Don't Believe This Lie about Sexual Desires

Please see note #2 at the bottom about this subject matter.

After writing my series on Sides A,B,X,&Y, I received several emails from Christians who felt someone can be born with same-sex desires they can't “pray away.” One person suggested there's a benefit in Christians having forums where they can discuss their same-sex desires with others who have them.

We aren't all tempted by the same things. Some people have adulterous desires, some don't. Some are tempted to lie, some aren't. But God doesn’t create anyone an adulterer or a liar. And wrong desires are sinful even if we don't act on them:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28

Modern culture claims LGBTQ desires are like race or ethnicity, something we can't change. But Scripture is 100% clear that LBGTQ desires are sinful (Romans 1:16-32). God doesn't give us sinful desires. He helps us have victory over them (James 1:13; Ephesians 4:17-24). 

If a Christian man claimed he couldn’t “pray away” his adulterous desires, we’d never suggest he learn to live with them and discuss them with women who have the same desires. (See note #1.)

We’d recommend he find mature Christians to counsel him, keep him accountable, and assure him that God is able to do more than he asks or imagines (Ephesians 3:20). 

We won't be perfect this side of heaven, but when we are genuinely saved, God can help us overcome sinful thoughts and desires (Ephesians 4:22-23).

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If you haven't read A Letter Defending Male and Female, I strongly recommend you read it. It specifically addresses arguments that promote transgenderism, but the biblical answers it supplies apply to all LGBTQ arguments.

Note #1: Exodus International was a large Christian organization founded in 1976 on the belief that homosexuals can change their desires with God's help. It was headed by former homosexuals and involved meetings where homosexuals discussed their common struggles. In the early 90s, my husband and I attended one of their large meetings in the D.C. area, hoping it would help us better understand a gay family member. Instead of finding it helpful, we left with an uneasy feeling about the discussions. 

     In 2012, the president of the organization renounced his former belief that homosexuals can change. He said he believed homosexual behavior was sinful, but according to him, 99.9% of homosexuals cannot be reformed. Expressing a combination of Side A and Side B beliefs, he said practicing homosexuals can be saved (see Sides A,B,X,&Y). 

     I don't pretend to fully understand the reasons Exodus International changed its policies and shut down, but like many other ministries, I believe they gave in to the pressures of culture. And I also wonder if their concept was flawed. Repeated discussions with others who share the same sexual struggles can inspire camaraderie and increase temptation. Instead of seeing same-sex desires as evil, it can lead to justifying and excusing them.

Note #2: I want to let you know why I've been sharing truths about LGBTQ lifestyles and abortion more often than in the past. My archives (Series; Lists, Tips, Ideas; Part 1; and Part 2) contain devotions about hundreds of subjects. But I'm addressing certain sins more regularly because Christians are being heavily influenced by culture in these areas. In addition, there's increasing pressure from inside the church to buy into false teachings such as Gay Revisionist Theology, and I'm seeing more teachers and preachers coming up with creative ways to justify or minimize these sins. My prayer is that Christians will understand what God teaches and stand firm on God's Word.

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