Please understand these thoughts are for the Christians of the world and not for those who do not follow Christ. Non-Christians are not exempt from the Truth herein contained, but I do not expect non-Christians to know better, and so I am not chiding you. I would only ask non-Christians to read with an open heart and hear how the love of God can free you from the weight of sin.
Also, I am not picking on homosexuals. I love homosexuals. I do not love the sin of homosexuality. In fact, I do not love any sin at all. As a Christian, I hate the very sin that lies within my own body. I detest anything that I do that is against the holy God that I love and serve, much in the same way that my heart hurts when I disappoint and fail loved ones in my life. I could just as easily write about any sin in the world, but this is the one sin that seems to be in the public eye over and over again. The freedom to pursue this sin and to recognize it as an alternative living option with equal rights is a hot topic on everyone's political minds. I don't care to weigh in politically at all. I simply want to look at the issue of sin surrounding the subject.
Please note that I'm aware and take full responsibility for my own sin. I'm also aware that acknowledging my sin does not excuse it nor do I ask that it be excused. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That means that everyone has sin in their life. Furthermore, it says that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance of that sin. While I have done my fair share of repenting in my life, I know that there is plenty more ahead because I am not perfect. There is plenty of darkness in my heart to address, therefore, I will not be pointing the finger at any one person's sin, but rather all of our sin.
Now, on to my thoughts. This "born that way trend" is the one I keep seeing in our culture that is quite disturbing to me. I read an article a few weeks ago regarding a Christian musician who had come out of the closet as being a lesbian. She was talking about how she had been a closet lesbian for a long time, having these drives and passions for another woman, but not yielding to them because she was afraid of what people would think of her and losing her record deals. She said she was afraid God wouldn't love her, but that now she is convinced that God made her this way. That if He made her this way, that He must love her this way. Therefore, she was going to give in to this drive within and live as a lesbian, letting the chips fall where they may, all the while believing that living out life as a lesbian is acceptable to God.
She is right about a few things. God does love her. God loves her regardless of her decisions because God is love. God does not stop loving because He can't. It's impossible to separate love from Him.
However, I do not believe that God loves her sin or is willing to allow her to continue in that sin. That goes for all of us, not just her. None of our sins are acceptable to Him. That's why there's grace and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ, but that grace is not to be taken for granted. The idea must be rejected that we can plunge ourselves into sin because he will forgive us once we indulge. He will forgive, but that doesn't give us liberty to keep on sinning.This attitude of "well, I was born this way, so I'm going to be this way regardless of it being sinful" is dangerous. I am no one to determine whether or not a person is born a homosexual. I couldn't tell you what makes a woman desire another woman, or what makes a man burn for another man. Being a heterosexual male means I don't understand this type of wiring. I don't have to understand it. We are all wired differently and have different life experiences that may have caused our mental configurations. The wiring is what it is. But it doesn't mean we get to just live as we are wired. It doesn't mean that it is acceptable to God because it is how we are made/wired/geared.
I'm not going to get into the argument of "why would God create people wired this way" and "don't I think it is cruel." God is sovereign and that means He can do anything He wants to do. I am no one to question why God does a thing or does not. Which means I am simply trying to deal with my own wiring and allow Him to lead me through the rejection of my wiring to receive the new wiring that is found in His son Jesus Christ.
But if this kind of thinking that says "I was born this way, so I'm going to live this way" is to be supported, what is to be said about pedophiles that are wired to be sexually aroused by little children? Should they just be allowed to have sex with children because that is how they are wired? Now before you cry foul, I'm not comparing homosexuality to pedophilia. I'm just saying that a pedophile will tell you they can't help it. They are just aroused by children. This sounds like the same argument of a homosexual that says they can't help it.
How about we get out of the sexual arena for a moment. What about overweight people? Do they allow themselves to eat whatever they want because that is what they are craving? Isn't that damaging and unhealthy? What about liars, murderers, and adulterers? Or thieves, gossips, terrorists, etc.? Should any sin, acceptable in culture or not, be something that we as an individual allow ourselves to perpetuate? Ask any one and they will tell you that they just can't help it or that they didn't mean to do what they did. They just did it. That something within made them do it.
The apostle Paul struggled with this very thing. He called himself wretched and said he did what he did not want to do and didn't do what he wanted to do. He admitted to an inward struggle that kept him continually frustrated. This doesn't sound like a great life does it? A life of perpetual frustration sounds awful. I can personally testify that my own sin is hard to deal with and that I do not enjoy the battle, or furthermore losing the battle to sin. I have landed the same place Paul did allowing Christ's grace to be sufficient for me. To continue fighting until I have won and to ask for forgiveness quickly when I have not.
I know that there's grace for the sinner. That Jesus died for our forgiveness and that means we will always be forgiven for as long as we seek it. But does that mean we live out our sin willfully, knowing that we will ask for forgiveness at the end of the day? Or maybe not even asking for forgiveness anymore, acknowledging that what we are doing is wrong in the eyes of God, but it is who we are. Romans 6:12-15 (NIV) says NO quite clearly:
12
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness,
but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from
death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments
of righteousness.
