|
So What If I was Born "Gay"? Yeah, I thought that might get your attention! But, I think the question is valid. And, I think it is something that we should consider honestly, openly, and from the scriptures. Please read the whole article, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to all of us through this, spend time praying over this whatever side you find yourself on. Introduction So many people who experience Same Sex Attraction arrive at this question at some time during their journey. As we go through the process that brings us to the point where we are willing to try to do something to “change”, many have to first fight through this issue regarding their “identity.” Because we have had these feelings, attractions, desires, etc. for so long, many of us cannot remember a time when we did not feel this way. It sure seems like we were born that way, doesn’t it? So much of the sexual area of our lives seems to be tied up in our identity. And, because homosexuality makes us “different” from “normal” people, so we think and they think, many of us became very insecure in our identities at very young ages. Then, it is easy to get defensive about our identities — and it is very easy to adopt the notion that we were “born that way.” But, what if we really were? Then, we hear the debate in the media. Psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, and politicians looking for an advantage with an interest group debate endlessly a topic about which we know (from our own experience) they know very little! (After all, we know that people who do not struggle with this cannot really relate, don’t we?) There’s even a website called “born gay pro-con” — doesn’t that just say it all? And, don’t forget the debate among the theologians! Fundamentalist preachers loudly preach against homosexuality and mock anyone who says they were “born this way.” And, liberal theologians and seminary professors twist the Bible around like a pretzel and spout silly excuses for their willingness to ignore the clear teachings of God’s Word. (I mean, regardless of what we think about it, it’s pretty clear that the Bible does not condone homosexuality, right?) So, I ask the question again, “So What If I Was Born Gay”?
The Man Born Blind I became willing to consider the possibility that there might be something to this “born gay” idea when I read the story of the blind man Jesus healed in John 9. We have to remember in the beginning before the fall there was no sickness or sin. That was Gods original intent before the wrong choice was made. Let’s look at the story: John 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? This man was clearly born a certain way — He was Born Blind! And, for that reason he needed Jesus! Restoration! Jesus’ disciples assumed that it was the results of some sin — choice??? — that the man made or that the man’s parents made. To me, the first part of this question seems ridiculous on its face! While he was still in the womb, what “choice” could the man possibly have made to commit a sin that would have resulted in his being born blind? But, Jesus goes on to explain, that it was not the result of the man’s sin or of his parents. 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. Jesus said that the fact that this man was born blind was so that the work of God could be seen in his life! How wonderful is that? Jesus went on to heal the man. In so doing,
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam … He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
8 The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. 10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13 They brought [the formerly blind man] to the Pharisees. 15 … the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, “He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees … asked him, “How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?” 17 … “What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.” The story goes on with the religious rulers interrogating the man’s parents about his formerly blind condition, his parents reacting in fear and confusion, and the blind man’s taking one of the strongest stands for God seen in the Bible. As he began to testify of the work Jesus had done in his life, eventually the formerly blind man got kicked out of the synagogue for giving his testimony! (Is anyone else seeing the comparisons here?) Finally, Jesus comes back to the man — hearing that he had been kicked out of the church because Jesus had healed him, and personally created a relationship with the man: 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. Then, Jesus made an astonishing statement: 39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth Jesus said that He came into the world to heal the blind — and to make those who could see blind! I wonder sometimes if this is what has happened in our churches. People whom Jesus has healed from a life of homosexuality are now testifying of His wonderful grace, and people who have seen and known of the grace of Jesus — but denied it in the lives of too many - are being blinded to the work that Jesus is doing IN OUR LIVES! OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS 1) There is a great difference between these two statements:
I am willing to consider the idea — from the Bible — that we may have been born “gay”, but, let’s not start blaming this on God, okay? We have to look at God’s original intentions in the Garden before sin (the Fall). Remember, there was no sickness or sin before the Fall. I don’t think that we would say that God “made” the man blind. The man was simply born blind because that happens in nature sometimes (because of the result of the result of sin that entered into the world at the Fall in the Garden). But God was going to use that in the man’s life — and in the lives of the Pharisees, the man’s parents, and in the Word of God for all eternity! 2) I think we would all agree that homosexuality is not God’s original intent. Even homosexuals who are active in the lifestyle and who actively pursue and advance that agenda in overwhelming numbers say (when asked) that they would “change” if they could. I had a friend growing up whose little sister was born with a congenital heart disease. We have probably all seen someone born with a cleft palate that needs to be repaired. Many children are born each year with Juvenile Type-1 Diabetes where their pancreases do not work, and they require doses of insulin. We know that it was not God’s intent that people be born with a heart defect, a deformity, or organs that shut down and refuse to produce the hormones they were created to produce. We don’t blame the person for “choosing” these maladies, nor do we blame God, saying that He made them that way. We simply recognize that certain things happen in nature since the Fall in the Garden, and we look for the remedy to the problem - JESUS the Redeemer of the world! 