Does "Being Gay" Send You to Hell?

In his response to the recent court rulings in California and a local pastors retort Jonathan Falwell made the statement,

“Being gay doesn’t send anyone to hell. Rejecting Jesus Christ does.”

Falwell was responding to a local pastor from Lynchburg who responded to the recent court rulings to allow same sex marriage by saying, “he hoped that all homosexuals would just move to California.”

Jonathan Falwell’s intent on rightfully reprimanding the concept that we should not deal with people who have serious issues in a flippant way was well founded. However, his admonishment left an ambiguous whole in his retort.

The Apostle Paul said,

"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 homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, NKJV)

Paul clearly indicates that someone who practices the sinful lifestyle of the past such as thievery or drunkenness or homosexuality is someone who does not demonstrate that he has been changed or born again.

While I agree with the sentiment to hate the sin and love the sinner, we should also affirm that we will condemn not condone a sinful lifestyle. Steve Lawson said, the two edged Word of God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. The tragedy of all of this is that our culture is slowly accepting the practice of a sinful lifestyle by defining ones personhood by their behavior.

Jesus Christ promises a new life to those who are born again.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)

I find John Piper’s response to the following question helpful.

How can we help Christians who are struggling with homosexual desires?

I would encourage them to be careful not to define themselves as "homosexual." Don't say, "I am gay," or "I am a homosexual." Say, rather, "I struggle with homosexual desires." That's a very small—and huge—distinction.