I know and love many people who identify as LGBT. They believe the urges they act on are not only right but their identity. They also believe these practices don't harm us. Those promoting LGBT practices have hidden, even "cancelled," all evidence to the contrary. In fact, these are unnatural urges that can bring down the wrath of God on us, keep us from our real identity, and cause damage to both individuals practicing them and society at large. This article will prove that.
Additionally, repenting of our sins and believing in the Gospel gives us access to our Creator, Jesus Christ. He is greater than anything we hold onto in this world. He offers us eternal life after living as instruments of God's will in this one. He has a better identity for us!
You'll also hear the truth from ex-LGBT people who chose Christ. Their stories are powerful! I've linked to a diverse set of them so you see many ways Christ moves in the lives of those who repent of LGBT practices. They also testify that Christ is worth more than anything they gave up. They won't let Him go because He doesn't ever let us go! :)
God's
Word on God's Design
"God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27)
"...you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)
"Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection." (Colossians 3)
"Therefore a man will leave
his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be
one flesh." (Genesis
2:24)
"But
from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.
"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers." (Hebrews 13:4)
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it... Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the church; because we are members of his body..." (Ephesians 5:25, 28-30)
"Wives,
be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ
also is the head of the church, being himself the savior of the
body. But as
the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own
husbands in everything." (Ephesians
5:22-24)
"I saw a new heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and
the sea is no more. I
saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying,
'Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and
they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their
God. He will
wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither
will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things
have passed away.'" (Revelation
20:1-8)
His Word Explained
God's Word says He made us to love and obey Him first, and love each other as ourselves. We're to reflect and multiply His character across the Earth. Since we couldn't obey, Christ redeemed those who would repent with His blood and commanded us to obey to the best of our abilities with the help of God's Spirit. We keep trying to reflect Christ who already earned our salvation for us. We also avoid our Father's discipline of our sins which may be severe. One day, we'll be with Him in new bodies on a new Heaven and Earth with our struggles and pain long behind us. It's all peace and joy from there. Until then, we must remain steadfast in faith and obedience.
God declared marriage to be a covenant relationship between man and woman that reflects Jesus Christ's relationship with His church. They are to totally love and give themselves to each other. They stick with each other for life.
God commanded sex to happen only in those relationships. That's both to produce godly offspring and to protects us from harms that sexual sin leads to. It also feels incredible, like a drug, to draw the committed people together. It's also a gift from our clearly-generous God. It's meant to be fun!
Within that relationship, the couple will raise their children to reflect God's character. They set an example, teach them God's Word, and love them. Both the passing of their genes and gender differences will assist them in this. So will God by His grace and through prayer. That's God's design.
There's plenty of scientific evidence this is true. Outside some deformities, everyone is split between two genders with complementary, sex organs. Using those organs both creates pleasure and can make babies. Biology confirms God's Word about our design.
In secular science, evolution theory claims that the highest, design goal of all species is to produce offspring in its image (i.e having its genes). If they can't or won't reproduce, evolution considers them or that behavior a failure ("dead end"). By puberty, two of the strongest drives of people are being close to other people and wanting to have sex with them. Most cultures also independently developed clear, gender roles that are similar to those in the Bible. How most people act toward the opposite sex leans toward the design in God's Word.
In animals and humans, there's evidence we pass behavior down in some way. That both our righteous actions and our sins can impact our children confirms the importance of having God's blessing on our family and living the right way. That's before they're even born! Once they are, physiological differences in men and women make it easier to raise children in heterosexual, committed relationships.
Christian parents endlessly testify that both God's Word and prayer help in the daily struggles they face. That includes boosting their patience, wisdom in decision-making, and God changing random events to support a stable family (i.e. answered prayers). Studies on children following Christ or religions with similar morals show that they, on average, do better than others in all the good categories (esp family/success) and avoid more of the problems (esp crime). That means God's Word was proven to be good for us by the good results it delivers.
" You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you." (John 15)
"No temptation has taken you
except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to
be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also
make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1
Corinthians 10:13)
Before I describe these, God's Word makes a distinction between temptation and sin. A sinful urge is a temptation which He doesn't hold against us. Acting on that urge is a sin. God doesn't hate that people struggle with temptations. He commands us not to act on them.
As our sovereign ruler, God promises to bless obedience and punish disobedience for individuals, groups, and nations. He will always do it eternally in some way. In His Word, He also avenged sin in this life for individuals and entire nations which were wiped out. Allowing sexual sin in our lives can hurt us, our families, and people across the country. Even if forgiven by Jesus' blood, we should still oppose sin on every level to avoid the wrath of God. So, what recognizable damage does sin do in this life?
