For years I have heard evangelicals dispute what some in the medical community believe: That sexual orientation is genetic. In other words, the medical community would say that homosexuals (or many of them) are born that way.

 

Many evangelicals (Bible-believing Christians) hold to a view that says something like this, “God would not make anyone that way, therefore they must be learning this behavior and choosing this orientation”. I hope that I am saying that correctly, but I think it is pretty fair because I have heard this many times. An example of a verse that they would quote for this is James 1:13, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”

 

Let me first say that I believe that homosexual behavior is forbidden by God, and this orientation is not part of his original plan. It is clearly sin and God condemns it through Paul in Romans 1, I Corinthians 6, and Ephesians 5.

 

I also understand the basis for the evangelical reaction to the medical community, simply put: Evangelicals believe that this will become the culture’s excuse for homosexuality and this behavior will become more widely accepted, even in churches. We can all see how they have been correct.

 

The problem I have is this - THE EVANGELICAL ARGUMENT THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS “LEARNED”, or “CHOSEN”, DOES NOT MATTER ONE BIT, at least in the long run.

 

I fear that we are dropping the ball and missing the mark on this issue, and the Bible can help us.

 

More to follow this week.