GROWING IN CHRIST TOGETHER

I was reading in James recently and came across a verse that addresses an extremely controversial and for some individuals a very sensitive topic; homosexuality.  It’s like this ongoing debate on whether or not people are born as homosexuals (aka genetics) or if it truly is a choice.  I’ve heard both sides of the issue, but it doesn’t really matter what your side is, my side, or really anyone’s side.  All that matters is what God’s word says about this issue because that is the ultimate truth.  Dig into James 1:13-15 with me

¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

When people place the blame on genetics, they imply or even say straight up that they were “made” this way and “can’t help it.”  In other words, they have no choice.  After reading these verses in James, God specifically addresses this topic.

Verse 13 hits this topic at its core.  When people engage themselves into thinking that homosexuality is not a choice, but genetics….they are simply saying “you know what, I can’t help the way I was made….God made me this way.”  That is the true core argument for placing the blame on genetics.  However, this is contradictory to who God is.  God did not make anyone a homosexual!  It’s absolutely impossible for that to happen because God is incapable of creating sin.  He is everything that is Holy and good and to imply that he creates individuals as homosexuals is saying “because God made me this way, it’s all his fault.”

Verse 14 gives us the real answer,  our own sinful desires! It’s our own sick and twisted sinful minds that entice and drag us away under submission of sin, regardless of what the sin is.  It could be envy, pride, lust, theft, homosexuality….it doesn’t matter which sin it is, it’s OUR evil desires that opens the door for temptation!  I believe that what hurts God the most is that we CHOOSE our sinful desires over Him.  If someone struggles with pornography and falls into its grasp one night, it was his CHOICE that took him down that road, not God’s.  The same goes for homosexuality.  It is not God’s choice to make an individual a homosexual because it is literally impossible for God to do that.  It is essentially the individual’s choice to embrace the homosexual lifestyle over God.

Whatever sin we tend to struggle with always ends in bitterness and despair.  View it like this as depicted in verse 15.  When a couple conceives a child, they are so excited!  They go to the doctor and perhaps see a picture of the baby in the womb and ultimately are filled with joy.  They just know this baby will bring so much joy to their lives.  However, in the end the baby dies before child birth, resulting in a stillborn.

This is a horrificl depiction of sin.  We think a particular sin will bring us so much joy and fulfillment, but ultimately it ends in death.  Sadly, without Jesus Christ in someone’s life it would result in eternal death,  but the point is that it leads to death and destruction, not fulfillment.  Instead of choosing your sins over God, set your focus on the Lord….for He is better.

I’ll leave you with one question.  If you came to the end of your life and were standing before God, how heartbreaking would it be to look back on your life and know you chose the evil desires of this world over God and as a result must spend an eternity apart from Him because you CHOSE to.

Choose God, for He is love!