Can Homosexuals Change?

Tom Brown

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 can also read my article  on Homosexuality: Its Cause and Cure.


Here are some unsolicited testimonies of people who changed:


"Thank you for your timely message. As a man who has been delivered from his attraction to other men by your prayerful intercession, as well as by my own meditation on God's Holy Word, I wish to commend your dedication to the Biblical understanding of tolerance. Sadly, our corrupt times have led to a corruption of the Grace God holds out to all of those who seek Him. Tolerance, indeed, is a gift for the repentant sinner who turns from his iniquity to the Lord and who looks to the Lord for deliverance, as I have done, and am thankful to have been delivered by Him. Clearly, the evil our society faces as a result of what is termed "gay marriage" is one which cannot be obviated by any sense of "tolerance". I am grateful to you, Bother, for your work on behalf of the authentic understanding of God's work in the world and send you all my prayerful encouragement."
Ministry withheld name


"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


"Thank you for your prayerful support. I have now come to a point where I no longer have an active attraction to men. Praise God for this and I request your continued prayers for my continued journey out of homosexuality."
Ministry withheld name, El Paso Citizen


 


You can enjoy additional teaching on this subject through Tom's online TV show. Homosexuality: Its Cause and Cure Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. This relevant message became the best-selling series in 2008, and for good reason. You will find biblically based answers mixed with compassion in this highly-delicate topic. Is Homosexuality Natural? and What Causes Homosexuality? and Can Homosexuals Change? All three shows are 28 min 30 sec each. You need Window's Media.

Comment

All Q&A
Share by: