Does God make people gay?

I recently went on the Things You Don't Hear In Church Podcast to talk about faith and sexuality. One of the questions we explored was whether God intends for people to experience same-sex attraction.

Even queer secular scientists recognize that no one is born gay. We all develop our sexual orientations from a mix of genetics and relational upbringing. But even if we were born gay, that doesn't tell us about God's intentions.

None of us are how God intended. All of us were corrupted at a genetic level, formed imperfectly in our mother's womb, and were born into a fallen world that injured us countless times before we developed true agency.

God's intentions aren't a scientific question. They're a theological question. So what does the Bible say?

As I've explored at length in Equip's "Responding to Convincing Arguments for Revisionist Sexual Ethics" (link in bio), Romans 1 teaches that same-sex sexual desires are "unnatural"; they are broken and contrary to God’s first intentions.

God did’t intend for anyone to experience same-sex attraction or to engage in same-sex romantic or sexual relationships. Yet, some of us have clearly developed same-sex attractions, so at the very least, God allowed this brokenness to develop.

But if same-sex attractions are broken, God didn’t intend for anyone to be gay, yet God allowed that brokenness to develop and rarely heals that brokenness when people ask God for healing, how is that fair?

At the core of that question is the timeless question: Why do bad things happen to seemingly innocent people?

People don’t choose their sexual orientation, and gay people haven’t done anything to bring about their sexual orientation—they’re innocent in that way. So why?

Well, in order for us to have real choice and true agency to choose to love God and other people, God usually lets the consequences of our decisions play out. That’s the theological concept of free process.

If God stepped in every time and protected each of us from the consequences of the sins of others, would their choices have been real choices? No.

So in order for our love for God and each other to mean something, God chooses the greater good of allowing things to play out.

How does that apply to broken sexuality? I believe that I developed same-sex attractions because of the sins of others. Perhaps brokenness in my genes passed down from previous generations (which some may refer to a generational sin). Or perhaps brokenness and sin in the home and community I grew up in.

(To be clear, scientists don't know specifically what factors from a person's upbringing contribute.)

But then to protect my free will, God chose not to swoop in and prevent me from developing same-sex attractions by blocking the consequences of the decisions of others.

Thankfully, though, God has promised us that He is faithful to redeem our enduring brokenness for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).

I can say confidently that it’s been particularly through submitting my brokenness to God and faithfully stewarding my sexuality that I’ve experienced the most purpose and belonging in my life.

Listen to the full podcast at http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pieter-valk-on-coming-out-overcoming-shame-and-living/id1479284409?i=1000592484783