Questions and Answers

A  church of Christ minister emailed me a few weeks ago (with school starting back, I've been busy) with some question regarding my posts about gay Christians and my views about the Church of Christ.  In his comment, he stated:

I found your site interesting to come across. There certainly should be a place of discourse about homosexuality. I am a minister in the Church of Christ, and I do find that all sexual behavior outside of marriage between a man and a woman is sinful and contrary to Christ's words. I do know that many Christians can struggle with difficulties that make them feel on the edges of their church and faith to which I can relate. I think we can help each other. I do have some questions that I hope you can consider and respond.

In his comment and his subsequent email, he asked a number of questions which I will endeavor to answer.  In my first email to him, I wrote:

I have struggled for many years to try and understand why God created me in a way that I do not have an attraction to the opposite sex, but an attraction to my own sex.  I once asked myself if God made a mistake, but God does not make mistakes, therefore he had a purpose in the way he created me and those like me.  I prayed and meditated.  I read the Bible, searching for meanings of passages that were difficult to understand, even though some stated that their meaning was very clear and simple.  God guided me in that study, as he guides me throughout life.  I came to understand and believe that God created me the way I am, that the verses about homosexuality do not pertain to true love between human beings of the same sex, but as perverse sexual acts that are contrary to the teachings of Christ and the worship of Christ.

In what I have read of your views on homosexuality, which I plan to take a closer look to, you equate homosexuality with sexual practices only.  Homosexuality is not all about sex.  I can be a homosexual and still not engage in sexual practices. There are many who do.  However, we are judged by our perceived sexual lifestyle.  I am not denying that I have never fornicated, but I have also sought forgiveness for my prior indiscretions.

In his response, he asked how I knew I was born homosexual.  While it is true that most people do not develop sexual attraction until puberty, there is more to being homosexual than sex.  Though I won't claim that I was always aware of my homosexuality, it is more because I did not understand.  I had no concept of homosexuality, but I certainly knew that I was different.  Most homosexuals felt the same way growing up.  Most of us did not have the same interests as other boys.  I preferred to play with the girls when growing up.  I never enjoyed playing sports, though my parents forced me to. So you might ask, how I came to understand my sexuality.  It was not easy.  When sexual interests began in puberty, it was an attraction to boys not girls.  My dreams and fantasies were about boys.  Though I tried to think of girls in the same way, it did not arouse me.  It took a lot of internal wrestling to come to terms with my sexuality.

Some of the other questions my commenter had that I would like to address:

What do you think it would be like to be a Christian without the desires of homosexuality? How would life be any better?

If I were not homosexual, then I would not have struggled with coming to terms with being gay and Christian.  My parents would not worry about me because their concept of Christianity believes that I am damned to hell.  In ways, life would be better, but I am the way God created me.  I firmly believe that God created me as a homosexual and guided my strong Christian faith because he had a purpose for me.  We all have trials and temptations.  God tests our faith, as he did Job and Abraham, and so many others.  James 1:2-4 says "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  However, being homosexual strengthens my faith, not lessens it, and I take joy in that, just as God commands.

With many Christians struggling with temptations of sexual immorality, did you ever see yourself as enslaved your homosexual desires as sin?

Before I studied the scriptures and understood the true meanings of its words, yes, I did feel that I was enslaved by my homosexuality and sin.  However, when I studied the true meanings of the words, with faith that God was guiding my study, I came to believe differently.  I will not repeat this journey, but instead I urge you to go back and read my post "Abusus Non Tollit Usum."

Do you still think that sexual desires can be deceptive and entice someone to sin (Jas. 1:14-15, 1 John 2:15-17)?

Yes, I do believe that sexual desire, as well as all other desires of this world, can entice someone to sin.  However, this is universal, and does not pertain to homosexuals alone, but to all Christians regardless of their sexuality.  When we take verses and place a sexual meaning to them, especially when it has such a wider meaning, then we are perverting the Word of God.

Regarding Jesus, what do you think Jesus means concerning sexual immorality defiling the heart in Mark 7:20-23? What sexual immorality would He have in mind and how would we know what He meant?

This was the last of the questions asked, and I think I deserves a post of its own, so I will continue this next Sunday.

Thank you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and may God bless us to live in His love.