Christian faith vs. defeatism and acceptance of sexual sin

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A person doesn't move forward in their life by accepting and embracing their sin, they move forward by repenting of it and establishing a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The sin of homosexuality is no different than other besetting sins in terms of it being able to be conquered through the assistance of Christ and the existence of Christian ex-homosexuals is testimony to this fact. Christian faith has been conquering the sin of homosexuality for over 2,000 years.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [a]effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. - I Corinthians 6:9-11 (NASB)

Peter LaBarbera is the President of Americans for Truth which is an organization which counters the homosexual agenda. LaBarbera stated the following regarding Christian ex-homosexuals who reported being transformed by the power of God:

Another factor from my experience as a close observer of the “ex-gay” phenomenon is that many former homosexuals do not linger in “reparative therapy” programs, or participate in them at all. They attribute their dramatic and (relatively) rapid transformation to the power of God, and likely would not show up in a study of this kind. In fact, these “unstudied” overcomers would appear to be the most successful ex-homosexuals because they’ve moved on with their lives — as “reborn” Christians move on after overcoming any besetting sin.[1]

Peter LaBarbera's statement above concerning overcoming homosexuality certainly has some evidence supporting it. For example, in 1980 a study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and eleven men participated in this study. The study reported that eleven homosexual men became heterosexuals "without explicit treatment and/or long-term psychotherapy" through their participation in a Pentecostal church.[2]

Notes

  1. http://www.americansfortruth.com/news/landmark-study-change-for-homosexuals-is-possible.html
  2. E.M. Pattison and M.L. Pattison, "'Ex-Gays': Religiously Mediated Change in Homosexuals," American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 137, pp. 1553-1562, 1980

See also: Ex-homosexuals and Overcoming homosexuality