One particularly great point in the report has to do with same-sex orientation and the question of what wold be the impact of finding out that orientation is more basic than only a choice to love a member of the opposite sex or the same sex.
In chapter 2, the report considers Biology, Gender, and the Biblical Doctrine of Man. Near the end of that chapter the report summarizes the chapter in the following words on page 20:
To summarize this important point: even if it were to be demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that some people possess a same-sex orientation through biological or sociological factors outside their own control, this would not indicate that homosexuality is part of God's intended order. It would (and, even at the current provisional stage of the scientific findings in the realm, ought to) increase our awareness of how desperate the human condition is, how utterly hopeless men are of achieving renewal simply by self-will or behaviorism, and, frankly, how imbalanced the effects of sin are throughout human experience that some people experience one area of brokenness more deeply while other people experience another more heavily.The brilliance of this paragraph is that its teaching is so contrary to how we the majority of Western society and much of the Western church is going on this issue. Instead of sexual orientation highlighting how intolerant we were about sexual struggles, sexual orientation highlights how small we have allowed our understanding of sin's effects to be on our lives! That is, we have reduced the act of sin to only be a consciousness voluntary choice of an individual. We have lost sight of the fact that sin is so pervasive in own nature that we often forget that individuals who sin view the choice to sin as the only option available. For a mind that is unregenerate that choice only looks good. The consequences maybe bad, but those consequences might not actually come about. However, for the believer in Christ, the choice ought to be conflicted. On the one side, they don't want to displease God; but on the other side, the temptation to give into sex is so strong that it can appear overwhelming. For a bit more reflection on believers struggling with sin look at a post by Rev. Van Bemmel. Sex is a gift from God, and so that can make the struggle even more difficult. However, their is hope, and that is found in the Gospel as explained on page 22 in the following words:
Without denying or belittling the intense, seemingly irresolvable struggle that same-sex desires genuinely entail for many men and women, the testimony of Scripture is clear: "... neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality ... And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were hustified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9-11). It in the nature of the Spirit's transforming power to address even the deepest struggles of the human soul and to bring the power of the resurrection to bear upon them.As Christians we should not discount the real temptations that people who identify themselves as Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgenders (GLBT) face when they struggle with sexual desires that we do not personally share. I think that if we were to look back at how well-known American pastors over the past 30 years have publicly addressed GLBT issues we will find that their statements do not recognize how desirable the Bible teaches that all sin is at the moment of temptation. We, as the Church, need to publicly repent of our false witness to GLBT people on the aspect of our teaching.
However, sin, as the above passage says, always manifests itself in very personal ways to each individual. The answer, however, for all sins, and our sin nature, is Jesus Christ. Through Christ, we are made right with God and given a new set of desires that make God's commands a delight. I have addressed this report in an earlier post, and would highly recommend buying a copy and reading it.
