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In the first article of this series, we began investigating
genetic predisposition toward sinful behavior, in which
people justify their sins.
In the case of homosexuality, some people assert that
a person's sexual orientation is a result of the way God
made him, genetically. Since God is responsible for the
person's sexual orientation (according to their theory),
homosexual behavior cannot be sinful.
Summary of Part I
In the first article, we learned:
- Homosexuality is a sin.
- God is not a respecter of persons. He does not make
one man sin, and another man not sin.
- God is love. He does not require us to do something
that He's made impossible, through genetic predisposition.
- God is just. If God genetically predisposed certain
men to sexual immorality, He can't require abstinence
from such conduct, because He is a just God.
- Sin results from lust, not genetic predisposition to
sin. We are not born with a sinful sexual orientation,
or any other type of sinful orientation. Rather, we adopt
sinful orientations after we lust after sinful things,
and give into our sinful desires.
- God wants everyone to be saved; therefore, He doesn't
make us sin through genetic disposition.
Man is Predisposed to Seek God, Not to Sin
Scripture reveals that God predisposes mankind to seek and
glorify Him. He doesn't genetically predispose man to sin.
Paul, preaching to the Athenians, tells us that God "made
from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the
face of the earth, having determined their appointed times
and the boundaries of their habitation" (Act 17:26).
The reason that God made us from one man and predetermined
our times and boundaries is so we "would seek God, if perhaps
they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not
far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27).
God created the human race in such a fashion that we would
naturally be predisposed to seek Him. He does not genetically
predispose us to sinful behaviors that would push us away
from Him, rather than help us seek Him.
Creation of the Earth Predisposes us to Seek and Glorify
God
First century Gnostics didn't have a knowledge of genetics,
but they believed in fate, a similar doctrine to genetic
disposition toward sin. They believed we are born with our
fate sealed -- it can't be changed. In defense of the gospel,
Paul deals with the predisposition of humanity against the
Gnostic doctrine of fate.
Paul, concerning man's condition prior to the gospel of
Christ, writes:
- All men know (gnosis) the wrath of God, although they
may chose not to acknowledge Him (Rom. 1:19).
- Therefore, all men are without excuse (Rom. 1:20).
- Through creation, all men know (gnosis) God. People
who do not glorify God are given over to uncleanness --
the lusts of their heart to dishonor their bodies, e.g.
homosexuality (Rom. 1:21, 24-27).
- Gentiles who sinned did not retain God in their knowledge
(epignosis). They buried their knowledge of God (Rom.
1:28).
- Men sin, knowing (epignosis) the righteous judgments
of God -- the penalty in this life is disease, and the
penalty in the next life is damnation (Rom. 1:32).
In summary, Paul tells us that no one has an excuse for
sin. Each individual knows God, and is predisposed to glorify
Him with thankfulness. Clearly, no one is genetically predisposed
toward sinful behaviors, which push us away from Him, rather
than help us seek Him.
Become as Little Children, Genetic Predisposition is
a False Theory
Jesus says, "Unless you are converted and become as little
children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven"
(Matt. 18:3).
The fact that we must be converted and become as we were
at birth, clearly indicates that we are not genetically
predisposed to sin. If we were, Jesus' teaching would be
meaningless, nonsensical, and errant.
Become as Little Children By Putting On The New Man
As Christians, we are to put off the old man and put on
the new man (Eph. 4:22-23). This is the way we become as
little children.
God commands us to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind"
(Eph. 4:23). The key word concerning the predisposition
of humanity is renew, which means to make new, renovate.
Of necessity, then, each individual is born with a moral
spirit predisposed to seek and glorify God (Rom. 1:18ff).
If not, becoming as a little child would result in eternal
damnation.
Men Walk in Sin Because of Their Hard Hearts, Not Genetic
Predisposition
In Ephesians, Paul traces the qualities that result in a
sinful life (Eph. 4:17-19):
- A person's thinking is futile, because his understanding
is darkened.
- His understanding is darkened, because he is excluded
from the life of God (eternal life).
- He is excluded from the life of God, because of his
ignorance.
- He is ignorant, because of the hardness of his heart.
- He is hard hearted, because he has given himself over
to licentiousness to work all uncleanness with greed.
A person walks in sin because of the hardness of his heart,
not because God genetically predisposed him to sin.
Conclusion
Scriptures teach us that God predisposes man to seek and
glorify Him. He does not genetically predisposition us to
sinful behaviors.
Our choice is to either believe God and His word, or believe
the philosophies of men.
What has God done? He created a wonderful world whereby
all men know Him and are hence predisposed to seek and glorify
Him. Furthermore, He created an environment whereby we cannot
be tempted beyond what we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13).
People who affirm that God genetically predisposes some
people to sinful behavior and therefore to hell, paint a
picture of a cruel, hateful, and unloving God who desires
men to be lost. But our God is good, loving, kind, merciful,
and gracious. He desires all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4);
He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should
come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).
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