6. Q: Did God create people so wicked and perverse?
A: No. God created them good and in His own image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that they might truly know God their creator, love Him with all their heart and live with Him in eternal happiness for His praise and glory.
7. Q: Then where does this corrupt human nature come from?
A: From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise. This fall has so poisoned our nature that we are born sinners–corrupt from conception on.
8. Q: But are we so corrupt that we are totally unable to do any good and inclined toward all evil?
A: Yes, unless we are born again, by the Spirit of God.
from the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 3.
People from time to time ask me if I was born gay. The prevailing notion is that if I was born gay, then that must be the way God made me and I should rejoice in that, treat it as a gift, and strive to live in that gift, embracing it as a blessing in my relational outlook on life and possibly pursue a mate in keeping with that orientation.
But the rebellion narrative of Genesis paints a very different picture. The rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden filters down. As a covenant head of humanity, Adam’s sin reaches even me, multiple thousands of years later.
In short, the fish rots from the head.
Some folks dispute this, asserting that mankind is essentially good. I’m not sure anyone can biblically defend this without ripping the Bible up into tiny pieces since it’s clear that the intentions of man are evil from birth. They aren’t misguided, or poisoned from without. Instead, the very condition of men’s hearts are evil from the very start.
So what am I to do with this? Am I supposed to simply embrace it? Or am I supposed to fight it? Is there a third option?
The Gospel seems to indicate a third option that makes the second option viable. Christ’s death on the cross and subsequent gift of faith to me enables me to do good works which God has ordained for me to do, as his quickened (aka, made alive) child (Ephesians 2:10). Apart from this union in Him, I cannot do anything worthwhile to fight sin at all…even sin so deeply ingrained it feels as if it’s just the way I am.
This is why, in dealing with sinners (which is, by the way, everyone), it’s important to remember (and disclose) the Gospel. Fighting sin has its practical outworkings…avoid porn, pray, read one’s bible, etc. But if those things are done while assuming rather than resting in the Gospel, we have a big problem. Without the Gospel, one cannot adequately fight sin. Without the comfort of the Gospel, we grow weary of fighting and prefer instead to embrace that which seems comfortable and natural.
Pastors, especially, must give this sweet assurance to their congregations every week. Preach to show the sweetness of Christ; behavior change rooted in faith will follow the proclamation of the Gospel. It’s the promise of Scripture.
Greetings in the Lord!
The question I then ask to you is this: did God create you gay? Did God ordain you to have emotional feelings for men and to be attracted to the same gender?
I am sensing that you hold the position that you were born gay because you were born depraved and sinful. This all a result of indwelling sin (to sound a little Owen’ish) and total depravity in heart, mind, soul, and will. That your homosexuality is a symptom/product of a larger thing called sin? If we are born in God’s image like Scripture says, then does it make any sense for us to be born with unnatural and ungoldy attractions?
The other question I have is this: the natural order God established is for men to seek after and love women. Does healing from homosexuality restore that natural order (or at least provide a reorientation of feelings and emotions?) Rather, do you believe that God just leaves people in their homosexual emotions and attractions? Or do you believe that God graciously reorients one’s emotions and attractions toward women as they remain faithful, obedient, and repentant? Basically, I am asking this because I am in the middle of the battle right now. If sanctification is increasing in holiness and looking more like Christ, then won’t God remove these unnatural desires as grow in sanctifying graces? Basically, do I ever have the hope of loving women and being attracted to them?
I am not trying to debate. I am a fellow brother in a Lord. A Reformed guy too (PCA here). A college student that recently stepped out in faith and left my lover behind. I am still hurting over that fact, but the Lord called me to leave that sinful situation and seek Him above the world.
Thank you for your ministry! I have already gleaned much from it!
Grace and peace!
Wow I was so in Awe! By reading This. I am a christian mom who has a gay son. and i have prayed and searched the scriptures on this matter. the only thing that keeps coming to my mind and heart is. The Cross. Jesus dying for our sins. and another thing i wonder about is the scripture in revelation where
God say’s He will cast into Hell the Devil and all his imps. (paraphrasing Revelation) Could it be just maybe. If he roams the earth (satan) with his imps (demonic spirits). Could this not be the spirit that dwells in the flesh of God’s Children. That cause’s this same sex attraction. and therefore. This is what will be Cast into Hell The Spirit that tormented the Child of God………. I to have been so confused on this topic of “Love for one another”. Jesus said Love your neighbor. and also leaving with this to think about. When you look into the eyes of others your looking into the eyes of GOD!…… “The Cross!
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