Posted on 05/08/2016 6:09:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Last week, one of my recent articles was published on The Gospel Coalition website. I have realized over the years that any time I write about the ever-controversial topic of homosexuality, I should expect a couple truckloads of criticism to come rolling into the comments section. This TGC article was no exception. I scrolled through "the aftermath" on Facebook and Twitter the day following its publishing, trying my best to humbly process the comments of some disgruntled readers.
Quite a few people commended my commitment to celibacy but also shared that they believe my ongoing experience of same-sex attraction is a sin. They believe my temptation to engage in same-sex acts persists because I am not fully submitting myself to God. Some said God will not be pleased with me, and I will not be walking in true obedience, until my same-sex attraction ceases to exist.
I mean . . . are they right? Is my mere experience of same-sex attraction a sin? Is it impossible for me to please God as long as these feelings persist?
My short answer is no, I don't think these folks are correct — but neither do I think the common counterargument is correct.
Other Christians insist there is nothing wrong with simply experiencing romantic and sexual desires for the same gender. They believe it only becomes a problem if you act on those desires. Homosexual behavior is wrong and sinful, they say, but the feelings, in and of themselves, are morally neutral. They see nothing wrong with having a "gay orientation." Though I lean more toward this camp's position, I can't fully embrace it either.
Most Christians agree the Bible clearly teaches it is a sin to engage in homosexual behavior. But what does the Bible teach about homosexual feelings within the heart? Is it a sin to simply feel romantic or sexual attraction to the same gender?
I think it can be. I don't believe a person commits sexual sin merely by experiencing an unintentional, spontaneous temptation to sin sexually. But I do think a person commits sin if, rather than refusing to crush that tempting thought, they choose to lustfully enjoy it.
The other day I was walking down the street and felt a spontaneous sexual attraction toward some guy I passed, but I immediately took that thought captive and crushed it by the power of the Spirit. I don't think I sinned. Rather, I think I glorified God by triumphing in a moment of temptation.
But what if I didn't take that thought captive? What if I had let it flesh out into a lustful fantasy . . . even if just briefly? Would I have committed a sin even though I technically did not "act"? Yes — absolutely!
"Acting" is not necessary to constitute sin. It's totally possible to sin secretly within the thoughts and intentions of your heart. Just ask Jesus: "I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." – Matthew 5:28.
Jesus didn't condemn feeling an unintentional, spontaneous temptation to sin sexually; he condemned looking with lustful intent. Lustful intent is the key phrase here.
When I passed the guy on the street, my initial attraction to him was not intentional. It just happened! I crushed the thought by setting my mind on Christ and therefore do not believe I sinned. But had I intentionally continued to entertain that unintentional thought and allowed myself to lustfully fantasize, I would have sinned.
In summary, there is a difference between lust and temptation. Lust is intentionally allowing a sexually tempting thought to fester and grow for your own perverted enjoyment. Lust is sin. Temptation is experiencing an unintentional, spontaneous enticement toward sin. Temptation is not sin.
—- WARNING: Now treading into muddy waters! —-
However, was my initial desire toward the guy I passed on the street a natural and morally neutral experience? Is it comparable to a married man being instinctively attracted to a woman who is not his wife? I don't believe so.
Though I don't believe it is a sin to experience spontaneous, unintentional same-sex desires, I also don't believe it is a natural or morally neutral experience. Homosexual desire was not part of God's initial design, but came running in on the heels of sin — it is unnatural. And though heterosexual desire can manifest in unnatural ways (think pedophilia or a desire to rape), a man's instinctive attraction toward an adult woman who is not his wife is natural.
If Adam had never fallen and human nature was never corrupted by sin, I don't believe the temptation to commit homosexual acts (or heterosexual rape and pedophilia) would exist within human hearts. When Adam sinned against God, his nature was corrupted — and every one of his descendants has inherited that corrupt nature.
We are not born good or even morally neutral; we are "brought forth in iniquity" and "conceived in sin" (Psalm 51:5).
It is from our sinful nature that sexual perversities spring up. However, some would argue that Jesus, whose nature was NOT corrupted by sin, was tempted to commit homosexual acts because Hebrews 4:15 says "in every respect [he] has been tempted as we are." If they are correct and Jesus was tempted to commit homosexual acts, it logically follows that he was also tempted to commit every other kind of sexual sin, including heterosexual rape and pedophilia. However, it's my opinion that this verse does not mean Jesus was tempted to commit every sin that every fallen person is tempted to commit.
Concerning Jesus' temptations, theologian Joseph Benson once said:
"What is here said of the similarity of our Lord's trials to ours, does not imply an exact likeness; for he was free from that corruption of nature which, as the consequence of Adam's sin, has infected all mankind."
I don't believe the temptation experienced by Jesus, and by the pre-fallen Adam and Eve, would have involved the temptation to commit same-sex acts. I believe the temptation to commit same-sex acts is experienced only by those whose hearts and minds have been ransacked by original sin. According to Romans 1, a refusal to love and worship God preceded things like homosexual desire. Same-sex attraction is an unnatural byproduct of man's sinful nature.
"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." – Romans 1:21-27 (emphasis mine).
Because I believe homosexual feelings can only rise up from a fallen, sinful nature, I don't think they should be viewed as natural or "okay." Feeling sexually drawn toward the same gender is not the same as a married man feeling an unintentional, spontaneous heterosexual desire for an adult woman who is not his wife.
