Very pregnant, and more than ready to deliver, a very insistent mother headed to the delivery room on a cool and foggy Oakland morning, May 6th, several decades ago. She broadcasted to all the relatives, that she indeed would be giving birth to a cherished baby girl. She did not want a boy.
Her expectations gravely disappointed her. Science observes that hormonal washes during the third trimester of pregnancy, and the psychological condition of the expectant mother, may eventually have some influence on the evolving sexual preference. Much of this is conjecture, with no conclusive evidence, such as a “gay gene,” much to the disappointment of thousands within the LGBT+ culture.
Science, biology and psychology can’t provide a “single” reason that confirms how someone ends up identifying as “gay.” That’s not to say there are not an array of contributing factors.
Christianity played a foundational role in shaping America. There was a time when America focused heavily on sexual purity and morality. So much so that the idea of sexual discussions seemed taboo. The Bible is not silent about undisciplined passions, desires, and attractions, heterosexual or homosexual. Interestingly, the term “heterosexual” does not appear in scripture. What remains constant is God’s design for marriage and sexual intimacy: limited to one man and one woman.
This is the beauty of God’s intelligent design. It’s only after the introduction of sin, that interference to that design takes place.
Today, culture, and even some Christians seek to make a case for a monogamous same-sex relationship. An exhaustive search of God’s trusted Word will not reveal God’s sanctioning of a same-sex union. Physiology by itself, clarifies God’s intent.
Homosexuality has existed, nearly from the beginning. Historical references are made in ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, India, China, and more. Scriptural references to incidences of sexual impurity are laced throughout. Licentiousness led to the destruction of Sodom, as well as to the destruction of the earth, brought on by the flood. We seem to keep cycling through sexual rebellion.
Would God create someone to be in opposition to Him and then condemn them for it? Scripture provides no support for this. The only two people directly “created” by God, were Adam and Eve. When they sinned (Genesis 3), humanity became stained with a propensity toward sin. However, with God’s intervention, He provides the ability for each person to chose. 1 Corinthians 12 reminds us that we are redeemable. Not in our sins, but from them. This process helps prevent sin from reentering heaven. Our part is to choose Jesus over the deceiver.
Praise God for His gift through Jesus! He left heaven, taking on human flesh, facing sinful temptations, such as those we face, without using divine power to resist such temptations. He provided an example of turning to the Father for strength, in the fight against Satan’s lies and deceptions. Additionally, knowing we would experience failure, He carried those to the cross, allowing them to break His heart, then gifting us with forgiveness. Such infinite love provided us with grace, which is strength to endure and overcome, rather than continuing in sin.
Theologians and Christians widely agree that we are at the final crossroads. Sin is vastly prevalent. 2 Timothy warns us that these last days will be marked by people who are “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Scripture reveals the condition of our world, yet also offers hope and guidance.
The ministry God has given me, puts me in touch with parents whose children identify as LGBT+. I remember the heavy burden of my own departure from God’s counsel, and the hurt and pain that brought to my parents over the years.
Many parents are heartbroken, confused and blame themselves for not doing a better job of child rearing. They want answers, support, and miracles. They are vulnerable to the array of voices ready to advise. Not all are going to be trustworthy. Answers from God, as well as excuses generated by the enemy, are designed to satisfy. However, Satan’s solutions are contrived and out of line with God’s inspired writings. We need His wisdom and discernment.
God has not left us without answers. He is trustworthy. His redemptive plan is the same for every sin and every sinner. I have long believed in the need of ministry who makes a loving invitation to the LGBT+ community. Some are not sure of what God is asking of them. Uncertainty may lead to creating your own “truth,” centered around “feelings.” In fact, in recent years the LGBT+ culture advertises to live by “your truth.” This significantly differs from God’s truth. As a result, lies, queer theories, and false gospels are adopted.
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
“It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their heart. … Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God’s word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul” (Desire of Ages, pg. 322).
The Importance of Identity
Praise God, He does not identify us by our temptations, or our sins. He does not call us “heterosexual,” “gay,” “bisexual,” or “Trans.” He calls us His children. Believers. To the repentant, “New Creatures” in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
During the four decades I lived in the LGBT+ culture, I never heard the term, “sexual orientation.” However, almost immediately after my conversion, it surfaced among university chaplains, pastors, and church members.
“Orientation” is determined by direction. Our compass. As Christians, shouldn’t Jesus be our orientation?
Research exposes Alfred Kinsey who promoted “sexual orientation,” through controversial experiments involving the sexual manipulation of infants. He coined the phrase, “We are sexual from birth.” The “Kinsey scale” is used today to evaluate “sexual orientation.”
