Understanding Homosexuality

Homosexual behaviour is an attempt to fulfil normal legitimate needs for love, acceptance, and identity through sexual intimacy with someone of the same sex. These needs have been left unfulfilled due to circumstances of life in a fallen world, or through real or perceived sins and failures of the parents. Due to their own needs and frailty, parents may give little emotional support or psychological security to their children. Combined with other negative experiences such as sexual abuse or name-calling, this provides fertile ground for destructive patterns of hurt, anger, rebellion, and low self-image, often resulting in fear, isolation, and envy. Fear, because those who ought to love us don’t seem to, and for reasons we don’t understand; Isolation, in some persons, because the low self-image hinders our ability to relate to others,and we fear rejection if truly known; Envy, seeing in others the qualities we think we lack, we are drawn to them.

In most instances, the attraction for the same sex begins before the age of ten; it is emotional, non-sexual, and involuntary. This brings confusion, fear, and guilt on a young person already feeling rejected and unworthy, and increases the need for affirmation as a worthwhile person. With sexual maturity, this need becomes eroticised and sexual intimacy becomes a way to feel loved and affirmed. Hence, to be sexually active is to be accepted and worthwhile; the pain is covered with pleasure; we receive what seems to be love; we idolize and are esteemed by someone like us; there is temporary relief from confusion of identity; we defy, and have some refuge from, a hostile society.

In addition to the emotional damage experienced, the person often blames God for his hurts, and for creating him homosexual. When an adult says he has been homosexual all his life (therefore “born that way”), he is recalling his emotional state from his earliest remembrance and accepting an identity that distorts the truth about God, others, and himself. In reaction to rejection or trauma, the child will unconsciously detach the mind from the emotions as a protective mechanism. The mind retreats into a fantasy world apart from reality and authority. Protection from further hurt becomes all important, and confrontation or dealing with problems is avoided; the mind may become passive, the will rebellious, and the emotions dominant. The afflictions of the child then become sins in the adult, who must repent, forgive, and come to know God as his Father, Healer, and Protector.

It is the responsibility of God’s people to tell the truth in love: that God wants to heal the wounds and forgive the sins that have blinded us to His design and purpose for us.

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.”
Isaiah 30:18

“For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations.”
Psalm 100:5

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”
Jeremiah 32:27

Freedom from homosexuality
is possible because …

Loneliness can be replaced with the incomparable presence of God and real Christian friends.

Emotional hurts can be healed by His love which fulfills where human love fails.

Fear can be dispelled by confidence and trust in Him who chose us and loves us.

Confusion can be cleared away by the pure light of God’s truth in the Bible.

Sin can be repented of and forgiven. The bondage of anger, rebellion, envy and lust can be broken by the mercy and power of God.

Homosexuality is clearly two-fold. A fallen world imposes wounds, fears, alienation and identity confusion; people react with sinful choices in attempts to compensate and console themselves.

Wounds call for compassion and healing. Sin calls for repentance and forgiveness. Confusion calls for teaching. Compulsion calls for deliverance.

“I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I cannot be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure. For You have not given me up to hell, or let your godly one see the pit. You have shown me the path of life; in Your presence there is fulness of joy, in Your right hand are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:8-11

For further information about homosexuality or about other areas of sexual brokenness, please contact:

LOVE IN ACTION
G.P.O. Box 1115
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Phone (08) 371 0446

This article is reprinted
by permission from:

L.I.F.E., Inc
P O Box 353,
New York, NY 10185 U.S.A.