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Scripture Reading: Psalm 5:1-8

"I Was Born This Way"

 

Intro.

1.  The rationalization of sin knows no bounds.

2.  Being human has been blamed for every sin under the sun: “I was born this way”!

3.  God calls upon us to use the freewill He gave us to choose good, not evil: Fear God (Prov. 1:29), choose His precepts (Psa. 119:173), and serve Him, (Josh. 24:15).

 

I.  “I WAS BORN THIS WAY”.

  A.  Disrespects and Dishonors God who Made Us, Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7.

    -cf. Isa. 64:8; Rom. 9:20; Isa. 29:16.

    2.  It blames God for any deviant behaviors, cf. Jas. 1:13.

    3.  Ultimately, though, it leads to a denial of God Himself.

  B.  Diminishes Freewill and Personal Accountability, Ezek. 18:20.

    1.  Its mantra is “receive me as I am” – no absolutes, no judging, no consequences for choices.

    2.  These people do not live in the real world of cause-effect; actions-consequences. Gal. 6:7-8

    3.  Absolutes are selfishly defined, not objectively applied.

  C.  Redefines Sin Out of Existence. No right and no wrong, no sin and no righteousness; cf. 1 Jno. 3:4-9.

  D.  A Ready Excuse for Failure, cf. Lk. 14:20. (Blames God)

 

II. APPLICATIONS OF THIS FAULTY PREMISE SHOW ITS ERROR.

  A.  “Humans are Totally Depraved.” (Calvinism)

    1.  “By this sin, they (Adam and Eve, jrp) fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.” (The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. VI, ii-iv)

    2.  Bible: Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 5:12. (Jesus?  “Sin passes thru father.”)

  B.  “Humans Cannot Help but to Sin.”

    1.  Calvinism and the loss of freewill: “Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.” (Ibid, IX, iii)

    2.  Jesus and temptation, Heb. 4:15.

      -Question is not: “Could Jesus sin?” But, “Would Jesus sin”?

    3.  Any temptation to sin can be withstood, resisted and overcome by faith, Heb. 4:15-16; 1 Cor. 10:13.

    4.  How? 1 Pet. 4:1-2; Col. 3:1-3.

  C.  “Being Gay is Inborn”. (LGBT and sexual orientation)

    1.  New Jersey and CA: Criminalized the effort to restore a person’s sexual orientation through clinical and/or therapeutic treatment.  

      a.  “Gov. Chris Christie on Monday signed into law a bill banning therapies to convert the sexual orientation of minors.” The governor cited the findings of the American Psychological Association (APA) that sex conversion therapy is ineffective and harmful. He said the therapy poses health risks to children such as depression, substance abuse, social withdrawal, decreased self-esteem and suicidal thoughts. Christie also believes that being gay is inborn." (gantdaily.com, emp. mine)

    2.  Homosexuality is sin, 1 Cor. 6:9-10. (Lev. 18:22)

      a.  Paul said homosexuality is a choice, Rom. 1:22 (21-25), 26-28.

      b.  These scoff at “reparative therapy”, but Paul said change can be chosen and achieved, 1 Cor. 6:11 (9-10).

  D.  “What’s Sauce for the Goose...”  What about these activities? (If homosexuality is inborn, then what about...)

    1.  Pedophilia? (Primary sexual interest in prepubescent children)

      a.  Intellectual honesty demands those who say gays are “born that way” must conclude pedophiles are “born that way” and accept their pleas for acceptance.

      b.  Consent does not make immorality moral!

    2.  Bestiality (zoophilia)? Lev. 18:23; 20:15 Perversion!

    3.  Incest? Lev. 18:6ff 

    4.  Adultery? cf. 1 Cor. 7:2; Rom. 7:2-3

      a.  After all, claims of “fulfillment” and “love” surround it.

      b.  Who are you to judge someone wasn’t made that way all along?!

      c.  Because it is a matter of choice, Prov. 6:25-29.

    5.  Serial killer? Rom. 13:9

      a.  Maybe he was “born that way” and just “can’t help himself”!

      b.  Who are you to judge a killer wasn’t “born that way”?

    6.  Stealing? Rom. 13:9 (impulse control disorder; obsessive-compulsive) (see quotation)

 

Conclusion

1.  No one is born a sinner; sin is a choice we make when we yield to temptation.

2.  We are born again to live for God. We must choose that course of life – it is not forced on us anymore than sin is forced on us, 1 Jno. 3:7-8.

 

 

Quotations

 

 

Bradley Manning to Become "Chelsea E. Manning," Will Undergo Hormone Therapy

 

FoxNews.com is reporting that Bradley Manning plans to live as a woman named "Chelsea" and wants to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. 

 

The soldier sent a written statement to NBC's "Today" show on Thursday saying as much and asking that supporters call him by his new name and refer to him using the feminine pronoun. This announcement comes only one day after Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for sending classified material to WikiLeaks.

 

"As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible," the statement read.

 

Manning's defense attorney David Coombs told "Today" in an interview that he is hoping officials at the military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., will accommodate Manning's request for hormone therapy.

 

Manning's struggle with gender identity disorder -- the sense of being a woman trapped in a man's body -- was key to the defense.


(
FoxNews.com)

 

 

 

Stealing:  Example of someone claiming to be “born this way” ---

 

I first realized I was a thief, when I was in kindergarten.
I have been stealing ever since. I know I was born this way, and that it must be genetic.
No matter what I try to do, I still have to steal things.
Little things. Big things. Worthless things. Valuable things.
Why do christians condemn me to hell, when god made me this way?
The gays were born gay, and I was born to be a kleptomaniac, so why can't you christians stop judging me?
I was born this way?

 

(Yahoo! Answers)

 

 

 

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: August 22, 2013