Speaker:
Alright, well, well, tonight, um, so we've been going
2
:
through the book of Romans, right?
3
:
Romans and Romans chapter one talks
about a really, really important.
4
:
Issue something really important
that, so important that I thought
5
:
it would be best if we just took
a night to talk about this topic.
6
:
So tonight we are going to talk
about homosexuality and LGBTQ
7
:
plus all of that because in Romans
one, verses 26 and 27 talked about
8
:
how the, some people who had, um.
9
:
What's called, what they said were
unnatural desires, desires for, uh, men,
10
:
desiring men and women desiring women.
11
:
And so that's what we're gonna talk about.
12
:
We're gonna talk about all of that.
13
:
And so, um, it's gonna be, uh,
hopefully really helpful for you to
14
:
see what God says, why he says it,
um, why certain things that the, the
15
:
Bible says about what we would call
sin and how to talk to people about.
16
:
This topic, because I'm sure this
is not your favorite thing to
17
:
talk about with people at school.
18
:
So, um, that's what
we're gonna talk about.
19
:
So this is what we're gonna do.
20
:
We're gonna be looking at what the
Bible says about LGBTQ plus ideas and
21
:
thoughts and desires and all that.
22
:
Okay?
23
:
So what I want for you tonight,
this is my goal for you, is I want
24
:
you to be clear and confident.
25
:
About God's design, God's design for
marriage, God's design for gender, God's
26
:
design for attraction, God's design
for romance, for all those things.
27
:
I want you to be clear.
28
:
This is what God says.
29
:
This is how God made people to live
and to interact with each other.
30
:
I want you to have clarity about that.
31
:
I want that to make sense.
32
:
I want you to understand what God
says, and I want you to be confident.
33
:
I want you to be like,
that's a good thing.
34
:
I'm so glad God says what he says.
35
:
I'm so glad God made people
the way he made people.
36
:
I want you to be clear about it.
37
:
I want you to understand it,
and I want you to be confident.
38
:
I want you to feel really good about it.
39
:
I want you to, to affirm it, and I want
you to not be embarrassed about it.
40
:
Especially in today's culture, it's,
it's easy for someone to make you
41
:
feel embarrassed about what God says.
42
:
I'm gonna make you feel like a
bad person for believing what the
43
:
Bible says about these things.
44
:
So I want you to be confident.
45
:
I don't want you to be embarrassed.
46
:
I don't want you to be ashamed,
and I don't want you to, to feel
47
:
like this is a bad thing, that
God says these things, okay?
48
:
That's what I want for you.
49
:
So here's our starting point, okay?
50
:
Our, our number one starting
point when we're thinking
51
:
about all of this stuff, right?
52
:
When you think about, um.
53
:
All the different, all the different
aspects of, of gender and sexuality
54
:
and identity and all of these things.
55
:
The number one thing I want you
to start with is that God is love.
56
:
That's where I want you to start.
57
:
God loves you more than you love yourself.
58
:
God loves you more than you love yourself.
59
:
That's not our first point, but that
is where I want you to start, that God
60
:
loves you more than you love yourself.
61
:
In fact, God loves people so much
that one John four says that he
62
:
sent his son to die for people.
63
:
He God took on flesh and died for people.
64
:
That's how much God loves you.
65
:
He was willing to do that for you.
66
:
God loves you more than you love you,
and so because of that, God wants
67
:
what's best for you, more than you want.
68
:
What's best for you, right?
69
:
God wants you to be happy more
than you want you to be happy.
70
:
Maybe you've never thought about that
before, but this is our, our starting
71
:
place because a lot of people will
tell you, well, it's unloving for
72
:
God to say these things about me.
73
:
It's unloving for you to tell me
X, y, and Z about my gender or
74
:
who I'm allowed to marry or what
I'm allowed to say about myself.
75
:
So our starting point is
that, that God loves you.
76
:
God loves people so much.
77
:
So that, that's our starting point,
and we even see that here, right?
78
:
In one John four, beloved
let us love one another.
79
:
For love is from God.
80
:
So love is God's idea, right?
81
:
In our title.
82
:
There's that, that phrase that
you hear thrown out a lot.
83
:
That love is love, right?
84
:
Don't let anyone tell
you who you can love.
85
:
Well, actually, love is God's idea.
86
:
God invented love.
87
:
Love actually existed before
the world existed because God,
88
:
the Father loved God the son.
89
:
Before he made anyone so love
actually has existed before the
90
:
world existed before Adam and Eve
were created before Sin entered
91
:
the world, God made us out of love.
92
:
Actually.
93
:
God made people so he could love them.
94
:
So love is God's idea.
95
:
Whoever loves has been
born of God and knows God.
96
:
So the only way you can love truly is
if you have a relationship with God.
97
:
You see that the only way that you can
actually love someone has to do with God.
98
:
You cannot love apart from God.
99
:
It's, it's really not love.
100
:
It's just a fake imitation of love.
101
:
Whoever loves has been
born of God and knows God.
102
:
Anyone who does not.
103
:
Love does not know God
because God is love.
104
:
Now, these three words are three
of the, this is one of the most
105
:
important phrases in the Bible.
106
:
God is love.
107
:
It's not saying that God is loving,
it's saying that God is love.
108
:
What's the difference there?
109
:
Well, the difference is that, God,
this is, this is a definition, right?
110
:
Who God is is love.
111
:
So whatever love is has to be.
112
:
Consistent with who God is.
113
:
You can't make love something that's
not consistent with who God is.
114
:
I heard one theologian put it
this way, he said that, that Jesus
115
:
is love covered over in flesh.
116
:
Jesus is love in a human
body because God is love.
117
:
So the way we define love is by God.
118
:
So.
119
:
Well, how?
120
:
What does it look like to love someone?
121
:
Well, what's God like?
122
:
That's where we start.
123
:
We start with God.
124
:
That's how we learn what love is.
125
:
You can't learn what love
is unless you know God.
126
:
So that has to be our starting point.
127
:
God is loving God.
128
:
In fact is love.
129
:
God invented love.
130
:
Love is God's idea.
131
:
So that's the first thing I
want you to start with it.
132
:
That love has to be.
133
:
From God has to be in relationship to God.
