SAME SEX ATTRACTION

God deeply loves people with same-sex attraction. Sadly, many churches have ostracized gay-identified people. God doesn’t see people with same-sex attraction as greater sinners than others. Every time the New Testament references homosexual practice as a sexual sin, it is within the context of other sins. He offers the same redemptive plan to all people. He discourages any sexual sin (regardless of gender attraction) outside of His plan for sexual expression because He loves us, and sin is destructive. Homosexual practice has been present throughout history. Thankfully, God’s Word transcends time and culture to direct us towards life. To experience God’s best with our sexuality, we must live by God’s plan for sexuality, regardless of cultural acceptance or personal desires. The Bible clearly defines homosexual practice as a sexual sin throughout both Old and New Testaments. The only relationship where a sexual union is celebrated is within the confines of a heterosexual marriage between one man and one woman. All people are called to flee any sexual activity outside of this boundary.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

• God loves gay people: FOR God so loves the LGBTQ community and anyone with same-sex attraction, that He gave His only son to be crucified so that any may be redeemed and restored to an intimate relationship with Him. (John 3:16).

Christ gives new life to all who trust in him.

• Christians can struggle with same-sex attraction: Many Christians with SSA faithfully and joyfully surrender their sexuality to God’s design along with other areas of life. (1 Cor 10:13, John 10:10) • If people are born with same-sex desires, it doesn’t mean that same-sex love is God’s design. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, we’ve all inherited a rebellious nature with sinful desires leading to death . Intrinsic desires don’t determine whether a longing is good or bad. God’s word alone defines truth. Sexuality is determined by our Designer, not our desires. (Psalm 19:7-11) • The Bible doesn’t affirm monogamous same-sex love. Homosexual practice is designated as sin in both Old and New Testaments .

Share these scriptures (Lev 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:21-32, 1 Tim 1:9-10). Jesus affirmed that God created man and woman in His image with distinct but complementary roles, and that marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman in monogamy. (Matthew 19:4-6) • Love can be wrong. Just because there is love in a relationship, it doesn’t mean that God approves of the relationship. Hearts can be deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9). In fact, no earthly love can fulfill our need for love. Only God’s perfect love can fully satisfy our love needs. (Psalm 90:14) • Desires do not determine identity. We are not a sum of our attractions and desires. God created each of us for a purpose. He gives us a choice to live in his intended design for life or to go our own way. God gives those who turn to Christ, a new identity as children of God—forgiven, righteous and clean. Christ’s blood preeminently determines the value and identity of a Christian. • You are not denying your true identity if you follow God’s plan instead of your same-sex desires. Jesus’ invitation to all is to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23-25) . Following Christ often demands sacrifice in all areas of life (including sexuality), but also promises great eternal rewards. To answer Jesus’ call is to accept an identity defined by God and to follow Christ fully. • God can change sexual desires, but He doesn’t always change sexual desires. God gives Christians the Holy Spirit to change them from the inside out. Sometimes, the Spirit takes away a person’s desire for specific sins, other times, He does not. God calls us to follow Him regardless of sinful desires, or what culture says, in order to glorify Him and to enjoy His blessings.

BIBLICAL INSIGHTS TO SHARE WITH YOU

GOD LOVES YOU AND HAS YOUR BEST INTERESTS IN MIND.

You matter to God. He created you for purpose and set eternity in your heart. No marriage, no earthly relationship, no fulfilled sexual desire, will satisfy you—only God’s perfect and true love satisfies. His instructions lead to life. • “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” the bible tells us in (Psalm 16:11)

HOMOSEXUAL PRACTICE IS CONDEMNED IN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

It is always listed amongst other sins. Sexual sins are some of the first to emerge when we turn from God. (Lev 20:13, 1 Tim 1:9-10) • “Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.” the bible tells us in (Leviticus 18:22) • “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” the bible tells us in (Romans 1:25-27)

WITHOUT CHRIST YOU’RE POWERLESS TO CHANGE, BUT CHRIST REDEFINES AND CHANGES ALL WHO TRUST HIM.

Willpower won’t overcome sin. Those who accept Christ receive a new Spirit and new identity defined by Christ’s work on the cross. God may or may not remove a Christian’s same-sex attraction, but the Holy Spirit will give him or her a supernatural ability to resist temptation and live joyfully in God’s will. • “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”- (Romans 7:18) • “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 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.” -(1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

SELF-DENIAL OF SEXUAL DESIRE IS COUNTER CULTURAL, BUT CHRIST SAYS WE MUST DENY OURSELVES AND FOLLOW HIM IN ORDER TO LIVE.

Culture tells us to transform our bodies and conform our minds to our sexual desires. Jesus calls us to follow Him, and let God transform our hearts/minds to conform every area of life to His will. • “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” (Jesus, Luke 9:23-25) • “Come to me, all you who are weary and 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.” (Jesus, Matthew 11:28-29)

IT IS LOVING, NOT HATEFUL, TO REFRAIN FROM SUPPORTING SIN AND TO KINDLY TELL SOMEONE THE TRUTH ABOUT SIN.

• “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:6)

NEXT STEPS

BIBLICAL FIREPOWER WEAPONRY:

Bible

Accountability partner/sponsor/mentor

Prayer time daily and consistently

This recovery/discipleship meeting weekly

Disengagement from things that squander our ability to live a regenerated lifestyle by God's word

• God loves you and made you in His image. Ask Christ to heal you spiritually (Romans 10:13).

If you do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus, learn more at rprecovery.org/the-gospel.

OR YOU CAN TALK TO ME AFTERWARDS

Allow the Spirit to renew your mind . Take a 30-day challenge: pray and read God’s word daily (start with the book of John), ask God to reveal His love for you, memorize scripture change media intake (TV, radio, social media, etc.) to what honors Christ, limit relationships that pull you from God, attend a Bible-teaching church, like 1st Free Will Baptist Church, to receive sound teaching and to find healthy Christian community.

• Find a Christian group, like Restoration Pointe, where you are safe to be known, work through struggles, and discover who God designed you to be

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