In a most helpful essay answering the question, “How do Christians speak about homosexuality?” Denny Burk offers three essential truths about homosexuality that Christians need to know from 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me.

Homosexual sinners need the gospel just as much as you do. Christ intends to save homosexual sinners from their sin and to include them in his body, the church. No text brings this truth out more vividly than 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. I want you to see three things in this text.

The Unrighteous Are Excluded from God’s Kingdom (6:9a)

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” (1 Cor. 6:9a). Not everyone gets in. Those who die in their sin will perish for eternity. They do not experience God’s redemptive reign through Christ. Because they are unrighteous, they are excluded.

Homosexuals Are Among the Unrighteous Who Are Excluded (6:9b-10)

“Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor 6:9b-10). Homosexuals are named among those who are unrighteous and excluded. The terms translated “effeminate” and “homosexual” refer to the active and passive partners in a homosexual encounter. And these two are included in a long list of other kinds of sinners: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, the covetous people, drunkards, revilers, swindlers. It’s a bad crew, and homosexuals are named right there with them.

The Gospel Makes Them Righteous and Included (6:11)

“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 Christ, and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11). God is in the business of saving sinners, and homosexuals are included.

God loves all sinners and calls them all to repentance.

God loves homosexual sinners and calls them to repentance.

God loves to forgive all sinners who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord – homosexual sinner gladly included.

I cannot more highly recommend the whole essay to you. You can find it here.