3) Being born a certain way does not give an excuse to behave in an unacceptable manner. I’m sure that the blind man had certain difficulties because he was blind. However, if the blind man murdered someone, would he not still be guilty of murder? Even though he was blind? Suppose the blind man said, “I murdered him because I’m blind and I can’t see?” Do you think that would have excused his murderous behavior? I cannot remember a time when I did not feel same sex attraction. My earliest recollections involve admiring and being attracted to the same sex. My earliest sexual experiences were of a same-sex nature. I’m not telling you that I was “born this way” — but it sure seemed like it to me! You might understand it this way: A preacher friend of mine often says, “I was born to punch you in the nose if you make me mad — but that doesn’t make it right!” So, my question to you is: “So What If I Was Born Gay?” Did that give me the right to BEHAVE in a homosexual manner? It did not! My behavior was still SIN, and my CONDITION needed to be healed! And only JESUS could heal me! 4) It is our BEHAVIOR that God condemns — and my BEHAVIOR does not determine my IDENTITY! If people who struggle with homosexuality could understand this, it would begin to change their whole life! And, if we in the church would understand this, it would change how we view people who struggle. Once I came to the place of being able to ACCEPT that God loves me, and that, as a Christian, I had a WHOLE NEW IDENTITY in Christ (read Ephesians 1), and that God COULD HANDLE anything I might do because He LOVE ME — even though He knows how badly my sin was hurting me. He NEVER condemned ME. Jesus said, “I am not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved” (John 3:17). 5) God never one time in the entire Bible condemns someone for having a physical malady — unless they CHOSE to stay that way! God gets on to people who are purposefully blind or deaf (Ezekiel 12:2; Matthew 13:13), but He came to heal those who were born blind, deaf, dumb, halt, lame, sick with the palsy, and even to RAISE THE DEAD and FORGIVE SINS! And, I submit to you, that whether we are “born gay” or not, IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER! God still feels the very same way about us! He loves us! He died for us! He wants to heal us! And, He is for us! 6) There are some whom God has allowed to experience the homosexual lifestyle so that “His Works Might Be Seen in Them”! The truth is, I have a testimony that will reach people that no one else can reach — just like the blind man did. And, one of the groups he’s calling me to reach are the Pharisees in the church whose reaction to my sin — and the process of my healing — was to kick me out of the church, just like happened to the blind man! Now, let me pose a question to my Christian friends who are so opposed to the idea that someone may be “born gay”: Whether a person is: — Born Gay, — Born with a “Pre-Disposition” to Homosexual Behavior, or — Born into Circumstances Conducive to Developing Homosexual Tendencies (abuse, domineering mother/weak father, etc., etc.), WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE??????????? The last I checked, God did not call us into the world to condemn the world, either. The truth is, neither you nor I know if I — or anyone else — was “born gay” or not. I think it’s time that we at least open ourselves up to the idea that some things happen in nature that we do not understand. The earth is cursed by sin from the earliest chapters of Genesis. Mankind’s bloodlines have been tainted by all manner of perversity from generations ago. It should not be beyond the sensibilities of reasonable people to be willing to entertain the notion that it is possible that some of us may have been “born gay.” I asked some questions before. Now let me try to answer them: · What would it mean in my life if I were “born gay”? The truth is, it wouldn’t change a thing. My behavior was still the same. Whether I was born that way or not, I still did the acts. Jesus came to restore what was lost by the fall, blind people, alcoholics, homosexuals etc. He did not just come to save; He came to RESTORE all things. · What responsibilities would I have if I were born this way? I’d have the same responsibilities that the man born blind had — to find the ONE who could cure me! I’d have the same responsibilities that the little girl with the congenital heart defect has — to follow the doctor’s orders and find the CURE! I’d have the same responsibilities that the children with insulin-dependent diabetes have — to find out the things that cause their blood-sugars to go high and to treat with the CURE provided!
As one who has struggled with same-sex attraction, I had to find the reasons why I was ACTING OUT the way I did, turn those over to God, and allow Him to use His process to HEAL me — providing me with a TESTIMONY that He is going to use in places I never thought I’d go! · What responsibilities would I avoid if I were born this way? Being born this way would provide me with no excuses for avoiding any responsibilities. Even though I may feel like reacting to a stimulus with a certain reflex does not give me the right to do it. I have to look to Christ as my example. · What would this mean in terms of how God sees me and relates to me? Being born this way does not change the way God sees me! He loves ME! You will not find in the Bible that God hates gay people. God hates sin that He knows HURTS THE PEOPLE HE LOVES! I can let God HEAL my insecure identity and I can stop being defensive about who I am once I recognize that sometimes things happen in nature, but God is there to help to fix it! · What does this mean for the church? (What would happen if people in pulpits and pews were to adopt the notion, at least for consideration, that gay people may have been “born that way”?) I’m probably not the best one to address this at this point — but I believe that Christian leaders who are in tune with the Holy Spirit and who are filled with the “love of the Father” and want to do “the works of Jesus” should be able to see that some attitudes need to change if we are going to be effective working in a world that is so affected by this issue. If nothing else, I hope you have been encouraged to think! If you struggle with homosexuality, there are people who love you, who understand, and who are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to use them to minister into your life.
JESUS OUR SAVIOR & REDEEMER!!!
|