definitely thought to be unsaved. However, the same assumptions are not made, at least not with the same emphasis, regarding other sins in the list: fornication (pre-marital sex), idolatry, adultery, thievery, covetousness, alcoholism, slander, and deceit. It is inconsistent, for example, to declare those guilty of pre-marital sex as “disobedient Christians,” while declaring homosexuals definitively non-Christians.

Is it possible to be a gay Christian? If the phrase “gay Christian” refers to a person who struggles against homosexual desires and temptations – yes, a “gay Christian” is possible. However, the description “gay Christian” is not accurate for such a person, since he/she does not desire to be gay, and is struggling against the temptations. Such a person is not a “gay Christian,” but rather is simply a struggling Christian, just as there are Christians who struggle with fornication, lying, and stealing. If the phrase “gay Christian” refers to a person who actively, perpetually, and unrepentantly lives a homosexual lifestyle – no, it is not possible for such a person to truly be a Christian.

[Trellis S. Hamilton]

Thank you for your response... God Bless yes I know we struggle with sin as christians. But we should not try to justify our sins with Gods word as Tonex has tried to do. And clearly he should not be pastoring a church nor ministering in song until he get his house in order.Thats why I ask for prayer for him because he is being led away by the lies of satan.

[Michelle Thompson]

Very true. As a Pastor once stated, if a person is not of God, they should not be allowed to stand behind a pulpit. It is blasphemy against God.

[Ray]

Hi Carla, I agree with you. Sin is sin, no such thing as a big sin or a little sin. If we want God to forgive us of our sin we must turn from ",Repent,"of sin and turn to God, to do His will.. We need to study God's law and understand it.. Rightly divide it, we don't live under the Old Testament, we live under the New Testament. We don't have to offer burnt offerings and travel to Jerusalem once a year. Matthew 17:5 God said,"This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!" Study of the New Testament is the way we hear Him, if we do what he says. John 14:10 Jesus said, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say unto you I do not speak on My own initiative , but the Father abiding in Me does His works. John 14:24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father who sent Me. None of us are perfect, far from it, but we keep changing and turning to God. Have a great day and may God bless you and yours.. Keep climbing that upward path.. Charles Ray

[Michelle Thompson]

Very well said. During church last night, our Pastor preached about walking in the Spirit once a person is saved. The truth is we all have things that "tempt" us. Once we are saved, we pray and ask for God to give us strength and the Holy Spirit is our "Enforcer" to help us overcome temptation. A person who is truly saved and committed to crucifying the flesh will seek to walk in the Spirit . We must not let our carnal mind overcome the mind of God.

[Quila]

yes plz pray for this brother...That is a NO NO NO NO