How can I reconcile homosexuality and my desire to be right with God?
Reconciling your homosexuality with your heart's desire to be right with God is not a big problem IF you start by reading scripture in context. Only when you isolate a few verses from their context do you run into problems.
In your original question, I believe you make several incorrect assumptions. First, you say "I know God is not pleased" with same sex relationships. For you to truly know that, there would have to be verses which in context, say that. I am not aware of any verse of scripture in the Bible which in context, says that.
Second, you ask, Can I truly be delivered from something I love and God hates? Again, the problem is when we read the Bible in context, it never says that God hates same sex relationships.
It can be difficult to separate in our minds what is true conviction from the Holy Spirit based on what scripture says in context and what is a negative attitude inculcated by false teaching in the church.
People who grew up in Bible preaching churches were taught that God hates homosexuality, period, end of discussion. That was drilled into us to such a degree that it is ingrained in our psyche as if it is the command of God.
Once we take the time to study the clobber passages in context (you can do that by clicking on any NavBar button under, What The Bible Says), we discover those passages prohibit shrine prostitution but they do not address or prohibit committed, faithful, same sex partnerships.
Here's the problem
Many gays and lesbians who grew up in church eventually rejected what the church teaches about homosexuality. They couldn't quite reconcile being gay with being Christian but in spite of that, they knew God loved them even though they were gay.
And they also rejected what they were taught about sexual purity and promiscuity. They couldn't legally marry a same sex partner in most of the world anyway so they began having sex without being married and without being in a committed relationship.
Today's reality for single gay Christians and single heterosexual Christians is that a huge percentage, around 80% according to Christianity Today, have forsaken the Biblical mandate to reserve sex for marriage or a committed relationship, 1 Corinthians 7:1-9.
"In a nationally representative study of young adults, just under 80 percent of unmarried, church-going, conservative Protestants who are currently dating someone are having sex of some sort."
Sex has become a way to satisfy a physical urge instead of a glorious unifying experience between two partners who love each other enough to make a lifetime commitment.
The good news is: Yes, God does love you! And God also wants you to live a clean, sanctified life, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7.
It is Biblical to wait to have sex until you are in a committed, faithful relationship, according to 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
You are absolutely right to believe that God is not pleased that you are having sex if you're having sex outside a committed, faithful relationship
Yes, you can be delivered from sexual sin - having sex outside a committed relationship - by obeying Romans 6:11-14. Just a reminder, the following verses ONLY apply to born again Christians. If you're not saved yet these verses do not apply to you. Once you get saved, the following verses will apply.
"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." -Romans 6:11-14, KJV
to begin a sexual relationship?
Since gay couples cannot legally marry
is sex in a committed relationship sin?
Is there any evidence of an actual
gay marriage in the Bible?
Original Question:
"I really believe that I am a Christian and that God loves me, however I want to be right with God. I struggle with homosexuality, and it has gotten to the point that I don't feel bad when I am with someone of the same sex, although I enjoy being intimate with him but I know GOD is not pleased. Can I truly be delivered from something that I love and God hates?"
