The Bible teaches that homosexuals are sinners by nature. This is not a debatable issue. This is an essential teaching that all
Christians must accept. Heterosexuals
are likewise sinners by nature. This
also is not a debatable issue. This is
clear teaching from the word of God. “All
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
The debate over homosexuality should not be had over whether
or not a homosexual is “born that way”.
That makes no difference.
Christian, is it really so hard to believe that someone is born with a
predisposition, or a desire towards sin?
Of course not. The Bible teaches
that God created Adam perfect. Adam
decided to rebel against the God who created him and because of that we all, by
nature, join him in that rebellion. We
are all “born that way”, though that predisposition towards sin manifests
itself in different ways in different people.
The real issue is one of repentance. As Christians we are called to deny ourselves
and follow Jesus. (Matthew 16:24) Many
people know this verse, but few in our culture truly live it out. Pastor Saeed Abedini is living it out. He is in prison in Iran. He suffers regular beatings with no medical
care. Eventually he will be killed. He knew that he faced this when he decided to
preach the Lord Jesus Christ to the lost in Iran. He has a wife and kids who miss him
dearly. Wouldn’t he rather be with them
right now? Of course he would. But he loves God more than he loves himself,
and so he preached Christ to the Muslims of Iran. (And continues to do so in prison in between
beatings.)
The issue of homosexuality is one of repentance. If a homosexual truly resolves in their heart
to deny their own desires, no matter how innate, it will hurt. But that is what God requires. He requires a change in the mind about
sin. You must hate your sin and love
God. You must trust in the perfection of
Christ’s sacrifice on the cross on behalf of your own failings. To do this you must repent from your desires. Just like I must repent of my desires.
I am an adulterer.
Vile and wicked. The Lord Jesus
Christ said, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful
intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew
5:28) I fail that test, and it is a
deadly serious sin. Do I want to look at
women with lustful intent? No. I desperately
want to change. I hate it. I was born that way. This DOES NOT make it right. It makes me a sinner to a Holy God.
What can I do? All I
can do is throw myself on the mercy of the Judge. All I can do is recognize that it is not
okay, even though I was “born that way”.
I need to repent from my own sinful desires and believe in the complete
forgiveness available to me through the death, burial, and resurrection of our God,
and Savior, Jesus Christ.
If you are reading this, you are also “born that way”. No matter how it manifests in you, we are all
in the same boat. There is forgiveness
in Christ, but only in Christ. Outside
of Christ there is only wrath and condemnation.
(Not from me, but from God.) I
beg you to repent and believe the good news of Jesus Christ, our God.
