“I Can’t Be Changed!” Really?
Do you ever hear people say, “I can’t be changed. I was born that way!”? Are some things so deeply ingrained in a person that they cannot be changed? Does sexual identity and orientation fall into this category? The Bible never speaks of homosexuality in a positive light, and the Scripture always depicts sexual relations between members of the same gender as a sin. Unfortunately, Satan has misled many people into believing that such teaching in the Bible is outdated and needs to be abandoned. Another deception from Satan is, “I cannot be changed!” If you somewhat subscribe to this belief, please consider the following:
- Scriptural teaching
- In 1 Cor. 6:9-11 (NIV), Apostle Paul clearly says that people can change because of the power of the gospel. He begins by saying that “wrongdoers” will not inherit God’s Kingdom—the sexually immoral, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, as well as the thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, etc. Paul then reminds the Christians in Corinth, “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.” It’s not just homosexuals who will not inherit God’s kingdom, it’s anyone who falls short of God’s standard. Jesus can transform any kind of person.
- Vivid examples of transformation
- Christopher Yuan (christopheryuan.com)
- Rosaria Butterfield (rosariabutterfield.com)
I hope these two points help us to understand that “I cannot be changed” is a lie from Satan. Satan lies to us because he does not want us to experience the abundant life that Jesus offers (John 10:10) or the transforming power of Jesus.
So, what is your response when someone says, “I can’t be changed. I was born that way.”? Pray for them. Encourage and engage them with stories of lives that have been changed by the awesome transforming power of Christ. God can and does change hearts and lives because He loves each and every one of us.