November 7,2013

The following essay “Gay Christians” by Anne Paulk is reprinted in its entirety from the PFOX website: I, Anne, have this to say concerning sin struggles, identity and marriage or singleness: Another portion of the ‘gay’ Christian statements go like this, “But many of us still struggle with sin to some degree and are not intent upon marriage, ‘gay Christian’ seems to make us feel comfortable and fit us better.” These things should not fit together at all.

Of course people still will struggle with sin, regardless of their backgrounds! Though they will be tempted in many areas, not only in what were once life-dominating areas. They may struggle even more if they have just left homosexuality (or drugs or use of alcohol or other sinful intoxicants).

As life-dominating sin gets further in the rearview mirror and becomes a more distant memory, the less likely it is to dominate one’s life choices. Yes, I always try to keep in mind that what once seemed to offer the answer to my problems in life may at some point rear its ugly head and to not be surprised, but deal with it handily. (I do devote a chapter of this topic of dealing with temptation in my book “Restoring Sexual Identity.”)

Does it mean that EVERYONE who leaves homosexuality will someday become attracted to a special member of the opposite gender and get married? No, yet Restored Hope does have a high percentage of men and women who have been in this field of transformation over the long haul and eventually do find such feelings emerging. These ones, by God’s great kindness, sometimes move forward into God-defined marriage. We all know that marriage doesn’t prove one’s healing, but when it happens for the right reasons, it is an expression of self-giving that reflects back to the delight of the Garden of Eden and of something even more profound —- the love of God for His bride, the church.

Singleness that is holy and devoted to God is a wonderful outcome according to the apostle Paul, and this applies to all believers, including those who have or are leaving homosexuality behind and submitting their lives in obedience to Christ: “One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

So may we be men and women whose lives glorify God in holy devotion, whether as single or married Christians!

Anne Paulk is Executive Director of Restored Hope Networks (http://www.restoredhopenetwork.org) and the author of “Restoring Sexual Identity.”