134
:
The second thing I want you to start
with is that your identity, who you are
135
:
is defined by God, not your body, not
your emotions, and not your experiences.
136
:
Who you are is not dependent
on your physical body.
137
:
If that, which that has to be true.
138
:
Because if, if you believe in life
after death, well your body's dead,
139
:
but you're still alive, right?
140
:
So who you are has to be more than
just what your body says, right?
141
:
Your emotions don't define who you are,
how you feel doesn't define who you are
142
:
and what you go through in life, right?
143
:
The things that happen to you.
144
:
Don't define who you are.
145
:
God determines who you are.
146
:
God made you right?
147
:
God made people.
148
:
People are God's idea, right?
149
:
No one thought of people until God did.
150
:
God made people.
151
:
People like a human being is God's idea.
152
:
So you can't just be like, well, I know
you made humans God, but actually this
153
:
is what I think humans should be like.
154
:
'cause it doesn't make any sense, right?
155
:
That's like telling the person who.
156
:
Made a piano to be like, well, actually
I think a piano should have symbols and
157
:
should have a, you know, have, like,
you should actually play it with a bow.
158
:
Or you should actually, it should,
you know, I, I think a piano
159
:
should actually be, um, I think
it should actually have a screen.
160
:
Like, and, and like, that's
not a, that's not a piano.
161
:
Right.
162
:
You, you've changed it into something.
163
:
It's not because whoever
came up with the piano.
164
:
What they made, they made this
thing, and if you change it, it's
165
:
not what it is anymore, right?
166
:
Your identity is defined by
God, not your, your body, your
167
:
emotions or your experiences.
168
:
So, so people are, are God's creation.
169
:
People are God's idea.
170
:
And so God gets to tell us who
we are and God gets to tell
171
:
us how we're supposed to live.
172
:
But that's why this is
so important too, right?
173
:
Because it's a loving God who's
telling us all these things.
174
:
It's a loving God who made us.
175
:
It's, it's a God who, who wants
your joy, who made you, and who
176
:
made you to, to be a very specific.
177
:
Person and to live a very specific way.
178
:
It's not just like he God's like,
oh well you know, you better do what
179
:
I say just 'cause I told you to.
180
:
Right?
181
:
Like when you were a kid, the
worst answer from your parent
182
:
was always, 'cause I said so,
183
:
which is true 'cause there's authority
there, but also it's because I love you.
184
:
Whenever God tells you to do something,
it's not just 'cause I said so.
185
:
It's because I love.
186
:
I want what's best for you, and I
have something good for you in mind
187
:
that's supposed to come from all this.
188
:
So God loves you and God
gets to tell you who you are.
189
:
Those are the two foundations.
190
:
Now there's gonna be three things,
three terms that you might run into,
191
:
you may have already encountered them,
that I just wanna briefly define for
192
:
you to get us all on the same page.
193
:
Okay?
194
:
There's three things that I think
you need to know when we talk about
195
:
homosexuality and L-G-B-T-Q and
transgender and all this stuff.
196
:
Okay?
197
:
This sounds like health class.
198
:
I don't like health class, so let's
pretend it's not health class.
199
:
Okay.
200
:
Orientation.
201
:
Your orientation is who or what
you're attracted to, right?
202
:
So, um, that includes romantic
and emotional attraction,
203
:
not just physical attraction.
204
:
So if you hear about someone's like,
oh, they're their orientation, right?
205
:
That's who or what you're attracted to.
206
:
We good?
207
:
All right, sweet.
208
:
Your gender identity is a subjective.
209
:
Subjective.
210
:
What does subjective mean?
211
:
Objective.
212
:
Right?
213
:
Subjective.
214
:
That means it's biased.
215
:
That means it's not necessarily
true, it's just how I feel.
216
:
Gender identity, our subjective
understanding of ourselves as male,
217
:
female, both new, et cetera, right?
218
:
Whatever.
219
:
It's, you can be wrong essentially.
220
:
That's what subjective means, right?
221
:
It's an opinion.
222
:
So it identity, your gender identity
is your pers your idea, your own
223
:
understanding of, of who you are.
224
:
And then your expression is how you
present that identity to other people.
225
:
By the clothes you wear, the, the
way your voice sounds, the way
226
:
you look, that's how you express
your perceived identity, right?
227
:
So for example, right?
228
:
I perceive myself to be male,
so I present myself as a male.
229
:
I wear boy clothes, I try to
look like a boy, et cetera.
230
:
Now, those are just some terms that.
231
:
We all need to be on the same page.
232
:
Gonna be using them.
233
:
Okay, so the first thing I want
you to see is that, like we talked
234
:
about, God's design is a good thing.
235
:
God made us the way.
236
:
He made us for good, for for a
good purpose because he loves us.
237
:
And the way the Bible talks about
humans and how humans are supposed
238
:
to live and interact, the way God
made humans is a really good thing.
239
:
So for our first point tonight.
240
:
I want you to defend the
goodness of God's design.
241
:
Defend the goodness of God's design.
242
:
Turn to Mark chapter 10 in your Bibles.
243
:
Defend the goodness of God's Designs,
our first point, and when you're writing
244
:
that down, turn to Mark, chapter 10.
245
:
Mark chapter 10.
246
:
So remember, I want you
to be confident, right?
247
:
That the way God made people and the
way God made relationships, the way
248
:
God made marriage is a good thing.
249
:
And I want you to be confident
enough where you can defend it.
250
:
I want you to be clear about it so you
know what God says, and I want you to
251
:
be confident you're not embarrassed,
that when someone disagrees, that you're
252
:
not like, oh, sorry about that, my bad.
253
:
I want you to be able to defend.
254
:
So Mark 10 is where we're going.
255
:
We're gonna be listening
at verses six through nine.
256
:
Now, if you're in a conversation with
someone about what God says about
257
:
marriage, this is a great place to
go because one, it's Jesus talking.
258
:
And a lot of people, even if they don't
necessarily believe the Bible, they'll
259
:
at least respect something Jesus said.
260
:
And two, Jesus quotes Genesis, which
is a big deal because he's tying
261
:
what he says into God's creation.
262
:
He's tying what he says about
marriage to God's creation.
263
:
He's affirming what God
did in Genesis one and two.
