Can Homosexuals Change?
Today's Question: I have been a
homosexual ever since I was a boy. My background is that of a
stereotypical homosexual: My father didn't show me much love and,
at the age of fourteen, I had an encounter with an
eighteen-year-old man. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. I've been attending a gay church, but it appears to me that
they twist scriptures to try to prove that being homosexual is
not a sin. I want to follow Christ, yet I wonder if I can ever
change. Can I, as a homosexual, really change?
Bible Answer: Absolutely yes! If you
can't change, then nobody can change.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral
nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor
homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor
drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the
kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But
you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of
our God.
Here Paul mentions a great number of sinners who will not
inherit the Kingdom, especially the sexually filthy, including
homosexual offenders, and by mentioning the list he purposely
reveals the background of many in the Church, and he says "that
is what some of you were." In other words, they are not
like that anymore. They used to be sexually immoral and
adulterers and prostitutes, but not any more. They changed! Glory
to God!
There were many in the Corinthian church that used to be
homosexual offenders, but through the power of the gospel they
changed. In my churches, I, too, know those who used to be
homosexuals, but the Lord changed them, and I know that He can
change you too.
I want you to notice that Paul doesn’t just pick on
homosexuals, as if they were the only immoral people, but he
mentions many different kinds of immoral people, including
adulterers, fornicators, prostitutes, and he goes on to mentions
thieves, drunkards, slanders and swindlers. In other words, it
doesn’t matter what kind of sin a person is trapped by, the
Lord can deliver him or her.
If homosexuals can't change, then can thieves change? How
about adulterers? If these people can't change, what's the point
of preaching the gospel? The gospel can change anyone; regardless
of the bondage people are imprisoned by.
This scripture also mentions how these people changed. It
says, "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit
of our God" (v 11).
There are three things that Jesus provides in order to change
our corrupt nature into a saintly one: washing, sanctification,
and justification.
First, Jesus washes us clean by His own blood. Second, He
sanctifies and separates us from the world through the work of
the Holy Spirit. And third, He justifies and forgives us of all
our sins so that we can serve God without feeling guilty about
our past lives. This is wonderful! This is supernatural! No one
will change just because he wants to change. The Lord must
perform a miracle, and He will do it for anyone who will meet the
conditions.
For you to experience the miracle of grace which can change
you, you must be willing to first of all acknowledge that
homosexuality is a sin. You can't justify it by saying, "I
can't help it. It's not my fault. I was born this way." You
must confess that what you are doing is sinful. Period!
Second, you repent of homosexual actions. Notice I said repent
of "actions." The Bible doesn't simply condemn
"homosexuals," but it condemns "homosexual
offenders." It is not sinful to have homosexual
desires—after all that's what temptation is all
about—but it’s wrong to act on bad desires. This is
true regarding any sin.
Repentance means that you quit the sinful act. You may say,
"But I can't help it. I'm a homosexual. How can I repent
from who I am?" First of all, if you're saved you are not
homosexual. You're a new creature in Christ Jesus. You may have
homosexual desires, but that doesn't make you a homosexual.
Separate your fleshly desires from who you are.
Before your desires can change, you must be willing to stop
the action that fuels your desires. You see, acting on your sin
only produces a desire for more sin.
The Bible confirms this, "They have given themselves over
to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a
continual lust for more" (Eph 4:19). Many people are
deceived into believing that if they just do this little sin,
then they'll get it out of their system and not want to sin
anymore. But the truth is, these people will simply want to
graduate to bigger sins.
Once you repent outwardly, God will work inwardly to change
your abnormal desire into a natural one. This is what Paul meant
when he wrote, "Continue to work out your salvation with
fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to
act according to his good purpose" (Phil 2:13-14).
Your part is to work out your salvation; God's part is to work
in you to cause you to desire to do His will. It takes faith to
do your part, trust that God will do His part. He will! He's
faithful.
And in time, perhaps quickly, or, maybe, not as quickly as you
would like, God will begin to alter your character and heal your
sexuality. You'll experience a metamorphosis. It'll feel like
you've changed from a creepy caterpillar into a beautiful
butterfly. You will change by God's power.
You might want to contact the Exodus International. It is a
Christian ministry geared toward those struggling with
homosexuality. You can also read my article on
Homosexuality: Its Cause and Cure.
Exodus International
P.O. Box 2121
San Rafael, CA 94912
(415) 454-1017
Here is an unsolicited testimony of someone who changed:
"Mr. Brown, I am a born again Christian and happened to come
across your website tonight on homosexuals and how you believe God can change
them and deliver them as well. I just wanted to say I am living proof God can
save, heal, deliver and set free a man from the life of homosexual activity. I
lost everything I had—my
family, my son, my home—everything.
I gave it all up, even God, to go to this lifestyle. If God can open doors for
me get me out of a devil's hell, then he will for the next homosexual. I am
hoping and praying that God puts me in the path of some men that I may be able
to help. And thank you for loving just as Jesus would."
Tim
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