Christ absolutely requires repentance! That’s why he told the woman caught in adultery to “Go, and sin no more.”
Not only are we called to repentance, but also conversion. If a person who has trouble stealing is truly seeking God, and wishes to conform his life to the Gospel, God will provide the grace he needs to stop stealing. It may be gradual, but God works on his own schedule.
The same is true with homosexuals. I think we are not recognizing the difficulty they face daily, knowing that their attraction to the same sex is not natural. Studies show homosexuals encounter significant amounts of shame and depression, at much higher levels than heterosexuals.
How do we show them the face of Christ, encourage them to conform their lives, and share the truth of Gospel, in a way that is productive and effective?
I think that is one of the questions of the Synod.
Also the Lord calls us to BELIEVE as well as to REPENTENCE.