264
:
So Mark chapter 10
verses six through nine.
265
:
Okay, so some, we're gonna make
some quick observations here about
266
:
this chapter about God's design.
267
:
Okay?
268
:
So, but from the beginning of creation.
269
:
God made them male and female.
270
:
So see the quotes, that's
a quote from Genesis.
271
:
I think that's Genesis 2
24, if I remember correctly.
272
:
So there's a couple observations
here right off the bat, from the
273
:
beginning of creation, this was
always God's intended design.
274
:
God always had an intended set design
for how humans are supposed to be.
275
:
Here's how he made them.
276
:
God made them male and
female, right, and again.
277
:
Your parents probably never would've
thought this was a controversial
278
:
statement, but today in 2025, this is
a controversial statement, God made
279
:
people to either be male or be female.
280
:
That is a controversial
statement today, right?
281
:
So
282
:
the implication here, what Jesus is
saying there, the Pharisees are asking
283
:
about marriage, is that this is God's
design from the beginning of time.
284
:
When God created people, he
designed them with gender.
285
:
He designed them with marriage in mind.
286
:
And after this, you'll see he
designed them with attraction,
287
:
with a right orientation.
288
:
So God designed people to have a, a,
a correct gender identity, to have a
289
:
correct gender expression of that identity
and to have a correct orientation.
290
:
That's God's idea, right?
291
:
That's not just someone's
opinion or someone's subjective.
292
:
Understanding of how they feel.
293
:
Right?
294
:
God has a design for your orientation,
for what you're attracted to.
295
:
God has a design for your identity,
what gender you are, and God has a
296
:
design for how you express that gender.
297
:
So the first thing God designed,
love, marriage and attraction
298
:
as a gift to point back to him.
299
:
And we can see more of
that in Ephesians five.
300
:
We're not gonna go there, but
what Ephesians five says is
301
:
that marriage is about Jesus.
302
:
Marriage is about God.
303
:
So.
304
:
That's the first thing.
305
:
God design.
306
:
It's God's idea.
307
:
Love is God's idea.
308
:
Marriage is God's idea.
309
:
Attraction is God's idea.
310
:
Gender is God's idea.
311
:
He made all of these
things, so he owns them.
312
:
They're his idea as a
gift to point back to him.
313
:
That's the first thing I want you to see.
314
:
Now, second thing that I want you to see
here, which we already talked about, God
315
:
made them male and female, and now notice.
316
:
The, the very specific language
he uses in this passage.
317
:
Therefore, a man shall
leave his father and mother.
318
:
He doesn't say parents.
319
:
He says, father and mother, and
a man shall leave his father and
320
:
mother and hold fast to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
321
:
So what Jesus is saying very
clearly is not in marriage.
322
:
Marriage is between a man and a woman.
323
:
It's very clear this is what God's
design is from the beginning of creation.
324
:
God designed.
325
:
People to be male or female
and to stay that way.
326
:
And he designed marriage to be
between one man and one woman.
327
:
That's what, that's what
God says about marriage.
328
:
Now, that's probably not news to you.
329
:
I hope that's not news to you, but I want
you to be absolutely clear about that.
330
:
That is God's design for marriage.
331
:
One man, one woman.
332
:
So he also expects people to
express themselves that way.
333
:
Not just to say, oh yeah, I'm
a man, but to consistently
334
:
express themselves as that.
335
:
So the second thing about God's design
that I want you to see here is that God
336
:
created people to express themselves as
male or female from conception, right?
337
:
Not to confuse people about their
gender or not to pretend that
338
:
they are something they're not.
339
:
That's how God designed people to live.
340
:
God designed people to express themselves.
341
:
As their designed gender and to
not confuse people with how they
342
:
present that gender to others.
343
:
And you can see that in the Old
Testament law when, when God makes the
344
:
Old Testament law, he tell he cares
about the clothes that people wear.
345
:
He says, if you're a guy,
don't dress like a girl.
346
:
And he says, you shouldn't have
relationships that are outside
347
:
of this design for marriage.
348
:
So that's the second thing I want
you to see about God's design.
349
:
So God designed love and
marriage and attraction.
350
:
It's his idea.
351
:
He created people to express
themselves as male or female from
352
:
the time that they were born, right?
353
:
From the time that they exist.
354
:
It could actually in conception.
355
:
What else?
356
:
Well, we already covered this.
357
:
He, you see there's, there's one
man and there's one woman, right?
358
:
There's, there's only two, right?
359
:
There's, there's, God did not design
there to be more than two people
360
:
in a romantic relationship, right?
361
:
So maybe you've heard.
362
:
Someone at school who says
something about a throuple
363
:
that's not part of God's design.
364
:
God designed romantic relationships
between one person and one
365
:
person, one male and one female.
366
:
So again, God designed marriage
between one man, one woman, right?
367
:
Two people, which again, hopefully
this is not news to you, but this
368
:
is very clear about what God says.
369
:
So this probably isn't new to you, and
this probably isn't shocking to you.
370
:
Hopefully.
371
:
But this has to be our starting place.
372
:
What does God say?
373
:
Right?
374
:
Because we have to start with
what does God say about this?
375
:
And then when, when we see an idea
right in the culture that's presented
376
:
to us that well, you know, why can't
one man and one man get married?
377
:
Or why can't a woman try to
express herself as a man?
378
:
Or why can't a woman be oriented towards
another woman in her attractions?
379
:
Then we say, well, what does God say?
380
:
This is what God's design for
marriage is, and his design for
381
:
attraction follows suit, right?
382
:
So I want you to be able to
clearly defend what God's design
383
:
for marriage, for marriage is.
384
:
Okay?
385
:
I want you to be able to be able to
articulate these things, to explain
386
:
these things to someone, okay?
387
:
But when you encounter an idea right
at school, when, when your teacher
388
:
or the book you're reading, or
you're a friend or your teammate.
389
:
Or that person you see on
social media presents an idea
390
:
that is against God's design.
391
:
I want you to be able
to see why it's wrong.
392
:
Okay, so that's our second point.
393
:
Address the sinfulness
of lgbtq plus thinking.
394
:
Address the sinfulness of it.
395
:
It's not just incorrect,
it's sinful, right?
396
:
It's not just misguided, it's sinful.
