I pick that particular sin because it’s one of the most popular ones for christians to use as a weapon of christian superiority. It really doesn’t matter what sin I would have chosen—adultery, murder, lying, stealing, drunkenness—they are all sins of the flesh, and there is not a single sin of the flesh that has anything to do with salvation.
Justification (salvation) is wholly based on belief, and 1 John 5:10 explains that those who are believers in the Father’s eyes have the witness in them (in the Greek, the word is “evidence”). And, that evidence is given after one believes in Messiah Yahoshua (repents of unbelief) and confesses Him before men (endures in belief).
That belief by man is what will eventually result in his receiving the covenant—and receiving the covenant is a gift, it is not based on how well one performs good works, nor is it precluded because of sins of the flesh, as those sins apply ONLY to those who have already received the covenant.
What was Paul doing at the time he received the covenant? He was persecuting believers (not “christians,” as christianity would not be invented until long after Paul had died). People are either believers or unbelievers. Unbelievers are “condemned already” because of their unbelief (John 3:18, Hebrews 3:19), so there are no sins of the flesh that can make them “more condemned.” Believers are those who have received the Holy Spirit (by the Father’s will, not their own)–it is not based on a decision, a prayer, or because they say they “accepted Christ,” which is just false christianese.
Once one has been adopted, the Father desires His child to crucify his flesh—to start denying fleshly gratification, and to stop committing sins of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). But note, those sins only apply to those who are already children. They are what the Father desires HIS CHILDREN to stop doing. Those who are His children are always His children—that is not based on what they do, but on who they are, based on the sealing of the Spirit within them. One’s physical child doesn’t become no longer his child because of disobedience!
So, it doesn’t matter if it’s homosexuality, murder, gossiping, or loving strife—the Father desires His children to cease from ALL sins of the flesh. But, no human will ever rid himself completely of the law of the flesh within, and that battle between the flesh and the spirit will be there until heaven. It is the basis of reward for those who have eternal life. Why would there be a reward system, if there were no basis for reward vs. lack of reward? The less one sacrifices his flesh, the less his reward will be. But, that is not what determines eternal destiny.
So, the next time some preacher declares that homosexuals and drunks will not be heaven, tell him he’d better hope he’s wrong, because liars are their equal in the arena of the flesh.
For more information: Do Sinners Go to Heaven?