First of all, I would like to acknowledge that this is a sensitive subject, and I am addressing it as respectfully as possible and have no intentions to offend anyone. Please understand that I do not have all the answers, and I'm not saying I'm 100 percent correct. But I do 100 percent believe that God is full of love and mercy and He wants us all to spend eternity with Him in heaven. With the recent tragedy of the Orlando shooting, and the everyday negative treatment towards homosexuals and those of the LGBTQ community, the issue of hate needs to stop. I would like to explain what I view that God says about homosexuality based on scripture. These verses are from the NLT version of the Bible, a translation that I use most often and find easy to understand.

Leviticus 18:22 "Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin." This verse defines the practice of homosexuality as a sin. As a Christian, I believe that the Bible is 100 percent true, and so I do believe that this verse is true. However what I am not insinuating is that "God hates gays," or that "homosexuals are going to hell." The point I am simply highlighting is that homosexuality is a sin.

But I am a sinner as well! I am not a perfect person, none of us are. I am in no way saying that homosexuality is a greater sin than lying, adultery, or murder, because it's not. Unfortunately, sometimes we seem to create a meter by which we measure other sins as greater than the ones we have committed ourselves. And I am sorry for that. No sin is justified, and calling others out or spreading hatred is not the proper way to deal with sin.

Please note that I am not condemning gay people to hell. In fact we all deserve hell, because we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." But by the grace of God, and Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, we are given the opportunity to have everlasting life in heaven. No sin is greater than God's gift to us!

1 John 5:16-17 "If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death." This verse really spoke to me and is actually what inspired me to write about the topic of homosexuality. The last sentence states that not every sin leads to death. There are Christians that believe that homosexuality condemns a person to hell. I do not believe that; it is a sin like any other. What also stood out to me is that "there is a sin that leads to death", and I interpret that as singular, one sin. Only one sin leads to death or hell. And I believe that sin is not having Jesus in your heart. A little earlier in 1 John 5:12 it states "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life." The key to heaven is accepting Jesus into your heart.

So what does God say about homosexuality?

He says it is a sin. But everybody sins. And yet despite all our sin, God loves us. Each and every person on this planet. God loves you and me, no matter what. And He wants to spend eternity with you in heaven, if you'll accept Him into your heart.