397
:
And this comes back to what
we define sin as, right?
398
:
What makes something sinful.
399
:
Now hopefully you know how to get here.
400
:
We're gonna go to Romans chapter one.
401
:
Okay.
402
:
Romans chapter one, and this is
where it's gonna be really helpful to
403
:
remember the stuff that we've talked
about for the past couple weeks.
404
:
Okay.
405
:
Romans chapter one is where.
406
:
Uh, we're gonna look.
407
:
Okay.
408
:
Romans chapter one.
409
:
So what makes something sinful?
410
:
What makes something sinful?
411
:
We talked about this
the past couple weeks.
412
:
What makes something sinful?
413
:
Well, what makes something sinful
is what it says about God, right?
414
:
That's what we learned from Romans one.
415
:
What makes something sinful
is what it says about God.
416
:
Romans one talks about how people
exchange God's glory for created things.
417
:
Romans one talks about how people
exchange the truth about God for a lie.
418
:
What makes something sinful
is what it says about God.
419
:
So the first reason that we're gonna
see that LGBTQ plus thinking is
420
:
sinful is because it's a rejection
of God and his good design.
421
:
It's a rejection of God
and his good design.
422
:
That's what the Bible says.
423
:
So look with me at the first.
424
:
We're gonna look at Romans 1 21 to 23.
425
:
Okay?
426
:
Romans 1, 21 to 23.
427
:
So like we talked about,
we see these people, right?
428
:
Romans one is talking about, about
people, and it says they knew God.
429
:
They didn't honor God.
430
:
They didn't honor him as God.
431
:
They didn't thank him, but
instead they, so they knew about
432
:
him, but they rejected him.
433
:
And so they started to,
to think a different way.
434
:
They started to.
435
:
To think, well, God's not worth
honoring, God's not worth glorifying,
436
:
God's not worth living for.
437
:
And they thought they were really smart
about it, but instead they became foolish.
438
:
'cause they, like we said,
they fell for the trap.
439
:
Right?
440
:
They fell for the trap of
sin is better than God.
441
:
So they're foolish.
442
:
They, they made a bad trade, right?
443
:
They, they made a bad trade.
444
:
They fell for it and they, they traded
God and all the joy that he gives them.
445
:
And they said, we want this.
446
:
Worst thing instead.
447
:
And that's foolish, right?
448
:
That's, that's dumb to do that to,
to give up God for sin as foolish.
449
:
You're making a bad trade.
450
:
So what do they do?
451
:
Why was that foolish?
452
:
They exchanged the glory of the
immoral God for images resembling.
453
:
All of these created things
that aren't as good as God.
454
:
That's what these three verses are saying.
455
:
So we know where this is gonna go, right?
456
:
We know that the next word is therefore,
and then it starts talking about
457
:
this spiral, and that's where we.
458
:
Ran into the topic of homosexuality.
459
:
So the, the core issue with L-G-B-T-Q
thinking or desires is not that it's bad.
460
:
The core issue is not that, well, it used
to be wrong in the:
461
:
The core issue is not that the
Republican party votes against it.
462
:
That's not the, that's
not what's wrong with it.
463
:
What's wrong with it is
it's a rejection of God.
464
:
Because what you're doing, if you, if
you follow these sinful desires, you're
465
:
saying, God, I know you made me this way.
466
:
I know you made me to be a
man, and I don't want that.
467
:
That's not good for me.
468
:
I know better.
469
:
You see that?
470
:
See how it's, it's saying,
God, I'm smarter than you.
471
:
God, I know better than you.
472
:
God, I can make me happier than you can.
473
:
That's what you're saying to God.
474
:
What all sin is,
475
:
but especially this sin, these type
of desires and thinking, it's saying,
476
:
God, I know you made me this way.
477
:
I know you made people to work this way.
478
:
I know you made marriage to be this
way, but I think this way is better.
479
:
It's a rejection of God.
480
:
It's an it's lack of trust in God.
481
:
It's saying, God, I don't
trust you to make me happy.
482
:
I'm gonna go my own way
because my way is better.
483
:
It's rebellion against God, it's rejection
of God just like every other sin.
484
:
You understand that, right?
485
:
This is not really that different.
486
:
Your, your friends at school or
your classmates who believe these
487
:
things, it's really just a more
obvious rebellion against God, right?
488
:
It's, it's the same root cause
as your sin and as my sin.
489
:
And that's what's so cool
about Romans one, right?
490
:
Is it, it puts all of
us in the same bucket.
491
:
We all reject God.
492
:
All sin is a rejection of God.
493
:
All sin is a rebellion against God and
saying, God, you're not good enough.
494
:
I want something else.
495
:
And that's the core issue.
496
:
So if you have a friend, right, who, who
says that, that they're gay, this, this
497
:
is their biggest problem, they reject God.
498
:
Their biggest problem is not
who they're attracted to.
499
:
Their biggest problem is not
that they think they're a girl
500
:
when they're actually a boy.
501
:
That's not their biggest problem.
502
:
Their biggest problem is
they don't love Jesus.
503
:
They think Jesus is boring,
lame, unhelpful, useless,
504
:
not glorious.
505
:
Right.
506
:
Not worth their time, not worth
following, not worth living for.
507
:
That's their biggest problem.
508
:
And that's everyone's
biggest problem, right?
509
:
That's my biggest problem.
510
:
That's your biggest
problem, is we, we think.
511
:
We think God is lame.
512
:
We go worship other things and
ask other things to make us happy.
513
:
So that's the biggest problem.
514
:
So if you're ever talking about
this someone, or thinking through
515
:
issues like this, remember that
that's the biggest problem.
516
:
That's what's, what makes it
sinful, is what it says about God.
517
:
So the second thing.
518
:
That makes this sinful.
519
:
Is it redefines goodness and love, right?
520
:
We saw that in one John that God is
love, but, but with these people who
521
:
believe these things or, or maybe some
of your classmates or maybe even some
522
:
of you who, who believe these things
say, well actually this is what's good.
523
:
This is what's love.
524
:
I know God said this is good.
525
:
I know God said this is how
love works, but actually I
526
:
think this is how it should go,
527
:
and we see that.
528
:
And we keep going in our
passage in Romans verse 24.
