I Was Born This Way…Reflections

In session 4 of our Counter Culture Bible study (the Gospel and Sexuality), we considered the scenario of a person who behaves a certain way and justifies the behavior with the claim “I can’t help it; I was born this way”. How does the gospel compel us to respond?

Consider the passage of Scripture found in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10. In the New King James Version of the Bible the verses declare “⁹Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” When we think of a particular behavior or activity that is contrary to the Word of God we may sometimes be inclined to pick and choose which “sins” are worse than others. We then are inclined to establish a set of conditions or standards by which those who are involved with such “sins” must demonstrate their conversion and commitment to Christ, while the rest of us are not held to the same standard. For example, notice the word “covetous” in the list of sins identified in verse 10. Without bogging down in a study of Greek, we can simply take the word “covetous” to mean “having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else” as the Oxford dictionary defines it. One only need drive down any neighborhood street and observe the boats, campers, recreational vehicles and so on to easily conclude that more than a few people, many of whom identify themselves as followers of Christ, are “covetous”. We tend to want what others have and our prosperity, at least here in America, enables us to obtain those things we “covet”.

Taking the argument “I can’t help it; I was born this way” as our justification for the “covetous” behavior (or any other behavior in the list of forbidden activities listed above), how does the gospel compel us to respond? To begin with, it is correct that we are “born this way”. Psalm 51:5 would suggest that every human being is born with a vent toward sin. Romans 3:10 tells us that there is not even one righteous human. Romans 3:23 makes it plain that we are all sinners. So that is where we must begin our response: recognizing and admitting that we are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God.

The second thing we must do in response to sin is to realize our need of a savior. We must recognize that all of us, like sheep have gone astray and turned to our own ways (Isaiah 53:5,6). Whether it is the person who “covets” and seeks to remedy that “covetous” behavior with the acquisition of things or whether it is the homosexual who seeks to find lasting fulfillment through physical intimacy with others of the same-sex, we must all recognize that the works of the flesh will never bring us the ultimate satisfaction of being restored to right relationship with our Creator. That’s the reason God gave His Only Begotten Son as a sacrifice for us, paying our debt for wrong behavior and providing a means by which we can be made righteous in the sight of God. The gospel invites us all, everyone included in the list in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 and throughout God’s Word, to turn away from our own path and turn instead to the Way, the Truth, and the Life found only in Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

So, yes, I was born this way and I cannot help myself. The gospel provides the answer: God can help me! He has provided my rescue in Christ! So the Good News of the gospel; the answer to the dilemma of “I can’t help it; I was born this way” is found in Christ. Thoughts?

~ by brotherfaron on September 25, 2015.