Transformed – teen devotion – June 23, 2019
Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.
Proverbs 28:14
Can LGBT people be saved?
There seems to be the thought among Christians that gay people can’t go to heaven. That is absolutely not true. There are plenty of awesome children of God who have same sex attraction. Whoever believes that gay people can’t be saved simply does not know Scripture as they ought. Furthermore, what do people think about their own salvation, if they believe gay people are beyond saving but they are not? Do such people believe that their good works save them? Paul is pretty clear in Romans 3:20 that “no one will be declared righteous by keeping the law. Rather, through the law we all become conscious of sin in our lives.” We also see our need for a Savior. No one is good enough to save themselves, not even in part. No one is beyond God’s grace either, especially not gay people.
Sin is sin. All sin condemns equally, and all sin is equally forgiven by Jesus. The issue, then, is not homosexuality but the attitude in the heart of the individual. This is true for any sin.
The most important issue is repentance. Are you sorry for your sins? Is a gay person sorry for their sinful thoughts, words, and actions? Is the liar sorry for lying? Is the thief sorry for stealing? Do we trust that Jesus has truly forgiven us? Then by grace we are saved! That same grace covers the person who struggles with same sex attraction. The gift of God’s grace causes us to hate our sin and fight it all the more, striving toward holy living day by day.
What is the unforgiveable sin? It’s not homosexuality. The only unforgiveable sin is the hardened sin which rejects Jesus and the forgiveness he brings. The only unforgiveable sin is refusing to embrace in faith the Savior from sin.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, sin can be so tempting. Continue to lead us out of temptation. May we never choose sin over you and our salvation. Forgive us for all our sins and especially for our sinful natures which would only harden us against you. Amen.
This devotion is part four of five devotions on the topic of LGBTQ. Be sure to come back for more insight from God’s Word on how to address this issue.