529
:
Now, therefore, God gave them up in the
lust of their hearts to impurity, to
530
:
dishonoring their bodies among themselves.
531
:
He's talking about, oh, immorality
here, because they exchange
532
:
the truth about God for a lie.
533
:
You see that they redefine something.
534
:
They say, I know this is true, but
actually I'm gonna believe this Instead.
535
:
There's a, there's an exchange there
of, well, I, God said this is loving,
536
:
but actually I think this is loving.
537
:
I know God said this is good, but
actually I think this is good and it's
538
:
the same root cause for all of us, right?
539
:
All of our sin starts that way too.
540
:
Proverbs talks about there's, it
says, there's a proverb that says
541
:
there's a way that seems right to a
man, but at its end it leads to death.
542
:
That's all of us.
543
:
Right?
544
:
Last week we talked about the
illustration of the wolf licking
545
:
the knife until it dies and chokes
on its own blood and bleeds out
546
:
'cause it thinks it's eating food.
547
:
It, it thinks it's living
and it's really dying.
548
:
That's the same sinful thinking
that our sin is caused by, and
549
:
that this sin is caused by.
550
:
It's, I think this is good
for me, and it's really not.
551
:
It's really gonna kill you.
552
:
So that's the second
reason that it's sinful.
553
:
The third reason is it
redefines our identity by our
554
:
feelings and not by God's word.
555
:
It says, I am who I am because of how I
feel, not because of who God says I am.
556
:
I heard one person this
week, this is really helpful.
557
:
They said that, um, LGBTQ plus, right?
558
:
Whether you say you're bisexual or you
say you're asexual or queer or whatever,
559
:
that doesn't describe who you are.
560
:
It describes how you feel.
561
:
You see the difference there.
562
:
It's not who you are.
563
:
That's how you feel.
564
:
That's not your identity.
565
:
That's how you feel.
566
:
Just like.
567
:
Any other sin, right?
568
:
Just because you feel that way
doesn't mean that's who you are.
569
:
So
570
:
it redefines our identity by our
feelings and not by God's word.
571
:
And that's what we see here, right?
572
:
I see.
573
:
See this word passions here,
passion, passions, that's
574
:
desires, that's things you want.
575
:
So these people, they say, well, this is
what I want, so this must be who I am.
576
:
You see how that that logic goes, this
is how I feel, so this must be who I am.
577
:
This is what I want, so
this must be how I am.
578
:
Now, what we don't realize
is that we're all sinful.
579
:
We all want bad things, and
so we all want bad things.
580
:
And so we, if we define ourselves
by those bad desires, then obviously
581
:
we're gonna follow a really bad path.
582
:
So we can't define
ourselves by our feelings.
583
:
We have to define
ourselves by what God says.
584
:
And now the last thing.
585
:
Is that these desires
are inherently sinful.
586
:
The desire itself is sinful,
587
:
so to be attracted to someone of
the same biological sex is sinful.
588
:
That desire is a bad desire, and so there
is no God glorifying way to express.
589
:
That's the fourth thing that's
that's wrong with this is there's
590
:
no God glorifying way to express
a desire that's inherently sinful.
591
:
Just like if someone had a
desire to murder someone,
592
:
there's no good way to do that.
593
:
You could say the same thing about if
someone had a desire to cheat on their
594
:
wife, there's no good way to do that.
595
:
There's no God-honoring
way to express that desire.
596
:
Same thing with these type of desires.
597
:
If, if you, if someone has that desire to
a, maybe it's just a romantic attraction.
598
:
Maybe it's not physical attraction,
maybe it's just romantic attraction.
599
:
For, for if you're a girl, you have a
romantic attraction to another girl,
600
:
that's a sinful desire and there's
no God honoring way to express that.
601
:
You can't feel that for the goalie of God.
602
:
That's not something, that's
not something you can feel and,
603
:
and honor God while doing so.
604
:
The desire itself is a sinful desire.
605
:
Why?
606
:
Well, because all these things, it,
it goes against God's design, right?
607
:
It's saying, God, I know you made me
to be oriented this way, but actually
608
:
I'm gonna be oriented this way.
609
:
You're saying, God, the, the
orientation that you say in
610
:
your word is actually not good.
611
:
That's why it's a sinful desire.
612
:
It redefines goodness.
613
:
It says, well, I, I know you
define this to be good for me,
614
:
this orientation or this identity.
615
:
I actually don't want that.
616
:
I want this identity or
this orientation instead.
617
:
So it's a rejection of God.
618
:
It's redefining what love is and it's
saying, it's, it's, again, these two
619
:
things kind of bleed into this, right?
620
:
So that's what's wrong with it, right?
621
:
That's what's sinful about these desires.
622
:
That's what's sinful about, um, redefining
what love for someone looks like.
623
:
Because you can't love someone in a sinful
way because again, love is from God.
624
:
Love is God's idea.
625
:
God can't love you in a sinful way.
626
:
Love can't be like real love
can't be expressed in a sinful way
627
:
because it's, it's God's thing.
628
:
So it's really not love if it's sinful.
629
:
So if two people are loving each
other in a sinful way, they're not
630
:
really loving each other, right?
631
:
They are actually being
bad for each other.
632
:
Which then isn't loving.
633
:
'cause if I'm being bad for
you, I'm not loving you.
634
:
If, if I'm being bad for
you, that's not love.
635
:
I should stop love.
636
:
I should stop loving you in that way and
actually love you by being good for you.
637
:
So
638
:
I want you to be clear about
what God says right in his word.
639
:
And I want you to be confident
that it's a good thing.
640
:
That it's actually this being,
like feeling this way is
641
:
actually really bad for someone.
642
:
Just like being anxious is
really bad for someone, right?
643
:
It, it, it stinks.
644
:
It's not good for you
645
:
or having impure thoughts
isn't good for you.
646
:
In the same way these kind of desires
and this I try to identify yourself by
647
:
these type of ideas is not good for you.
648
:
It's, it's sinful.
649
:
Um, and so I want you to, to love
people enough to be clear about that
650
:
and to not be embarrassed, right?
651
:
You wouldn't be embarrassed.
652
:
So people a lot of times worry about
my health because I love Mountain Dew.
653
:
I love Mountain Dew.
