Chapter I. Defining a Christian

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In my other work, A Christian Responds, I devoted a chapter to what it truly means to be a Christian. There I examined not only the Scriptures but also the living Tradition of the Church. The discussion is extensive, and I will not reproduce it in full here. Instead, I offer a brief summary before turning to the principal question of this chapter: Can there be LGBT+ Christians, and how does the Church understand this delicate matter?

At the outset, I must clarify that merely asserting a belief does not compel my acceptance. Faith, in my understanding, rests not on private opinion but upon the authority of the Church, which I regard as far higher than any individual sentiment, however fervent.

I do not believe God harbours hatred towards homosexual persons, nor should I. As Scripture affirms, "For You love all the things that exist, and You detest nothing of the things You made; for You would not even make anything You hated. How could anything continue to exist unless You willed it? Or how could anything be preserved unless it was called into existence by You? You spare all things, because they are Yours, O Master who love human beings" (Wis. 11:24–26). I will not accept accusations that attribute to me the views of others when they do not reflect my own.

What, then, does it mean to be a Christian?

To read the Scriptures is to witness the living presence of God in the lives of His people. To accept Him is to be transformed, drawing ever closer to His teaching. This transformation produces the "fruits" of the Spirit, given by grace. St. Paul writes, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22–23). Foremost among these is love. Love for God, love for neighbour, love even for one's enemies. This is the wellspring from which all virtues flow. St. Paul exhorts, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13).

True discipleship, the earliest Christians recognised, is measured by the fruits one bears. St. Justin Martyr declared, "And let those who are not found living as He taught, be understood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the precepts of Christ." St. Justin Popovich affirmed, "He who has no love cannot be called a Christian [...] The whole Gospel is summarised in compassion." Love is not merely an act we declare; it must be measured by the life Christ Himself taught, not by personal assumption.

Our Lord warns, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21–22). It is by our fruits that we discern both righteousness and deception. Scripture instructs us to test spirits and recognise false prophets (1 Jn. 4:1; 2 Pt. 2:1). Repeated transgression should be addressed within the Church, and those who refuse correction are to be treated as a tax collector or a heathen, not as a brother or sister in Christ (Matt. 18:15–17).

Professing the name of Christ is not sufficient. Christianity has never taught that truth is relative or that willful sin is acceptable. One's profession is validated by the life one leads, by the fruits one bears. The Christian life calls for correction, humility, and guidance offered in love, as Proverbs affirms, "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid" (Prov. 12:1).

The question of LGBT+ identity and practice must be considered within this framework. The Church teaches that homosexual acts, whether physical or mental, are sinful, while the struggles of attraction are not. A person who embraces such acts persistently, despite correction, reveals that their foundation is not in Christ. Conversely, one who refrains and grounds their identity in Him demonstrates faithful Christian living. Fr. Seraphim Rose offers a modern example, transforming his life entirely and living in holiness as a true follower of Christ.

Similarly, gender is a gift of God, established at creation as male and female (Gen. 1:27). Scripture forbids blurring this order (Deut. 22:5). Gender is not fluid but ordained; those who struggle with dysphoria are called to place their identity in Christ.

In conclusion, discerning a Christian's faith requires attention to their fruits, their motives, and their foundation. Neither same-sex attraction nor struggles with gender inherently exclude one from following Christ. It is the response, the choices, and the life shaped by faith that reveal whether one walks with God or pursues the desires of the self.

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