14
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
As Christians, no matter our wiring, inclinations, or temptations we cannot go on sinning. It doesn't matter if you were born this way or not. Being born this way is an excuse for not fighting temptation and an escape from responsibility for your actions. As soon as we are aware of our sin, it is time to begin the process of crucifying our flesh, which is where that sin resides. That means denying our flesh the pleasure of this sin and pursuing holiness by the grace of God. This process is a daily thing and may last our entire lives. I cannot tell you it will always be easy, but I can tell you that God will never give you more than you can bear. I also know that the Bible says that God will always with the temptation provide a means of escape.
An escape door is just a fancy decoration unless you choose to throw open the latch and run through the door to avoid the danger at hand. The reason most people do not use the escape is because they are enjoying their sin. Don't get me wrong, sin is pleasurable for a season, but the end thereof is death. Hell. Separation from God (love) here on earth and eternally in heaven because God is holy and will not allow sin to be in His presence.
An example in my personal life before Christ of denying my flesh is that I enjoyed hearing and telling dirty jokes. It is something I relished. I took pleasure in laughing at them and making people laugh. I used to have this ritual where I'd call my friends, singing when they answered "It's the joke of the day, joke of the day, joke of the daaaaaay", tell the dirty joke, and then hang up before they could respond. It was a quirky but fun thing I loved to do. However, after Christ came into my life, I really began to be convicted about the use of my words and how filthy jokes polluted my thoughts. I had to make a decision because the Holy Spirit was gently leading me away from it.
Should I have demanded the right to tell dirty jokes? I could have, but God has so much more for me that I made a decision. It was not easy to stop. It still isn't easy. I'll hear the guys at work telling jokes and it is hard for me not to laugh at a thing and to keep out of the conversation. I'm constantly tempted to insert a dirty joke or lewd line here and there that I know would have them rolling. But I resist the temptation and crucify that desire. I'm not perfect, but I'm trying. The Holy Spirit is my constant friend and reminder to watch my tongue.
Am I coming down on anyone for telling jokes? Nope. I love jokes. I have been convicted about certain kinds of jokes that for me have become sin. So I deny myself that desire to participate because to me it is sin. This is just an example of what we have to do with our temptations. When something has been identified as sin, we have to nail it to the cross of Calvary. I could excuse my sin by getting you to accept it as being who I am, a result of how I grew up, or a product of what has happened to me. But does God view it the same way? Sin is sin. It must be denied in our bodies. It cannot be allowed to perpetuate. The damage it will do to the very fabric of our souls is great.
If we are not interested in doing this, there are some serious issues of the heart to address. My question would be who is your real God - yourself or Jehovah. If we value pleasing ourselves over pleasing our God, then you are your own god. You've placed your desires above His and therefore have exalted yourself. This self worship is a slippery slope and leads to a lot of dark places filled with emptiness. We become people Paul warned Timothy about that have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof, which is just crazy to me. The power of the cross of Christ is free to all who accept it. Why would you not want to be free from your sin? Why would you just give up like that? There's too much at stake if you ask me. I know it's tough, but show me in the Bible where it says this life would be easy.
I know at this point you have to be asking who can actually walk this walk. None of us can do it perfectly. Not me, not anyone! However, giving sin its way with our lives and demanding Christians to accept it is contrary to the gospel. You as a person, as a sinner, are accepted. Your sin will never be acceptable. No matter how culturally accepted it is, sin is sin.
One last thought and then I'll wrap up this rant. If Christians would stop judging people then maybe more people would come forward with their temptation to sin and do what James 5:16 tells us to do when he says to "confess our faults to each other. And to pray with one another so that we can be healed." This simple act of obedience creates accountability, shows humility, and creates a connection with your fellow man. It's time for change. It's time to own our sin. It's time to stop judging people for how they are wired - regardless of whether it is their fault for that wiring or not. God loves them just as much as He loves you. We've got to walk in grace and mercy for our fellow man.
If we could do this then I believe we would see a completely different culture. One that is growing in Christ, not one that is making excuses for its sin. I know this isn't popular. I didn't decide it, God did. Homosexuality is a sin. Not all sins are clearly defined as sin in the Bible, so we depend on the Holy Spirit to convict us individually. However, homosexuality is one act that is clearly labeled sin. It is time to stop excusing it as anything but that. It is also time to start loving the homosexual and accepting them as they are, but going further by calling them to the cross of Christ where they will find grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, and freedom from their sin.
I'm done ranting now. If as a Christian reader you've made it this far, I thank you for taking the time to read it. I want to challenge and encourage you if you are struggling with temptation - you can do this! Jesus has already paid the price. He is praying for you, the Holy Spirit is praying for you, and I am praying for you.
If you are not a Christian and you've read this far, I'm humbled that you continued. I know that it may not be comfortable to hear that we have sin in our lives. But we do. I do. You do. Jesus paid that price so that you could be forgiven of your sin and be restored to a relationship with God. I'd love nothing more than the opportunity to pray with you, hear your story, and believe that you too can be free from the burden of sins that weigh you down. It's your time to be free to love God and experience His love right back. Feel free to send me an email at JAaronDeLong@gmail.com with questions, comments, or prayer requests.
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