654
:
I think Mountain Dew is like
the greatest thing ever.
655
:
And so a lot of people will tell
me, Hey, you shouldn't drink that.
656
:
You know, that's banned in Europe.
657
:
Like, you shouldn't do that, right?
658
:
You shouldn't drink that.
659
:
There's no way that's good for
you because they love me, right?
660
:
They season, they see me
drinking something bad for me and
661
:
they're like, Hey, I love you.
662
:
So don't do that.
663
:
Right?
664
:
I hope, I hope that, that if,
if you have maybe friends.
665
:
Who believe these things are good for
them, that you're loving enough to
666
:
be able to tell them, you know what,
that's really not gonna make you happy.
667
:
That's really not good for you.
668
:
'cause if you really love someone,
you are going to be clear about that
669
:
and you're gonna be confident that you
know what, this really is good for you.
670
:
So I wanna tell you what is good for you.
671
:
That's following God's design, right?
672
:
Having an orientation that God gave you.
673
:
Rather than the orientation that you
feel or having the, or embracing the,
674
:
the gender that God made you as not the
one that you feel like you should be.
675
:
That's what's best for someone.
676
:
So this last few minutes here,
I want to prepare you for
677
:
loving and wise conversations.
678
:
Okay.
679
:
I want to give you just, we're
gonna walk through some, like a few
680
:
common questions that people have.
681
:
About this that you might have about this.
682
:
Um, and hopefully this will help
you engage in conversations.
683
:
Now remember, these conversations need
to be loving and they need to be wise.
684
:
So if you're just gonna walk
around telling people that
685
:
they're terrible people, that's
not loving and that's not wise.
686
:
If you're just gonna argue
with people that's not loving
687
:
and that's not wise, right?
688
:
We want to.
689
:
Be loving about this.
690
:
We want to actually care about the people.
691
:
We don't just wanna be right.
692
:
We want to be thoughtful and and
compassionate with how we talk about
693
:
what God says, because Christians have
a very bad reputation for how they talk
694
:
about this topic, because a lot of times
Christians don't do this very well.
695
:
So I want you, I want you to
help you do this well, but I
696
:
also want you to be clear, right?
697
:
And sometimes when you're clear,
people are gonna take that
698
:
as unloving, and that's okay.
699
:
Right?
700
:
They're.
701
:
As you know, someone recently in part
got shot because of this believing stuff
702
:
like this and saying stuff like this.
703
:
And so some people will just not
want to hear it, and that's okay.
704
:
But some common questions that you
might have or you might run into first
705
:
one, isn't outta my control, right?
706
:
It's not my fault.
707
:
I, I'm, I'm the way that
I am, it's not my fault.
708
:
How can God tell me to be someone I'm not?
709
:
How can God tell me to feel a certain way?
710
:
How come this is the way I am?
711
:
Well, the first thing I want you to think
about is that all sinful desires come to
712
:
us naturally because we're all born and
sinners, all of our hearts are sinful.
713
:
Jeremiah 17 says that your heart
is deceitful and desperately sick.
714
:
James four says that your desires
are at war within you, and all your
715
:
sins come from your bad desires.
716
:
So every sinful desire comes from
our hearts because of who we are.
717
:
We are sinful people.
718
:
Our hearts are very bad.
719
:
They are very sinful.
720
:
They are inherently opposed to God,
opposed to to what God says, and we
721
:
don't want to love God initially.
722
:
So.
723
:
In a sense, every sinful desire is
724
:
natural to you because you're born in sin.
725
:
You're born with a sinful heart, so
you are wired to want sinful things.
726
:
So it shouldn't be surprising
when you, when someone who's not
727
:
a Christian wants sinful things,
because that's how their heart is.
728
:
Their heart is.
729
:
Wired to want sin.
730
:
Does that make sense?
731
:
If it doesn't make sense, you
can shake your head and I can
732
:
explain it a different way.
733
:
That's okay.
734
:
Right?
735
:
But you're so, however, scripture is clear
that we are responsible for those sinful
736
:
desires because we really want them.
737
:
Because like you're responsible for,
for your anger because you really
738
:
did hate that person in the moment.
739
:
Like you really wanted that.
740
:
You really wanted bad things to
happen to them and you really did
741
:
hate them, and that's, that's sinful
because you actually wanted it.
742
:
So yes.
743
:
In a sense that, did you, did you
like intentionally think, you know
744
:
what, I'm gonna be born in sin and I'm
gonna want sinful things and whatever.
745
:
No, but you really did want
those things and so Yes.
746
:
Maybe it's not something
that you asked for, right?
747
:
Maybe someone's.
748
:
Someone's attraction to the wrong,
the wrong gender that God didn't
749
:
design them to be attracted to could
be something they didn't ask for.
750
:
They didn't wake.
751
:
Maybe they didn't wake up one
day and say, you know what?
752
:
I'm gonna reject God's design and I'm
going to be attracted to the same gender.
753
:
Maybe they didn't ask for that and decide
that, but if they really want it, then
754
:
that's them having a sinful desire.
755
:
Just like if, if you compare
it to impure thoughts, right?
756
:
You don't necessarily say, you know what?
757
:
I really want to have these impure
thoughts, but you really do want them, or
758
:
coveting, or anxiety or whatever, right?
759
:
You don't necessarily say, oh, I
really want these impure thoughts or
760
:
these anxious thoughts, but you really
do feel them and they really are
761
:
something that comes from your heart.
762
:
So.
763
:
We are responsible for those desires.
764
:
We might not always know why we feel the
way we do, but we are responsible for
765
:
our response to those desires, right?
766
:
What you do with what you
feel is your responsibility.
767
:
If you have a sinful feeling,
you're, you're accountable for
768
:
what you do with that feeling.
769
:
Do you feed it and embrace it,
or do you take it to the Lord
770
:
and ask him to help you kill it?
771
:
So that's the first thing, is
you're responsible for your.
772
:
Response to your sinful desires.
773
:
But then, right.
774
:
You might have heard this one.
775
:
What if my desires or my orientation
isn't hurting anyone else?
776
:
Right?
777
:
Maybe you heard this one.
778
:
Why can't those two people just love each
other the way they want to and move on?
779
:
Well, first of all, right,
what makes sin a sin?
