Originally posted by Crow
The homosexual is committing a sinful act when he sits and fantasizes about homosexual behavior or commits it. The heterosexual is committing a sinful act when he fantasizes about or commits immoral sexual behavior, such as adultry or fornication.
In other words, sexually immoral behavior is not condoned whether homosexuals or heterosexuals commit it. Temptation is one thing. Acting upon it and fantasizing is another.
And the part about whether you act upon it or not, you are already condemned--do you believe that any Christian lives perfectly, and that we get saved by our own good behavior? We are saved by grace through faith. We were imperfect creatures before we were saved and we remain imperfect creatures after we are saved. Salvation is not through works, but through grace.
This does not mean we have free reign to be immoral when we become Christians. We are to refrain from sexual immorality not because we're afraid we will get condemned for it but because it is the way God expects us to behave toward each other. We do it out of respect and love for Him. We shouldn't do it because we think it's going to earn us a place in Paradise.
Maybe homosexual attraction is inborn--I don't believe this, but for the sake of argument, let's say it is. Maybe pedophillic attraction is inborn too. Maybe the itch to be a serial killer is inborn. Or the urge to be a rapist. Or the yen to get cozy with Fido. None of this means that we cannot control our appetites.
I was born with a heterosexual preference, but that does not excuse acting upon it everytime I see a cute member of the opposite sex, and saying "I can't help it because I was born a heterosexual!" Straight people have sex drives just as the homosexual does, and we also must refrain from that which most of us would gleefully do if there were no moral restraints upon us.
We all have our weaknesses and temptations. Each of us has our own personal challenges when it comes to living a life that honors God. Just because one is tempted to do something, or wants to do something does not excuse doing it. We would all probably like to have more money than we have. We (hopefully) refrain from robbery despite our desire for wealth.
And it's not about dodging the flames. It's about living and interacting with other people as God would have us do.