Sexual Sin in General
"Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual men..." (1 Corinthians 6:9)
"Don’t
you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the
members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never
be!... Flee
sexual immorality! Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he
who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or don’t you know
that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you
have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1
Corinthians 6:15, 18-20)
We'll start with general problems. Sex outside of marriage leads to being drawn to the wrong people, broken hearts in many cases, pregnancies couples aren't ready for, and higher chance of STD's with medical complications or even death. In surprise pregnancies, people might get stuck with partners that are way worse than they could've had, be single parents weighed down by that heavy burden, or be tempted to murder their children (abortion) for convenience.
In marriage, both porn and adultery damages or destroys relationships. The sexual revolution encouraged sex without commitment. A major, side effect was to destroy the nuclear family which was what supported most good things we had in society and prevented many of the bad things.
Homosexuality
"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)
" You
shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable." (Leviticus
18:22)
" Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around
them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual
immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example,
suffering the punishment of eternal fire." (Jude
1:7)
Same-sex attraction is a mental illness where people are attracted to the wrong gender. It may start at birth, during development, or a combination of both. If it's at birth, it's one of many problems that seem to be passed down or have a genetic component. LGBT attraction might also begin or be reinforced in some people due to broken childhoods or sexual abuse during the formative years. A tremendous number of LGBT people suffered in those ways. Many researchers believe that might lead them away from opposite-sex relationships to act on their same-sex attraction. It's easier than confronting the pain inside of them.
Although they're unnatural urges, people often want to do them anyway. They think it will make them happy, doesn't hurt anyone, and they should always be free to act on their urges. Surveys show the first two often aren't true. We also ban other urges, from violent to sexual (eg pedophilia), when we think they're damaging to individuals or society. So, are these urges beneficial or damaging? Although we're not owed an answer, why might God ban homosexual acts?
Our first problem is that homosexual acts can't produce children... ever. It goes against the main purpose of our sexual organs per God's Word, biology, and evolution theory. The second problem is losing the benefits of both passing genes down and physiological differences in parents. Homosexual couples are working against nature to raise their children. As God's Word warned, countless studies also show higher promiscuity, higher infection by deadly diseases, passing those onto others more often, and lying about having them. CDC says it's a public, health risk. That's not victimless or just their own lives: that's a sin with damaging effects on other people, sometimes killing them, even before we get to divine punishment. Everyone from individuals to society itself are safer if sexual immorality, including homosexuality, is banned.
Transgender
"A woman shall not wear
men’s clothing, neither shall a man put on women’s clothing; for whoever
does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God." (Deuteronomy
22:5)
"Doesn’t
even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a
dishonor to him? But
if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to
her for a covering." (1
Corinthians 11:14-15)
"He
has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for
my power is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore I
will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on
me." (2
Corinthians 12)
"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew
11)
Gender dysphoria, which supporters call transgender, is a mental condition where a person feels like they're another gender. It's a painful delusion, or feeling, that they don't belong in their body. There are many delusional beliefs. In each case, neither the biology of the person nor their life experiences match the person or thing they claim to be. They're lying to themselves. The best practice in psychiatry was always to help delusional people face reality with love, patience, and professional assistance where necessary. Studies show most people with gender dysphoria often have other mental illnesses which, if untreated, often lead to their suicide. Psychologists usually try to address all of this at the root.
Today, a newer movement promotes doing the opposite. They re-define gender itself to not have to do with sex organs, then lie to delusional people about their gender to support their delusion, coerce others into lying, and give people who are not a specific gender access to its activities. Those activities might have been gender-restricted for others' protection (eg bathrooms or locker rooms), for fairness (eg sports teams), or for common sense (eg managing pregnancy is biological females only). The new movement gets rid of all of that saying that satisfying delusions is more important than the suffering it causes.
To support the delusion, proponents encourage them to mutilate their bodies to match their imagined gender. They hide the ugly truth about people who made choices they couldn't undo. In fact, mental illness that exists before surgery stays in people after surgery. Most still suffer with many killing themselves. Reinforcing their delusion harms, not helps, them. Recently, LGBT proponents are pushing children to mutilate their bodies before they've gone through puberty. They haven't even finished developing sexually! If parents resist, those proponents claim they are committing "child abuse." Again, these are highly-damaging practices which are inconsistent with how we treat every other mental illness.
At the root, these people hate themselves due to their mental illness. They can't escape by living a lie. Instead, they need to know God loves them so much that Jesus Christ died for them. If they stay close to Him, the Holy Spirit we receive as believers will give them the peace and personal value they desire. One believer pointed out that Jesus Christ was fully God confined and limited to the body of a mere man. That sounds similar to and more difficult to live with than gender dysphoria. People struggling today can know that Jesus Christ suffered like them and made it through. He who is in those believers has overcome the world.