780
:
What it says about God?
781
:
So does sin have to hurt
anyone else for it to be a sin?
782
:
No.
783
:
Right if, if you decide to, to go
be Hindu and live in a monastery
784
:
for the rest of your life.
785
:
By yourself?
786
:
Are you hurting anyone?
787
:
Not necessarily.
788
:
Are you sinning?
789
:
Yes, you're worshiping a false
God, you are rejecting God.
790
:
So just because it doesn't hurt anyone
else, doesn't mean it's not sinful
791
:
because it's a rejection of God.
792
:
It's a rejection of his goodness,
his design and all that.
793
:
Now, what about this one, right?
794
:
This is probably the most
common one you've heard.
795
:
What if two people really love each other?
796
:
Why can't they be together?
797
:
Two people.
798
:
They really love each other.
799
:
What if they're really nice to each other?
800
:
They're really kind to each other.
801
:
Maybe they're really good for
each other, all that stuff.
802
:
Well, first of all, like we talk
about what is love right now you're
803
:
all singing the song in your head.
804
:
Do these people really love each other?
805
:
If they're loving each
other in a sinful way?
806
:
No, they don't.
807
:
They don't really love each other
according to God's definition of love.
808
:
They're affirming someone's sin, right?
809
:
They're saying, oh yeah, you're sinning.
810
:
That's great.
811
:
Let's do that together.
812
:
That's not loving, that's actually
hating someone because you're
813
:
saying, you know that thing that's
gonna kill you and send you to hell.
814
:
Let's keep doing that.
815
:
That's not a good, that's
not a way to love someone.
816
:
So just because two people really
like each other and want to be
817
:
together doesn't mean they should.
818
:
And, and you can say the same thing
about God's design for marriage, right?
819
:
God designed two people
to stay married, right?
820
:
To not get divorced.
821
:
That was God's intended design.
822
:
So that's why if, if you get married,
you can't just be like, oh, well I don't
823
:
feel like loving this person anymore.
824
:
I'm just gonna leave and
start loving someone else.
825
:
Well, what if we really love each other?
826
:
Well, that's a bad feeling.
827
:
That's a sinful feeling, right?
828
:
You wouldn't want your parents to
do that, or if your parents have,
829
:
it's been really hard for you.
830
:
That's why you just 'cause you
feel something doesn't mean
831
:
it's a good feeling, right?
832
:
You have to evaluate your
feelings by what God says.
833
:
Now this one can be really fun.
834
:
Can I be LGBTQ plus and
still be a Christian?
835
:
So
836
:
the question I would ask then is.
837
:
Can you embrace your sinful
identity and embrace Jesus as
838
:
your treasure and your Lord?
839
:
No.
840
:
Right?
841
:
Just like there's no adulterous
Christians, there's no murdering
842
:
Christians, there's no coveting Christian.
843
:
You can't identify yourself by your
sin and say, oh yeah, I'm with Jesus.
844
:
Right?
845
:
You can't love your sin
and say, I follow God.
846
:
Scripture is is clear, right?
847
:
Like we talked about.
848
:
God has a good design and any desires
outside of that design are sinful
849
:
because they're bad for you, right?
850
:
They'll kill you.
851
:
They don't make you happy, and so
852
:
you can't embrace Jesus and
embrace your sin, right?
853
:
Jesus says you can't serve two masters.
854
:
So that's, there's a very
clear answer to that.
855
:
But what about this one?
856
:
I'm a Christian, but I
struggle with these desires.
857
:
Am I just always
displeasing God right now?
858
:
Maybe you've heard that before.
859
:
It's like, well, can this person
ever become a Christian if they
860
:
just, this is just the way they are.
861
:
They have these desires.
862
:
Well, I would ask you the same question.
863
:
When you became a Christian, did
all your sinful desires go away?
864
:
No.
865
:
So what does this mean then?
866
:
Right?
867
:
What does struggle mean?
868
:
Right.
869
:
Because a lot of times we say,
I'm struggling with something,
870
:
and what does that mean?
871
:
It means I'm getting beat up by it
and I'm just giving into my sin.
872
:
That's not struggling.
873
:
There's no struggling going on.
874
:
You're getting, you're
getting beat up, right?
875
:
It's kinda like, you know, in sports
when they say there's a rivalry game.
876
:
It's really just like one team
always beating the other team.
877
:
That's not a rivalry.
878
:
There's no rivalry there.
879
:
Right.
880
:
There's like recently, right, there's
been some, some rivalry games.
881
:
Like the, the Ravens were playing
the Browns, right, and it's a rivalry
882
:
game, and it was like 41 to 17.
883
:
That's not a rivalry.
884
:
I'm sorry.
885
:
Like when was the last time
the Browns beat the Ravens?
886
:
I have no idea.
887
:
Right.
888
:
Not, or like remember the, the Dolphins
and the Patriots, or, no, not Dolphins.
889
:
Actually.
890
:
Dolphins beat the Patriots.
891
:
But like the, the Bills
and the Patriots, right?
892
:
The Patriots won that game for like.
893
:
13 years in a row.
894
:
That's not a rivalry.
895
:
I'm not, no, we're not going there.
896
:
Um,
897
:
so again, if, if you're a professing
Christian, or you know, someone
898
:
who's a professing Christian and they
struggle with these desires, are they
899
:
struggling or are they embracing them?
900
:
'cause here's what we remember we
talked about with this question.
901
:
Are they embracing those desires and
saying, oh, I, I wanna keep these?
902
:
Or are they saying I hate these?
903
:
And I'm asking God to help me kill them.
904
:
Those are two very
different things, right?
905
:
Are you at war with those desires
or are you feeding those desires?
906
:
Are you at peace with those?
907
:
Just like as a regular Christian,
you have sinful desires, but
908
:
what you do with them matters.
909
:
Are you killing them or
are you giving into them?
910
:
Same thing here, right?
911
:
Am I stuck constantly, displeasing God
because I have a, a wrong orientation?
912
:
Maybe someone who feels these things
is asking, well, are you Christian?
913
:
Constantly displeasing God because
you still covet, or you're still
914
:
anxious, or you still lust?
915
:
This is where the gospel comes in, right?
