III. Are people born gay?
A. From a scientific point of view, no research has ever proven sexual orientation.
The relationship between biology and sexual orientation is a subject of research. A simple and singular determinant for sexual orientation has not been conclusively demonstrated; various studies point to different, even conflicting positions, but scientists HYPOTHESIZE...." (That means GUESS.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation.
B. But from a Biblical point of view, it does not matter.
1. It does not matter because we are all born sinners; that is, we are all born with a nature to do wrong.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Ec 7:20
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Ga 3:22
a. Some are born with a propensity to lie more than others, some to lust more than others, some to drink, to over eat, to be lazy, etc.
b. The particular sins we may be inclined to commit are irrelevant.
c. All are commanded to repent from our sins and turn to Jesus Christ for cleansing and help.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Ac 3:19
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Ac 17:30
d. WHY we do what we do is not the issue. WHAT we do is the issue.
e. SIDENOTES:
(1) For too long too much has been made of why people do wrong. So much so, that today a drug user or dealer, an abuser, a thief, even a murderer may get off with little or no punishment because he had a "reason" for his crime. The sad reality is that if you look hard enough, you can always find someone or something to blame for every wrong you do.
(2) God doesn't play that game. In the Bible, He teaches that we are accountable for our own actions.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Eze 18:20
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. De 24:16
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. Le 5:1
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. Le 5:17
(3) Don't let those Old Testament references throw you off. If God changes His mind about something He wrote in the Old Testament (He won't, but if He did), He will let you know!
(4) You might not like that thought. Some did not like it in Ezekiel's day either. They told God that His ways were not equal or fair (Eze 18:25-29).
(5) God said that He was going to judge them anyway (Eze 18:30-32).
(6) The bottom line is that God is the Authority, and He is letting you know that whatever reasons you think you have for doing the things He said are wrong won't change the judgment you will face.
2. It does not matter because the more we sin, the more our minds, and perhaps even our bodies, conform to accept the sin as normal.
a. The Bible teaches that God "gives" those who are insistent upon sinning the ability and desire to go deeper into sin.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Romans 1:24
26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Romans 1
b. This is not evolution or adaptation. It is a judgment from God. God "gives us over to sin" or allows us to encourage ourselves that what we are doing is right.
(1) While many will not understand (or like) this truth, God has revealed that there are certain lines of behavior that, when crossed, God Himself will allow--if not encourage--the participants to continue in their ways so that He may judge them.
And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh…. Ge 6:3
But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Isa 63:10
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Psalm 81
Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Ac 7:42
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2Thessalonians 2
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Jer 11:11
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Jude 1:15
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Ro 8:7
(2) Having heard that truth, think carefully before settling on your next response. If you harden your heart more and say, "If that is the way God is, I want no part of Him," then you only push yourself further down the road of destruction.
(3) It is time that puny man quits thinking that God is a man who can be offended without recourse. He is NOT. He made you, and you exist for His pleasure. If you reproach and spurn Him, He will become your enemy and destroy you.
21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Psalm 50
(4) A Biblical example of God encouraging a man to destroy himself was Pharaoh, who was raised up by God to show God's power.
(a) The Bible makes it clear that God gave Pharaoh a heart that was hardened against the Almighty, even before Moses came to him.
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Ro 9:17
And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. Ex 4:21 (See also Ex 7:3, 13, 14, 22)
(b) While that might seem unfair to you, you might as well face the fact that God is sovereign. That means that God can stack the deck any way He wants and it doesn't change anything as far as your responsibility and His judgment. The Bible ays that some things are right and others are wrong. Once you have been told what God has said, you have a fresh opportunity to choose what you will do. If you were born with a hard heart toward God, you will probably choose to disregard what God has said, but it is YOU who makes that choice.
(c) Pharaoh may have been born predisposed to arrogance and rebellion toward God, but God still brought Moses to him and Moses told Pharaoh what God wanted, thus giving Pharaoh an opportunity to choose what he would do.
(d) When Pharaoh had his opportunity, he insured his demise by hardening his heart toward God even more!
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. Ex 8:15
And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. Ex 8:32
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. Ex 9:34
(e) Three times God allowed Pharaoh to decide what he would do with his new-found knowledge of God's will. Three times Pharaoh hardened his heart. It appears that after that, God took away Pharaoh's opportunities and finalized the hardening of Pharaoh's heart for him.
And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses. Ex 9:12
(f) You might also read (#Ex 10:1, 20, 27, 11:10, 14:4, 8, 17).
(g) Some are going to decide that God is not fair after reading this; that is, they are going to harden their hearts. What they should do is to see if they are predisposed to disregard God. If they are, it would do them good to open their minds to the possibility that God is trying to reach them right now
