Can someone be gay and Christian? Is it possible to be a gay Christian?

TL;DR:

The Bible teaches that same-sex attraction and behavior are sinful, and embracing or finding our identity in those desires is contrary to God’s design. While someone may struggle with same-sex attraction and still follow Christ, true faith means surrendering all desires to God and finding our identity in Him, not in our sexuality.

what does the bible say?

A person may have desires or attractions to someone of the same sex whether he or she is Christian or non-Christian. These desires do not always automatically go away when a person becomes a Christian. However, the Bible clearly teaches that same-sex attraction and behavior are sinful. A person who accepts being gay or same-sex attracted as being good, acts upon it, or encourages others to do the same is not living the way God calls us to live. How we see and respond to our sin matters. Since gay or same-sex behavior is a sin, it is also a sin to have desires for these behaviors. Identifying as a "gay Christian" or embracing same-sex attraction as part of one’s identity is contrary to Scripture, which calls believers to find their identity in Christ alone. All sin comes from within our hearts, and it is our responsibility to surrender our desires to God’s ways. Being a Christian means not only fighting against sinful actions but also allowing God to reshape our hearts and desires according to His will. Ultimately, God will lead us toward greater holiness and true fulfillment in Him as we surrender ourselves, including our desires, to Him.

from the old testament

God created humanity on the sixth day of creation and intentionally made them male and female. In Genesis 1:27-28 and Genesis 2:24, we see that God made man and woman in His image and blessed their union, calling them to become "one flesh" in marriage. This sacred bond is the rightful and joyful place for sexual desire to be expressed. Anything outside of God’s purpose is a distortion of His design, leading to brokenness, hurt, and separation from the fullness of life He intended for us. In essence, it is sin.
Part of God’s moral law to the ancient Israelites included a prohibition against homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22) and other unnatural sexual acts. Civil and ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law are no longer required (see Colossians 2:16-17) but God’s moral law does not change.

from the new testament

Jesus teaches that sin begins in the heart, as seen in Matthew 15:19, where He says, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Therefore, harboring sinful desires by identifying ourselves by them, including same-sex attraction, requires repentance and surrender to God’s transforming power.
Romans 1:26-27 confirms that same-sex relations are sinful: “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” God calls all people to repentance, forgiveness, and transformation through Christ.
First Corinthians 6:9-10 lists same-sex activity among other sins practiced by those who “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Sexual sin, including same-sex attraction, is especially harmful because it distorts God's design for our bodies, which are meant to honor Him, and it creates a deep spiritual separation from Him (1 Corinthians 6:18).
Interestingly, 1 Corinthians 6:11, the verse that immediately follows the list of sins, states, "And such were some of you. 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." Clearly, some of the Corinthian Christians had previously been involved in same sex activity. However, once they trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, they were given new life and were called to live differently.
Our identity is meant to be rooted in Christ and what God says of us, not in our sexuality; Galatians 2:20 says, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." We are called to find our worth and purpose in being children of God, as 1 John 3:1 declares, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." Being a child of God means we live for the things of God, setting aside our natural desires— such as sexual sin—, to follow Christ.

implications for today

A person can struggle with same-sex attraction and still be a genuine Christian, because being tempted is not sin in and of itself. What matters is how we respond and view our sin. When someone chooses to identify as a "gay Christian," they are making a sinful inclination part of their core identity instead of allowing God to define them. Likewise, when someone accepts same-sex attraction as good, acts upon it, or encourages others to do the same, it is a clear rejection of God's design and a refusal to repent. Embracing sin rather than fighting it leads to spiritual hardness and separation from God's truth (Romans 1:24-28; Hebrews 3:12-13). True Christian living means continually turning away from sin, even when it is difficult, and trusting Christ to reshape our hearts and desires. Reshaping might mean changing or surrendering our desires and choosing to live within His design and purposes for humanity even if we don’t fully or naturally understand them.

Scripture calls us to find our identity fully in Christ, not in our desires or struggles (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:17). While most people who consider themselves gay do not want to see this as a choice or a struggle, anything that goes against God’s character, design, and purposes is sinful, which will lead to a struggle. God’s call is for us to live faithful, surrendered lives to Him. Living faithfully means surrendering every part of ourselves to God’s truth, even our sexual attractions. In Christ, we are called to walk in the newness of life He gives. Sex and sexuality is a beautiful gift God has intentionally created us with to reflect Him, but lived out according to His ways. True fulfillment is found in living according to His purposes, reflecting His holiness in every part of our lives, and trusting that He has a plan for us that far exceeds anything the world or our own desires can offer.

understand

Same-sex attraction and behavior are sinful according to the Bible.
Struggling with same-sex attraction does not disqualify someone from being a Christian; however, calling oneself a “gay Christian” means choosing a sin to define yourself instead of Christ.
True faith requires surrendering all sinful desires to God and finding identity in Christ above all else.

reflect

In what areas of your life do you find it most difficult to surrender your desires and identity fully to Christ?
How do you personally respond to sinful desires — do you fight against them, justify them, or surrender them to God for transformation?
What steps can you take to root your identity more firmly in being a child of God rather than in your struggles, successes, or desires?

engage

Why is it important for Christians to find their identity in Christ rather than in any personal desire or struggle?
How does the cultural pressure to affirm same-sex attraction challenge our call to find our identity in Christ and to live for holiness, and how can we encourage each other to trust God's design even when it’s hard?
What does true repentance and transformation look like for someone who struggles with same-sex attraction — and how can the Church faithfully walk alongside them in love and truth?