916
:
The gospel is also for gay people,
for lesbian people, for bisexual
917
:
people, for transgender people, for
queer people, for asexual people, for
918
:
pansexual people, for whatever, right?
919
:
The gospel.
920
:
For those people because just like any
other Christian, if, if having sinful
921
:
desires made you displeasing to God,
would anyone ever be pleasing to God?
922
:
No.
923
:
Jesus righteousness makes
you pleasing to God.
924
:
So if, if someone who struggles with these
desires says, I repent of these things,
925
:
I'm not the way I'm supposed to be.
926
:
I'm I, I don't feel the
things I'm supposed to feel.
927
:
I'm messed up.
928
:
I need, I, I, I'm guilty of my sin.
929
:
I need a savior.
930
:
I need Jesus to give me his righteousness
'cause I'm not good enough and I need
931
:
Jesus to pay for my debt because I do
terrible things and I feel the wrong
932
:
things and I think the wrong things.
933
:
I need Jesus to pay for those sins.
934
:
And they put their trust
in Jesus to do that.
935
:
And they turn from they sin and they
say, that's not who I want to be anymore.
936
:
I wanna live God's way.
937
:
God's design is better.
938
:
I trust him.
939
:
He's my king.
940
:
He's my shepherd.
941
:
I wanna follow him.
942
:
And they go to war with these
desires every day and say, I love
943
:
Jesus more than I love my sin.
944
:
That's what every Christian does.
945
:
That's how every Christian lives.
946
:
I hope that's, if you're a
professing Christian, I hope
947
:
that's how you're living.
948
:
So
949
:
just because you have sinful desires
doesn't mean you can never be a Christian.
950
:
But if you are just following your
sinful desires everywhere they take you,
951
:
you're probably not a Christian, just
like we'd say for any sinful desire.
952
:
Right?
953
:
Same thing.
954
:
So
955
:
I hope this was helpful for
you asking these questions.
956
:
Um, if you're talking with someone at
school about this or whatever, right?
957
:
And you don't have to like go
looking for people to talk to.
958
:
I'm not asking you to do that.
959
:
Um, but if this comes up in a conversation
and someone asks you a question.
960
:
And you're not sure how
to answer it, guess what?
961
:
It's okay to say.
962
:
I don't know.
963
:
Let me get back to you.
964
:
Just like with any question, if someone
asks you some random apologetics question
965
:
you don't know about, I don't know.
966
:
Let me get back to you.
967
:
Let me, and talk to your leader about it.
968
:
Talk to your parents about it.
969
:
Talk to me about it.
970
:
But this hopefully was a, it
was helpful for you to see,
971
:
okay, here's what God says.
972
:
Here's why this is wrong, and
here are maybe some things that
973
:
can help you think through it.
974
:
Okay.
975
:
What I want you to see with
all of this is that our goal is
976
:
to, to see people love Jesus.
977
:
To see people trust him, right?
978
:
Our goal is not to just tell
people that they're sinners.
979
:
The reason we tell people that they're,
they're, they're sinners is because we
980
:
love them and we want them to turn from
their sin and trust in Jesus because Jesus
981
:
is amazing, and having a relationship
with Jesus is the, the best thing ever.
982
:
So
983
:
I hope that this wasn't just
you hearing, okay, this is bad.
984
:
Don't worry about it.
985
:
Right.
986
:
That's not, I'm not in those
shoes, so forget about it.
987
:
Right.
988
:
I hope for you, this is okay.
989
:
This is, this is why God's design is good.
990
:
I'm not embarrassed about it.
991
:
I'm, I'm not ashamed to, to talk about
it if it comes up, but I hope also you
992
:
see that this is, this is really a,
just like any sin, it's a gospel issue.
993
:
The, the gospel is.
994
:
For all types of sinners,
995
:
no matter what those sins are.
996
:
And Jesus' righteousness is
necessary for every sinner.
997
:
And Jesus' death pays for every sin.
998
:
And so, um, our goal is to see people
trust Jesus and to turn from their sin
999
:
and love him and live his way because
his way is the best way to live.
:
00:50:11,980 --> 00:50:12,310
So.
:
00:50:12,759 --> 00:50:14,470
We're gonna go talk about this
in small groups, so let's pray
:
00:50:15,220 --> 00:50:17,109
and we'll head over there.
:
00:50:20,529 --> 00:50:25,389
God, we are grateful that you love us
enough to tell us what's wrong with us.
:
00:50:25,930 --> 00:50:31,660
Um, we don't often appreciate that about
you, but we're grateful that you show
:
00:50:31,660 --> 00:50:34,149
us, um, what's good and what's not good.
:
00:50:34,720 --> 00:50:38,410
And so I pray that you help
us to love the right things.
:
00:50:39,025 --> 00:50:42,444
Help us to feel the right way
about who you are and what you say.
:
00:50:42,835 --> 00:50:49,134
I pray that we wouldn't be embarrassed
about, um, how you made people and
:
00:50:49,134 --> 00:50:53,275
how you made things to, how you
made your, your people to interact
:
00:50:53,275 --> 00:50:54,265
and to relate to each other.
:
00:50:54,325 --> 00:50:57,715
I pray that you help us to be
loving towards people who might,
:
00:50:58,105 --> 00:51:01,375
um, struggle with these desires or
might embrace this type of thinking.
:
00:51:01,465 --> 00:51:04,315
And I pray that we would
love them enough to.
:
00:51:06,535 --> 00:51:07,495
Tell them about you.
:
00:51:07,525 --> 00:51:11,905
And I pray for anyone here who
maybe does struggle with these types
:
00:51:11,905 --> 00:51:15,925
of desires and, and thinking that
I pray that you help them to see
:
00:51:15,925 --> 00:51:18,145
that you have a good plan for them.
:
00:51:18,355 --> 00:51:23,575
That you don't, that you love them
enough to offer them salvation.
:
00:51:23,725 --> 00:51:26,245
And you care so much about their
joy and their happiness even more
:
00:51:26,245 --> 00:51:31,765
than they do, and that they would
put their trust in you to, um, to
:
00:51:31,765 --> 00:51:32,870
have eternal life with you forever.
:
00:51:33,519 --> 00:51:34,450
We pray this in Jesus name.
:
00:51:34,689 --> 00:51:34,959
Amen.
