Don’t Make Your Sexuality an Identity

The modern sexual revolution trains people to form an identity around their sexual impulses, which locks them into a seemingly inescapable ideological commitment. Here's how it works. Sexual sin can take one of three forms: behavior, desire, and/or identity.

Behavior - Sexual intercourse is sanctified in the marriage covenant between husband and wife. Sexual sin is defined as any sexual encounter that is not first sanctified by the marriage covenant. In such cases, we are told to "flee from sexual immorality" (1 For 6:18).

The Bible doesn't mention every possible kind of sexual sin. It's dumb to expect it to. There are too many ways to sin sexually to name them all. The Bible points to God's design "from the beginning" and defines sin as any deviation from it (Matt 19:4).

Desire (AKA lust) - If someone desires another person sexually, it's called "lust" and it's a sin, like adultery (Matt 5:28). The same idea is taught in the 10th Commandment: "you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife." Coveting is sinful desire. The desire for sin is sin.

Identity - This one is trickier because the Bible doesn't talk about "identity" the way our culture does. As far as the Bible is concerned, there are only two legitimate "sexual identities": male or female. To claim any other sexual identity is to build an identity on sexual sin.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gn 1:27). E.g., to "identify" as the opposite sex, or "reject the gender binary," or whatever else one might do to form a "sexual identity," violates the creation order.

In other words, everyone is either male or female. There is no other legitimate sexual identity. A Christian should not take a sexual sin & form an identity around it (such as "gay Christian"). Our identity is in Christ alone. "By the grace of God, I am what I am." 1 Cor 15:10.

What the sexual revolutionaries &. LGBTQ activists do is a Satanic masterstroke. They teach people to take whatever desires they have or whatever behaviors they've experienced and collapse them all into a category they call "sexual identity." That makes it irreducibly personal.

In other words, every sexual feeling or action is treated as a marker of authentic personhood. Your sexual urges define your life itself Since sex is so personal, one's "sexual identity" is regarded as the most important part of who they are. To reject it is to "deny we exist."

• Have you ever had a sexual temptation (desire) towards someone of the same sex? You must be gay (identity).

• Have you ever had a physical encounter (behavior) with someone of the same sex? You must be gay (identity).

• Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your body and wondered if life would be better if you were the opposite sex (desire)? You must be trans (identity).

These experiences take on transformative power when they are seen as markers of identity. Especially during adolescence.

Therefore, it is important for Christians to not only sinful sexual desires and behaviors, but also reject the category of "sexual identity" altogether. If "sexual identity" is accepted as a legitimate category of personhood, we are essentially normalizing sexual idolatry.

The gospel gives hope for people trapped in sexual sin. Jesus was a real man. He did not die for androgynous carbon units, but for real men & real women created in God's image. He died to set them free, adopt them as sons & daughters, & give them abundant life in Him (Jn 10:10).

This is a summary of an argument I develop in my book, God's Good Design.

Proud Dads Make a Difference

Who was the first man who told you he was proud of you? Your answer to that question says something important about you, especially if you’re a man. For me, it was my dad. I’m fortunate. Many young men are not so fortunate.

My pastor friend, Matt Patrick (The Well Church, Boulder, CO), was asked this question once at his church planter assessment. It shook him deep down to think about it. He'd never heard the words, "I'm proud of you son" from his dad growing up. Some men never hear it. But they crave it. Because men crave respect.

Matt told me the first time an older man told him that was at a ministry internship at church. The director pulled him aside one day. He said, "I need to tell you something. You're a good man and I'm proud of you." It was the most powerful moment of his life. Think about that.

An older man recognized a young man that needed a father figure who believed in him. It only took 30 seconds to say it. But he meant it, and it changed his life. This director gave him a gift that day. An authority figure built up a young man. It was like jet fuel for his soul.

Fathers have extraordinary power to shape the worlds of their sons. They aren't merely providers & protecters. Fathers "beget" life in them by building them up and preparing them for life. Older men can do the same for younger men. Believe in them. Build them up. Encourage them.

An estimated 25% of children grow up without a father in the home. No father at the dinner table, at bedtime, to take them to church, to show up at ballgames, recitals, or talent shows. No father saying "I'm proud of you, son." That's a generation of boys hungry for respect.

One of the most fundamental needs of a young man's heart is the affection and approval of a father. An authority figure who believes in them and can guide them. Without it, boys are lost, like orphans. They end up looking for approval in unhealthy ways wherever they can find it.

Our society's obsession with tearing down The Patriarchy means undermining and destroying the natural family. We're creating orphans and calling it progress. Then we blame "The Patriarchy" when it goes bad. This social experiment is a disaster. Check the receipts.

The way forward is backward. Return to the old ways of traditional marriage and family life. Men, women, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers. Establish intergenerational households. Build legacies. All for the glory of God. Let's get to work.

God’s Good Design

American Reformer published a review of my book, God’s Good Design, written by Andy Naselli. It was a very positive review and I was encouraged by reading it.

August Proverbs Challenge

August has 31 days. Proverbs has 31 chapters.

I'll be reading a chapter a day and posting a short reflection from a selected verse on Social Media.

My kids did this with me in July. They each picked one verse a day to discuss at dinner. It was simple and edifying.

Wanna join us in August?

Personal Update

This happened to my truck last Friday evening yesterday evening from about 8:45-9PM:

• four young men,

• in broad daylight,

• in full view of my whole neighborhood where dozens of families live,

• spent 15 minutes climbing up and standing on my hood, trying to smash my windshield,

• less than 20 feet from high-def security cameras that capture audio,

• talking to each other and using each other's names, having a good time like they were playing a game of corn hole or something,

• while security footage captured the whole incident.

They didn't seem the least bit concerned about getting caught or the police showing up. It was brazen.

Our society is producing a generation of people who just don't care.

Obviously, I'm angry about it. I'm asking the Lord for the grace to respond well. For now, I'm praying that these four young men get convicted by the Holy Spirit, that God will send a laborer to preach the gospel to them, and that they'll find life in Christ.

UPDATE:

The police came shortly after I called. An officer made a report.

My insurance will cover the repairs, after I pay my deductible. The damage was extensive.

Since then, I’ve acquire the security footage from two neighbors. The kids were younger than I originally thought. They were probably 10-12 years old. Young enough that their voices hadn’t changed yet.

I showed the security footage to some people who know the neighborhood. As a result,

• I know the names of all four boys,

• I know where they live,

• and I have clear security footage of the entire incident.

It’s been eight days since then. I’ve called the police station twice to give them this information but have only been able to leave messages.

They haven’t returned my calls or responded in any way.

Media Mention

• Not the Bee picked up one of my Twitter posts about Disney’s woke remake of Snow White and ran a story about it.