Homosexuality: Danger and Deliverance written by Kevin Carden
Why People Are Homosexual. Paul tells us in his epistle to the Romans that men left the natural form of intercourse with women and burned in their lust and had intercourse with fellow men. The desires of these people were ungodly, dishonorable, and corrupt. The bible says that God gave them over to their own lusts, essentially letting them have what they wanted, which was a lie rather than the truth, an idol instead of the Creator, and evil rather than righteousness. 5 It is clear that when a person acts on his homosexual desires, he is making that choice and is accountable for his actions. The Bible does not mention that people are born homosexual, or idolaters, rapists, murders, thieves, and so on. We are responsible for our own actions, and when we are tempted the Lord always gives us a way to escape the temptation and choose what is right. 6 Many people have temptations about the opposite sex, and they act on them according to their desires, while others will fight and starve those temptations and seek righteousness. Similarly there are those with homosexual desires for those of the same sex, and many will seek to please their desires while other will resist the temptation. Why People Aren't Homosexual. Even though the Bible never says or suggests that homosexual behavior can be attributed natural causes, such as heredity or genetics, there are many who claim that sexual orientation is a trait that we are born with and have no control over it. I personally have a difficult time accepting this theory for several reasons.:
The Homosexuality Defect Theory. While I have showed that homosexuality cannot be classified as a normal genetic trait, I did leave the door open for homosexuality to be some sort of defect, comparable to being born with a handicap. While the evidence for such a claim has not yet surfaced, would this be an acceptable excuse for homosexuals? In my opinion this is not a way to justify this behavior. As I mentioned earlier, a man can have sexual temptations for a woman or a man, and he must make that choice whether or not to act on his desires. If men were to always act on their sexual desires, there would be many more occurrences of pregnancies, rape, incest, STDs, pedophilia, and so on. It is not abnormal to have temptations for something that is not right. Even Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness for unholy things. It is not a sin to be tempted, but rather our character is measured by how we respond to those temptations. If there was a genetic defect that caused people so have more temptations to have homosexual relationships, then that is a defect that would need to be overcome, not accepted. If having the desire for someone of the same sex would be considered a part of our DNA, then you could conclude that having the desire for someone of the opposite sex would be the same. And likewise having the desire to sexually be with multiple men or women would be in our genes. Or even having sexual desires for children, family members, animals, or even worse would also be a part of our genetic structure. If these were all defects, they could not just be accepted as admissible behavior, but instead must be addressed and corrected and counseled into the appropriate direction. The Bible tells us that we have been born in sin, and that we are all sinners, and that no one naturally seeks what is right, but that we must actively choose to love our Creator, forsake our bodies, and choose His righteousness. A Progressive Nation. Many people who defend the rights of homosexuals will make a statement like this: There was a time in American history when it was illegal for blacks to marry whites, and fortunately that law was abolished and interracial dating was a constitutional right. Today men want to marry men, and women with women and they should be allowed to marry and no longer ban same-sex marriages. First of all I don't believe is fair to compare race with sexuality. The color of our skin is definitely a genetic trait that we have no control over. It is directly from the genes of our parents and grandparents. While sexuality, as mentioned before, is more of a voluntary behavior than it is an uncontrollable lifestyle. If we are to change our constitution to accommodate the choices that the citizens make, where must we draw the line? Today homosexuals and their advocacy claim they just want the law to allow a man marry a man and a woman marry a woman. But tomorrow, polygamists may want the law to be changed to allow a man marry multiple women, or a woman marry multiple men. And then next week, there will not be married couples, but married groups. Children will grow up in anything but ordinary family conditions. The concept of marriage may be further perverted by allowing younger and younger children to marry, bringing animals into relationships, more sexual perversion, and on and on so that the people will be able to freely act upon their desires. Deliverance from Homosexuality. Fortunately, there is hope for those who want to be delivered from their homosexual lifestyle. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He did not leave us alone with no help, but He left us His Holy Spirit, who would be with us always. 8 The Holy Spirit lives in all who believe on Him, and is there to convict us when we sin, guide us towards the will of God, and gives us a peace in the time of trials and temptations. When we rely on the Holy Spirit, we can surely overcome anything. While Satan hurls his darts of lustful temptation at us, the Holy Spirit will be our shield and show us how to escape them. I believe that Satan focuses much of his energy on the sin of lust, because of its harm on the family, relationships, physical & mental health, and our fellowship with God. But as much as Satan is trying to get us to sin, God is trying much harder for us to resist it. Romans 8:31 says that "If God is for us, who can be against us?". I am convinced that any willing homosexual can be delivered. But "willing" is the key issue--personal repentance is a must. But before repentance or turning towards God can even begin, there must be a relationship with God in the first place. As mentioned earlier, the Bible is clear that we are all born in sin, with no natural inclination to do what is right or to seek God. From the first sins committed in the garden of Eden, the sin problem has been passed down to all generations. Our relationship with God has been broken, and Satan (who is the king of this world) has taken the place of our father. At that time we have no Holy Spirit to convict us or guide us. Sins are committed without guilt, and earthly desires rule the heart. In order for our sin problem to be cured, God sent His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. And it is through His sacrifice that we can have a restored relationship with God the Father. Once we have made that step of faith, the moment we accept Jesus' sacrifice for our sins and chose to live for Him, then we are born again and have received the Holy Spirit. Until then, we have little chance at overcoming a homosexual lifestyle. What now? If you are a homosexual and you desire to be free of the burdens, guilt, and pain, then you do have a hope. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior from your sins, I would plead that you do so. Pray a simple prayer like this: "Dear God, I have lived my life without you. I have done many things in my life that I know are not right and that you do not approve of. Today I want to accept your Son, Jesus Christ, who You gave as a sacrifice for my sins. Please come into my heart and help me to begin following Your will. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen." If you just prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God! However, if you are a Christian and have been born again, but still struggle with the temptations of homosexuality...you are still not without hope. God understands your situation and will give you the resources to fight this evil. Ask for forgiveness of your sins frequently, and pray for guidance on how to avoid being tempted in the future. Seek out accountability partners, Christian counseling, and church staff. Read your Bible often, especially the chapters that deal with temptations. Remember Joseph and how he avoided committing sins with the mistress? The Lord will always be at your side helping you become free of the homosexual lifestyle. It will never be an easy fight, especially with such a foe as the devil. But we can be confidant in our Savior. He defeated death, and through Him we have been made more than conquerors in all things. 9
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