Homosexuality: Exchanging the Truth of God for a Lie
Introduction
“I was born this way!” is the rallying cry that the LGBT community uses to justify their lifestyle, and some are bold enough to add “for God made me this way” to the end of their declaration.
Appealing to God to validate actions that He has explicitly deemed abominable and unholy is vile and tragic for a variety of reasons.
What’s even more vile and tragic, however, is that there are many so-called, self-proclaimed Christians within the LGBT community, and many so-called, self-proclaimed Christians outside the LGBT community, who give hearty affirmation to the rallying cry – even to the defense that such a lifestyle is acceptable, because “God made LGBT people that way.”
Exchanging the Truth of God for a Lie
Living (and actively affirming/encouraging) the homosexual lifestyle is one of the clearest pictures that we, as unregenerate sinners, raise ourselves up as God and exchange the glory of God for the image of corruptible man (Romans 1:23).
The progression of Paul’s argument in Romans 1 makes this clear:
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them, for they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions, for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error… (Romans 1:22-27, emphasis added).
Since people would rather worship and serve themselves than worship and serve God, foolishly (“Professing to be wise, they became fools…”), when they have desires that contradict the plain reading of Scripture, they twist the biblical text to formulate defenses that support unashamedly fulfilling these desires – and they draw their own lines as to which desires can/should be fulfilled and which ones shouldn’t.
Thus, they themselves become the generators of truth. They themselves become God.
Continuing, even if someone has had same-sex desires for as long as they can remember, he or she does not have any biblical justification for acting on those desires – and they are not from God.
As I’ve spent much time considering this issue, I’ve never understood the argument, especially from so-called Christians, which suggests that, because someone has always had same-sex desires, they must be acted upon and they must be from God.
Consider this brief, hypothetical (or not so hypothetical) interaction:
Me:
“What if I’ve always had the desire to be selfish? Because this desire has been present for as long as I can remember, should I act upon it? Do I get to twist Scripture to decide that my selfishness really isn’t a sin? Just how selfish can I be before it becomes a problem?”
Someone in the LGBT Community:
“Selfishness isn’t the same as actively living out same-sex desires, because selfishness hurts and/or affects other people. My same-sex relationship is consensual and is between me and my partner.”
Me:
“Yes, the relationship may be consensual and only between you and your partner, but what about those in your family who disagree with, and are hurting because of, your lifestyle, which they would deem as selfish? What about the millions of people in this country and the world who also deem your lifestyle as selfish and believe you are actively supporting the destruction of the ideal environment in which a family should be raised, even if you yourself do not want children?”
Someone in the LGBT Community:
“My family does support my lifestyle; they’re not hurting. And I don’t care about the millions of people around the world who disagree with me and call me selfish. Many LGBT couples have children who are doing fine, and also there are many broken homes of heterosexual couples, which is not an ideal environment either.”
Me:
“So, because some people are doing fine in a given situation, that situation should be accepted? Some people benefit from my selfishness. For instance, when I selfishly cheat an honest coworker out of a promotion, my family benefits. So, does that mean we should encourage/accept scheming against honest people? Also, while your family may agree with your lifestyle and may not be hurting, there are many whose families are. Further, you’re right – there are many broken homes of heterosexual couples, and this is not ideal either. But I ask you: By what standard do you define ‘ideal’? Your standard of morality is what all of this boils down to. By what standard do you define what should be accepted/encouraged, and by what standard do you say that, since you’ve always had desires, they should be acted upon? This brings us back to a variation of one of the original questions I posed: Since I’ve always had a desire to be selfish, and, therefore, according to you, I must act on it, and, while some may be harmed by my selfishness, others benefit, just how selfish can I be before we have a problem and I violate Scripture?
This issue will always return to what Paul declares in Romans 1: Naturally, people will always exchange the truth of God for a lie. Naturally, they will always resemble the people in Psalm 2 who cause an uproar, devise vain things, and take their stand against the LORD and His Christ.
Again, they form their own truth and become their own gods.
Forming one’s own truth can happen by playing hermeneutical gymnastics to make Scripture teach what it does not teach. For example, regarding Romans 1:24-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:8-11, some of the clearest statements that homosexuality is ungodly, in support of the LGBT lifestyle, people will argue that these passages do not refer to same-sex relations in general, but to same-sex, temple prostitution or same-sex, child abuse. Even if the aforementioned passages only referred to same-sex prostitution or child abuse (They don’t, but if they did), they would not negate the clear teaching that marriage, the only context wherein sexual relations are permitted, is only to be between one man and one woman. This is clearly seen from creation in Genesis 1-2 and in the way Jesus speaks of marriage in Matthew 5 and 19, but, more importantly, it’s seen in the overarching narrative of Scripture – Christ, the pure and righteous Husband, has purchased His wicked Bride with His own blood, and the two will enjoy one another’s presence forever. The LGBT lifestyle completely mars the imagery of Christ and His Bride, the Church, which is seen throughout all of Scripture.
