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Does our DNA Decide?

During our current series on Romans, at our cafe service, we were confronted with Paul’s strong stance on natural sexuality vs. unnatural relationships (Romans 1:21-27).

dna

This brings up a lot of emotions in people, especially in this day and age and it was no different for us at five.30.cafe. And I read a really helpful article on this very topic that helped me think through things pretty clearly over at fervr.net

The article began by raising some very basic questions that I think just about everyone has asked at some point in their lives:

  • Who am I? Why am I this way?
  • Why do I have this sexual preference?
  • Is my identity a matter of individual choice or the result of my DNA?
  • Is my sexuality biologically determined?

Identity

Lady Gaga has a hit song, “Born This Way”, and according to her it all comes down to your biology. In other words, who you are is not so much a matter of choice but who you are is a result of your genetic make-up. In her view, human identity and behaviour are genetically driven.

Lady Gaga’s song speaks to everyone obsesses with what their identities are. No matter whether “you’re black, white, beige, chola descent”, she sings “rejoice and love yourself”. What she really means is embrace your identity because hey, you don’t have a choice in who you are, and maybe she’d go as far to say that people can’t change either because we have no power over who our DNA has mad us.

Do you agree with this? I certainly don’t. The whole Bible tells of the changes the Holy Spirt causes in our lives. If we can’t change, Christianity wouldn’t be helpful at all.

Choice exists

Yes, I agree that ‘our genes influence our identity and behaviour’. They determine our gender, our skin colour, the colour of our eyes and the size of our noses. But this doesn’t determine who we are does it?

We’re more than the sum of our genes. We’re not the slaves of our biology. No-one believes that everything in your life is completely determined by your genes. Biology is not destiny because we’re also shaped by our environment, we’re shaped by our upbringing and we’re shaped by our faith.

The Big Choice

Jesus demands that you make a real choice to follow Him;

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”(Mark 8:34-35)

The choice is yours, no matter what your biological make up. Change is possible. Check out 1 Corinthians 6:9-11;

“Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

You are more than your biology. You are more than your genetic makeup. You have a choice.

So choose Jesus. Follow Jesus. Be washed clean in His name. Then you will have something to really sing about.

alex