Again, I do not think spontaneously experiencing same-sex attraction is a sin if one continually takes those thoughts captive rather than letting them run lustfully wild. But I believe the Bible teaches that the smallest inkling of desire to engage in any level of homosexual behavior is rooted not in God's design for human sexuality, but in original sin's corruption of human sexuality. And therefore, I can't view it as a neutral or "okay" experience.
So what does this mean for people like me who experience this perverse, unnatural desire on a daily basis? Do I walk around in constant turmoil, hating myself and telling myself what an evil and godless piece of crap I am? NO!
The good news of the gospel is that though we are UTTERLY messed up, God loves us and sent his Son to save us. One day, when I have a glorified body that is free from the effects of original sin, all of my unnatural desires will cease to exist. But until that day, the unnatural desires that remain inside of me do not define me; Jesus defines me. I am no longer the corruption that lies within me; I am the righteousness of God in Christ.
I believe my same-sex attraction will continue to dwindle in intensity as God continues to sanctify me. However, if my experience is anything like the SSA strugglers who have gone before me, it's probable that this pattern of temptation will persist at some level until the day I die or Christ returns. And until either of those days come, I will cry out honestly and hopefully with the apostle Paul: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" – Romans 7:24-25
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Matt Moore is a Christian blogger who was formerly engaged in a gay lifestyle. You can read more about him at www.moorematt.org.
WOW!!! I LIKE that.
People often say to themselves that they would like to kill another person. But it is not the thought, but the emotion behind it that leads us astray.
This is why the abstract, the seven deadly sins, is a very useful tool, because it identifies the real villain behind the scenes. Not in the sense of “The devil made me do it”, but in recognizing the impulses within and countering them.
In the author’s case, the sin behind the thought is, of course, lust. Lust is always there, because it is a part of us. But how we overcome lust, so that we do not act on it, or let it harm us within, is the real battle.
Importantly, the king of the sins is vanity. Not as easy to understand as the others, vanity is the arrogant belief in what you think, feel and do.
The Democrat party, at their last convention, rejected God three times. This was because vanity is their primary sin, and from it, they admire and honor the other sins, to the point where the seven deadly sins are part of their party platform.
In what way did they do that? I didn't follow it.
oh cut the crap. Words are used here like they mean what the author wants them to mean. “attraction”. Attraction is just a force. A physiological response to stimulus.Attraction is present to some degree when any male views any female he regads as sexy, beautiful etc. But unless the man ACTS upon that attraction, ie fantasizing or actually pursuing that girl THERE IS NOTHING! The thing about gay attraction is that it is INDULGED IN IN SOME WAY TO A DEGREE THAT IT BECOMES OBSESSION. Obsession is where the deviance starts. Due to its un natural nature homosexuality must always lead to obsession.
Is My Same-Sex Attraction a Sin?
Once we truly understand something is a sin, we can repent and ask for forgiveness. But if we think it is just bad judgment, or the way we are made, it is NOT a SIN and we won’t repent.
‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’
How does one guy look at another guy and think about having sex with them ????
It’s a revolting idea.
It is a sin in the same way that lustful thoughts are adultery or anger is murder. Every human is a sexual sinner of some sort.
Fortunately, there is a way to be washed clean as if those sins (past, present, AND future) never existed. That’s the real headline.
A keeper, worth sharing.
Thanks for posting.
Satan knows your name but calls you by your sin God knows your sin but calls you by your name.
WOW!!! I LIKE that.
It is a variation of “hate the sin and love the sinner” which sounds good to our ears but is a quote from Ghandi. It has an essence of truth to it but is not something to hang our hat on.
Regarding many homosexuals and other sinners when you say hate the sin and love the sinner, it has no meaning for them. They ARE THE SIN.
I may be wrong but I think God does call us by our sins if he loves us so we will repent.
The unbidden and un-encouraged thought is a temptation.
Consent is sin.
Rejection of the thought is a moral victory unstained by blame.
Christ was tempted in every way that we are, yet without sin.
Not for a woman.
Therefore it is presumable that gays look at guys like women look at guys. And lesbians look at women the way you do. Its repulsive to you because you're not gay.
Sin or not, it is disgusting.
“Satan knows your name but calls you by your sin. God knows your sin but calls you by your name.”
—That’s a good one!—
I concur Tax-chick and will be adding it to my toolbox. I want to act upon it as well, and for the most part have learned to “love the sinner and hate the sin.”
Opposite attraction is not a sin... If it is... It would be sinful to get married and act on it...
“Be fruitful and multiply” oh and by the way... To do so would be sinful... Have fun
Jas 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Aren't our "own desires" coupled with enticement the same as "attraction"?
The root of the problem is the DESIRE. We have to ask God to remove our desire. A bible based solution to remove desire:
1Ti 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,
1Ti 5:2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.
Look on men as brothers and fathers, women as sisters and mothers. Nobody in their right mind would say it's normal and natural to be sexually attracted to your sister, brother, mother or father even for a little bit. Because to entertain that desire at all leads to sin.
But "opposite attraction" is not a sin. It is a natural, normal, healthy, God-given part of our sexual design.
What's a sin, is entertaining unlawful sexual desire, a.k.a. deliberately fantasizing, a.k.a. intentionally indulging impure thoughts, a.k.a. "Looking at a woman to lust after her."
That's quite different than spontaneous "opposite attraction."
I’m attracted to Trumps wife but I will not act on it in any way. It is the action and not the attraction that is the sin.
But wasn't Jesus tempted in every way we are, but without sin?
Attraction is a physiological, involuntary response.
If that is a sin, blame God, not the individual.
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