Every child of God will face struggles and temptations. And same-sex attraction is certainly a big one. However, it has gotten far more attention than other desires or temptations, due to the campaign to normalize those desires, initiated years ago by the sexual revolution. Now, even Christians advocate and curtsy to “sexual orientation.”
The Bible warns against sensuality and sexual impurity. (Leviticus 18:6-23, Matthew 5:28, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:3-5, Colossians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, Jude 1:7). Grounded in Christ, we find clarity and safety. Identifying by temptation shifts the focus from Christ to the tempter. The weight of my identity is in Jesus, not by what the enemy seeks to tempt me. Identifying as a “gay Christian,” or “LGBT+ Adventist,” segregates and separates us from a oneness in our Savior Jesus Christ. It puts a self-focus before a Christ-centeredness.
Research by myself, theologians and Biblical scholars has not uncovered references to a person’s “sexual orientation” in scripture.
Beware of perspectives that hold people hostage to sensuality. Our hope, comfort, and strength are established in Jesus, not sensuality. This is something we can teach and promote, even when we don’t seem to be witnessing such teachings in our Christian institutions. Let’s be more determined not to lose sight of Jesus.
When alternative perspectives and identities are adopted, Bible-rooted teachings are compromised. I’ve frequently noted how many who “come out,” and celebrate a gay or LGBT+ identity, begin to compromise Sabbath observance, temperance teachings and other biblical counsel.
Be cautious in the perspectives you allow to influence you. Always use Holy inspired scripture as your guide. While researching some Adventist perspectives, I listened to a YouTube presentation of Christian psychologist, Dr. Timothy Jennings. Gay & Lesbian Christians . Over the years, I have watched or listened to multiple videos and read various articles.
Dr. Jennings tries to substantiate a gay orientation as a handicap, like being deaf, or blind. In all the conclusive scientific research I have looked at, nothing comes out as a hundred percent conclusive, always leaving room for error, and placing an emphasis on the power of suggestion, or conjecture. He also makes the case that the danger of exchanging the natural for the unnatural in Romans, had to do with only those who were born heterosexual, leaving guesswork for those who have only ever experienced same-sex attraction. Perhaps presuming that they were “born gay.”
It is a slippery slope in escalating human knowledge over that of God’s divine counsel. How costly it is, should we embrace perspectives that contrast or replace God’s Word for the sake of ease. We must be careful not to read into scripture what is not there.
“God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self…. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life…. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwilling to submit to the control of God” (Christ Object Lessons, pg. 331).
Just to reconfirm, science hasn’t answered the question regarding the cause of what brings about self-proclaimed LGBT+ identities.
However, as believers, we have God’s trusted advice that asks us to be born again in Him. To leave whatever distraction or deceptions the enemy has brought.
Even circumstantial complications do not dictate a person’s life. Consider a child born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – they do not need alcohol to survive, and healthy solutions are available. Scientific and psychological insights have their place, but they must never supersede scripture.
Exploring life events that contribute to same-sex attraction – such as a lack of parental bonding, single parent homes, bullying, physical or sexual abuse – can shed light.
Pastoral and Christian mental health counsel that concurs with scripture may be of inestimable value, without the curse of LGBT+ activists criminalizing such counsel as “Conversion Therapy.” I am currently in production of “The Freedom Project,” a documentary which thoroughly explores this topic. www.knowhislove.org/freedom
Verifiable studies of those who identify as LGBT+, confirm high percentages of sexual or physical abuse, compared to heterosexual counterparts.
Critical to Christian perspectives, solutions and discussions relating to those struggling with LGBT+ ideations, is a person’s relationship and dependence on God. Developing intimacy with God and prioritizing Him over fleshly temptations and desires is critical.
Often, a person struggling with a temptation, prays to God, asking for Him to remove the temptation or desire. However, this is not what He promises. God is not a “genie.” We are here to be witnesses of our devotion to God, rejecting the counterfeit offers and deceptions of Satan, and denying ourselves for Him. Such a witness of our allegiance will come under severe fire. A constant reliance upon Jesus must be in our hearts and on our lips.
Appetites and passions lend to weakness in our characters.
Do not allow Satan to reap a two for one special. He may successfully deceive someone you love; however, he need not deceive you as well. Look for ways to demonstrate and confirm love, without compromise.
Jesus says:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:280.
Look not to this world to satisfy, but to Jesus and His promises.
I left the LGBT+ culture fifteen years ago. I have experienced peaks and valleys, strengths and weaknesses, successes, and failures. So, I am preaching to the choir. We are all in this together. Please do not sell yourself short, challenged with earth’s roadblocks. Jesus will arm us for the battle if we prioritize Him above all else.
Change is not confirmed in sexual desires or behaviors, but in the conviction and surrender of the heart. Stay clear from doubt. Hold on to His promises.
Put Jesus first and be born again (John 3:3).
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“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).
