I heard a pastor say no. Because romans one calls homosexuality unnatural, meaning it's such a bad sin it isn't even in the sin nature. God also gave the homosexuals over to their desires, meaning he's given up on them completely.
Paul's audience in Romans 1 were heterosexuals. Gay people have nothing to "exchange" to become gay. (Paul was also talking about pagan prositution, which does not apply to modern day society).I heard a pastor say no. Because romans one calls homosexuality unnatural, meaning it's such a bad sin it isn't even in the sin nature. God also gave the homosexuals over to their desires, meaning he's given up on them completely.
How in the world do you figure Romans 1 does not apply to modern day society??? Paul establishes doctrine all throughout Romans.Paul's audience in Romans 1 were heterosexuals. Gay people have nothing to "exchange" to become gay. (Paul was also talking about pagan prositution, which does not apply to modern day society).
And no, homosexuality is not the unpardonable sin. That pastor is 100% wrong.
What does Scripture say?I heard a pastor say no. Because romans one calls homosexuality unnatural, meaning it's such a bad sin it isn't even in the sin nature. God also gave the homosexuals over to their desires, meaning he's given up on them completely.
I think the preacher has a fair argument that homosexuals cannot be saved.
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
In the secular Random House dictionary, this definition is provided for Reprobate "a person rejected by god and beyond hope of salvation." This definition seems consistent with the multiple occurrences of the underlying Greek word in scripture.
Look at Romans 1:28. God, Himself, gave them over to a reprobate might. The NLT uses the phrase "God, he abandoned them..." How can anyone whom God has rejected be saved?
A second argument that homosexuals cannot be saved comes from Liberals. Liberals claim that homosexuals cannot change.
There's no biological reason why someone is a homosexual. There's no "gay gene". There's no scientific reason why they can't be reconditioned and be made no longer homosexual. Attraction, and really any physiological response, is very malleable.
If homosexuals cannot change, and there is no scientific explanation for it, then there must be a spiritual explanation for it. If they cannot change then they cannot be saved. Christians are new men in Christ, not the same old man. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Or 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...
What does Scripture say?
Does it say that [homosexual] fornication is the unpardonable sin?
Not even Romans condemns homosexuality. Homosexuality is a blanket expression that covers an entire lifestyle. Romans only addresses one particular behavior we associate with that lifestyle (men sexing men). Even when Paul talks of women, he doesn't specify that he is talking about women sexing women, but simply that they have exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, not ever specifying exactly what he means by that.
So, while there is a behavior mentioned here that is sinful, and an implication of others, one has to operate in a touch of creativity to apply it as a blanket statement against the modern homosexual. I, personally, am not ready to take such liberties with the truth.
I heard a pastor say no. Because romans one calls homosexuality unnatural, meaning it's such a bad sin it isn't even in the sin nature. God also gave the homosexuals over to their desires, meaning he's given up on them completely.
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