Born that way?

Some people are sexually attracted to members of their own sex.  There are different opinions about why this is true.  Some people believe this condition the result of their experiences but others believe it is has a genetic cause.  It is possible that different people are homosexuals for different reasons but the Bible gives us reason to believe that at least some people are gay because they were born that way.

Adam and Eve were created perfect and if they hadn’t disobeyed God they would have lived forever.  Unfortunately they did disobey and this affected not only them but all of their descendants.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
Romans 5:12-14

Not only do we all eventually die but while we are alive we suffer from physical imperfections of various kinds and degrees.  Some people are born with major defects such as missing or deformed limbs, blindness, or mental retardation. God designed humans to be sexually attracted to the opposite sex; the fact that some are attracted to the same sex is obviously one of the defects caused by sin.   Scientists who think homosexuality is genetic are looking for a gene that causes people to be gay; perhaps their efforts would be more successful if they looked for defects in the genes that make people straight.

If experiencing same sex attraction is a result of a genetic defect it is morally no different from any other birth defect.  The person who experiences it has no reason to feel guilty about it and other people shouldn’t blame him or discriminate against him because of it.

Experiencing homosexual desires isn’t a sin.  Acting on those desires is.  Right and wrong aren’t determined by what we want or how we feel but by God’s commands.  The only sexual activity permitted by God is that which is between a man and a woman who are married to each other.

No one, whether straight or gay, is free to satisfy his sexual desires any way he wants.  Someone who isn’t married must completely abstain from sex.  A married person may only engage is sex with his spouse.  It is harder for homosexuals to comply with these standards because they don’t have the option of marriage but anyone who makes the effort can do so.

Some people treat homosexual sin differently from other sins but God doesn’t make such a distinction.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11

It is like all other sins; it is serious enough to keep people out of the kingdom of God but it can be forgiven.  Christ died for all sins, including those involving homosexuality.

If you experience same sex attraction but haven’t acted on it you haven’t sinned.  Your feelings aren’t a sin but a temptation which you must resist.

If you experience same sex attraction and have acted on it you have sinned but your sin can be forgiven.  You must repent of your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

One of the two great commandments God gave is to love our neighbor as ourselves.  That includes those neighbors who are gay.  The best way for Christians to obey this command is to tell gay people God’s commands regarding sexual activity and tell those who have violated these commands how they can be forgiven.

To learn about someone who was born gay but chose not to live a gay lifestyle I recommend that you read Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill.  You can find a description of this book here:

https://clydeherrin.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/washed-and-waiting/

Here are two good sites for anyone who wants to know more about this subject.

http://www.strengthinweakness.org/

http://truefreedomtrust.co.uk/start_here