How was I born?

How was I born? If a child asks this question, then parents may pause, turn red, and rack their brains on how to answer it. Did the child simply want to know where he came from? Does he want to know how he got there? Does he just want to know how babies go from big bellied mothers into their loving arms? I know that when Gentry was born, Reese didn’t want a full explanation on the facts of life, he just wanted me to repeatedly tell him that Gentry came from my belly and that the Doctor took him out when I was in the hospital. We all know that babies are not literally in your belly, rather in the womb, and that doctors don’t just reach in and get the baby out and everyone smiles and it is all nice, but a (at the time) 2 year old doesn’t require a full scientific study complete with anatomically correct diagrams. Reese didn’t care how Gentry got in my belly; he just said that Jesus put him there. We know that in part, that is true. A baby is a miracle from heaven.

Beyond the act of conception and birth, the question of birth has been a huge debate in the media recently and has been for a while. The debate has been raging as to whether or not people are born “gay”, born “alcoholics”, and more recently, as to whether or not people are born with a “cheating” gene. I recently saw a news review stating that scientists are telling us that monogamy is not possible for some people; they are just wired to cheat. Tyra Banks, a talk show host, recently wanted to test relationships for potential cheating and whether they will go the distance. Couples went on the show citing that when they got married, they actually reduced the amount of quality time they had together, arguments began, and issues like washing dishes, crumbs on the floor, and making the bed became make or break sources of contention in the relationship. In the “infinite wisdom” of television and talk show hostdom, Tyra gave these couples 24 hours off of their commitments and sent them out on dates with other people to see if they had feelings for others and if they remained faithful. The audience, Tyra, and the wife were just so shocked to see that in the video that followed the husband, he kissed the other girl he was on a date with and was making sexual advances towards her. What kind of world are we living in? If these people really were concerned with their relationship and testing its longevity, the absolute last thing you would want to do is take 24 hours off and date other people. In marriage, life is just life sometimes. Sparks don’t fly 24/7. There are poopy diapers to change, dishes to wash, and beds to be made. How you divvy up this responsibility is up to you. The Bible doesn’t list for us the specifics in roles of husband and wife. People traditionally think that the Bible backs up their idea that men work outside and women do 100 % of the child rearing and household chores. I don’t find where the Bible is so specific about this. The Virtuous woman in proverbs took care of her family and took care of household responsibilities, but she also worked with her hands and was business savvy. The Bible speaks of her buying a field, planting vineyards, and considering whether merchandise is good or not. It sounds as if her husband and children trusted and honored her because she gave her all to everything that she did and did it all with excellence. She and her husband had boundaries worked out and divided marital responsibilities to where it pleased them both. Being business savvy as a woman and knowing how to help provide for your family is a very Godly thing. This being said, when marital problems arise, you need to go back to the drawing board and consider what the values and goals of your marriage are. The answer is not to seek solace in the arms of another. The answer is not that my "cheating gene" got in the way.

In our society people want to make excuses for every type of sinful behavior. We just simply say, “We are born that way.” Many Christians deny this fact. We want to say that homosexuality, alcoholism, and adultery are a choice. While this is true, I want to play devil’s advocate and state that I agree with society. I believe that we can be born with a propensity towards lust, greed, drugs, alcohol, and violence. I do agree that some people fight with homosexuality and some don’t. You are either born with this leaning, or you had a home environment that pushed you that way. I am not by any means condoning sin; I am just setting a stage for Christians to learn how to deal with people better than we have in the past. Don’t write people off and be rude, mean, and unaccepting of them if they battle lust, adultery, homosexuality, anger, and other types of outward sins. We need to accept people where they are at, get to know them, and invite them on the Christian journey with us. God loves everybody. If we spew hate and unacceptance from our pulpits and congregations, we will never be a light to our community.

This is not to say that these issues are not sinful. They are. However, why should we treat an unsaved adulterer any differently than we treat an unsaved homosexual. It is almost as if we have categorized sin, especially sexual sin. We were all born into sin. The sins that we deal with may be different person to person though. You may struggle with covetousness and materialism but feel justified because it may not be as obvious as the sin that the alcoholic struggles with. Our brains and genetics are wired towards sinful behavior and activities. I don’t think that too many people would choose to be homosexual or choose to be alcoholics if they were given the choice and knew the end result of their behaviors.

Here is proof that we are born with “genetic mutations”.

Ps 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.KJV
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. KJV
Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. KJV
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. KJV
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.KJV
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. KJV
1 Cor 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. NASU

We all have the ability to commit sin. The Bible talks about not judging because we could also fall into temptation. With this in mind, we need to treat all people the same and treat them with a spirit of love and acceptance. It is not in our power to change people or to free them from the sin of their choice. Our job is to lead them to Christ and give them the opportunity to be born again. Like Jesus said to Nicodemus, the same is true for the 21st century church. We need to lead people to a new birth of both water and spirit. The spirit has given us the power to overcome. We have the power to become whatever we want in Christ. The power of the Holy Ghost gives us ability to not just witness and feel good about ourselves, but the power to overcome any sin that we have in our lives. We have the strength to turn our back on whatever “genetic mutation” that we were given in our fleshly birth.

The good news about this is that we can be born again!! The birth from our mothers brings us into this world and exposes our flesh, but the birth through our heavenly father is with incorruptible seed!! We are born again and have newness of life. All can drink from the water of life. It flows freely to everyone. It is not just for people who live good, moral, clean lives before they come to Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit working in us is not to reform us, but to transform us. All of us have the ability to do a 180 degree turn in our lives. We just need a spiritual birth. We need to die out to our flesh and our natural instincts. This doesn’t happen in one “come to Jesus” moment, but Paul instructed us to die daily.