One day, our temptations and mental illnesses will go away when God gives us new bodies in the twinkling of an eye. We can keep moving forward with our hope set on the future Jesus bought for us with His blood.
Many of you in LGBT lifestyles might wonder: "If what we feel or crave leads to sin, does God really love us? How could He let us struggle so much? Is Jesus worth giving up how we're living?" Yes, He loves you! Yes, He is worth it!
I'd rather you hear it from people like you, though. People who have been where you are. After praying that, I stumbled on this site made by people having "same-sex temptation" who found Jesus, experienced His love, were transformed by it, and want to share that with others like them (everyone actually). It cost some people everything. They say they'd never turn back. Later, I found other people's stories and sites. I'll add more over time.
The first site is here. It centers on a book they made to support others struggling as they do. Yet, it relies on the same Gospel with the same promises God's Word makes to all who repent and trust in Christ. Just as there's no Jew or Gentile, there's no straight or gay. We're all in it together focusing on the hope laid up for us in heaven. We'll have new bodies, new lives, and God will wipe every tear from every eye.
Outside of that site, I also found these resources for gay and trans people: "Gay Girl, Good God" (many folks loved it); XOutLoud; DesiringGod.
Rosaria Butterfield - A lesbian activist and professor living what looks like a dream life with her girlfriend and friends. Couldn't stand Christians. Meeting Jesus made her give all that up. Later, married a man on top of serving many struggling with these issues.
Michael Edward Ukas - Michael's background included gang rape, family issues, and hopelessness. That and evil people led him to hedonistic lifestyle filling emptiness with drugs and all kinds of sex. Became a prostitute. During a natural disaster, God called him back and transformed his life.
Anacleta Paredes and Her GF - A lesbian couple of 6 years that turned to drugs to fill emptiness they started feeling. Just messed their life up more. They found Jesus, He transformed them, they realized they were in sin, they intentionally broke up, and now they're best friends and sisters in Christ bringing His love to others.
Chandan - An effiminent guy in a Hindu family. The only guy that was good to him took advantage of that sexually. The mockery of straight people kept him wanting to die. He stayed with men. Fake gospels appealing to gay people gave a hint he needed God. He called to him. He went to a church to weep for a friend but found Jesus instead. Although hated by Hindu family and locals, he now has a new life in Jesus.
Ex-LGBT Conference - This testimony is about a conference where ex-LGBT Christians are organizing. I'm linking to it for the list that shows how Christ reaches people of all types in all places. Some of the "After's" show how Christ empowered these people to serve God.
Matthew Karchner - This guy says he sold his soul to the god of this world: a beautiful, rich man that he lived the high life with. Clubs, celebrities, and so on. Lived the gay life in the big cities before it started crashing down. Even his dog committed suicide. Life got worse until he found Jesus. He followed imperfectly (as we all do) but grew from there. Unusual side-note: Jesus's prophecy that end times would come with a large increase in things like earthquakes, which he was seeing, was part of what got his attention.
ex-Gay and ex-Trans - One heck of a picture but no name. Fatherless, molested, and without immediate family. Started being attracted to guys. Then, identified as female becoming transgender woman. Led him down a rough road. Eventually found Jesus, stopped what he was doing, became a minister, and helps others struggling with same things.
Becket Cook - Hollywood production designer living life others dream about, including going to Oscars and Golden Globes. He was a gay atheist whose Catholic background made him know it was a sin, didn't want to give up his life, and would mock or throw drinks at Christians. He stayed with other "misfits" like him. After hearing the Gospel, he was later overcome by God's holiness in a way that inexplicably undid his whole life. He came to Jesus, is no longer interested in men, and spends Friday nights with Jesus and other believers.
Shirley - Believed she was born gay, had faith in God (close to Him), and tossed it in her 20's to go with lesbianism and alcoholism. Missed being close to God. Felt He must be cruel for creating her this way. He eventually answered her prayers in a way that made her go "cold turkey" on that lifestyle. She also writes about why she thinks detachment causes many to turn to homosexual desires. Although she planned to be celibate, pursuing Jesus and what He wanted in her life led her to Pete: a husband she's been happily married to for 26 years. She has a whole life through her "first love, Jesus."
(Note on translations: For copyright reasons, I link to ESV verses but use WEB inside the text. ESV's owner forbids using their translation in CC-licensed works. WEB is free and public domain.)
(Read the Gospel with proof it's true. Learn to live and share it.)