Also, forming one’s own truth can happen by surrounding oneself with those who only say what is agreeable. Recently, I saw someone announce that she is gay and that she is a Chrstian (in that order), and she mentioned that she was only able to do so (and was only still alive) because of her therapist. Such an announcement is quite concerning and sad, yes, but it affirms Paul’s exhortation to Timothy:
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3, emphasis added).
The abovementioned person has surrounded herself with those who will tell her what is in accordance to her own desire. She has exchanged the truth of God for a lie and has turned her ears away from the truth for a myth.
However, the Bible is clear that Jesus, God’s Word, is the truth (John 1:1; 1:14; 1:17; 14:6; 17:17), and that Jesus’ followers are to deny themselves to follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Even if someone has had same-sex desires for as long as they can remember, when they choose to follow Christ, they must deny these desires, as God has revealed that they are an abomination to Him and lead to death.
To this, someone may argue that same-sex desires are as a part of them as their race is, and so, these desires cannot be denied.
One example of this mentality is seen in the popular song “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga. The following is a portion of the lyrics:
No matter gay, straight, or bi
Lesbian, transgendered life
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born to survive
No matter black, white, or beige
Chola or orient made
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born to be brave
I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
The comparison made in the aforementioned portion is quite disgusting when you realize that the artist, and those in the LGBT community and its supporters, categorize one’s sexual preference with whether that person is black, white, beige, etc. From a biblical standpoint, this is abhorrent because the Bible is quite clear on two truths:
Homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord and those who practice and approve such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Christ has purchased, with His blood, people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.
No passage of Scripture ever makes a correlation between sexual preferences and race to suggest that one must deny his or her race in the way that he or she must deny his or her sexual preferences if they contradict God’s Word. Yes, one may have to forsake certain ethnic norms/practices to follow Christ, even if that means denying one’s own father or mother because they prohibit submission to Jesus (Matthew 10:37), but the Bible does not teach that one must change the color of his or her skin to follow Christ. As Revelation 20 teaches, before believers populate the New Heavens and New Earth, where they will dwell with God forever, their bodies are resurrected, and as Revelation 5 and 7 teaches, we know that Christ has purchased, with His blood, people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation; so, the New Heavens and New Earth will be full of people whose skin is black, white, beige, etc., yet we know that those who practice and approve homosexuality will not be there (Romans 1:32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Conclusion: Words of Admonishment/Encouragement
I want to close with a word of admonishment to Christians and a word of encouragement to those who are actively engaged in, and supportive of, the LGBT community.
To Christians:
Graciously call those within the LGBT community to repentance and be firm, yet kind. They do not need gay-conversion therapy, and they don’t need to be called names. They need Jesus, and they need you to show them the love of Christ.
To those in the LGBT community:
While 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 makes it clear that those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of God, the following verse proclaims a gloriously encouraging truth:
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11).
This is wonderful news!
If you’re reading this and you are actively living in homosexual sin, please know that, in Jesus Christ, there is forgiveness and salvation (See The Gospel: What Is It?.). Just as those who participate in heterosexual fornication can have forgiveness and salvation in Christ, so can you!
Further, while I know you may retort and say, “Well, yes, but they get to marry those to whom they are attracted.” To that, I acknowledge that trial and sympathize with you. I truly do. However, Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians 6:11 teaches that, in Christ, there is freedom from homosexual desires. This is not to say that they will go away before eternity. However, I know there are countless stories of brothers and sisters in Christ who, before their salvation, were actively living in such a lifestyle but who are currently married to someone of the opposite sex and have children. Continuing, please keep in mind that sexual gratification, even within the context of a heterosexual marriage, is not the end goal to any of this. Christ Himself is. The joy of marriage and sex is supposed to point people to the eternal joys to be had in Christ’s presence (c.f., Psalm 16:11). No, there will not be sex in Heaven, as there will not be marriage, but there will be everlasting and full joy.
So, submit to Christ, deny yourself, and look to the eternal joy that is set before you in Him alone.
