What does ‘Living in Sin’ Actually Mean?

I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately. I often hear straight Christians talk about the GLBT community as ‘living in sin’. What does that mean? I’m being serious.

My default is: Are we not all literally living in sin, no matter who we are or what we’re doing (Romans 3:23)? James 2:10 (my translation) says:

“If you’ve committed one sin, it’s like you’ve committed them all.”

There is no hierarchy in that statement. So what separates GLBT sin from the next? Here are a few answers I’ve heard, and a few honest questions I have to those answers, that I am looking for answers myself:

1. But partnered gay couples are perpetuating their sin… (Don’t you and I perpetuate in our sin everyday as well?)

2. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:18 that sexual sin is committed against one’s own body, and all others are committed outside of the body… (But Jesus said that if you even lust after someone you’ve comitted adultery – so what’s the difference then?)

I’m not here to argue if same-sex sexual behavior is sin or not, I’m just curious about the general statement ‘living in sin’. I’d love to hear your thoughts about what is ‘living in sin’ to help me think through this. Thanks.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org