Ministry leaders and high profile preachers of the Gospel need to know: the world is watching. And our words can surely come to haunt us:

And now our time has come to count the cost
To reject this world, to embrace the cross
And one by one let us live our lives
For the One who died to give us life
Till the trumpet sounds on the final day
Let us proudly stand and boldly say
“I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
“With all my strength, with all I am
“I will seek to honor His commands
“I pledge allegiance to the Lamb”^[1]

Earlier this month, the composer of this well-known song, Ray Boltz, admitted to giving himself over to the gay lifestyle after a 33-year marriage including four children. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live,” he told the Washington Blade recently. “I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”^[2]  We hear this same type of rationale from many leaders who have fallen along the way, whether to the homosexual lifestyle or any other immoral choice, leaving many observers with a bad taste for Christianity.

But for those of us in ministry, what is the truth about homosexuality and other moral failure? What can we learn from men like Ray who climb so high, only to fall so far? This is a growing issue in the evangelical church, and we need some Biblical answers.

1. It’s not my fault, I was born this way. Regardless of what the varied gene studies conclude, there is some truth to this popular homosexual claim. Turns out we’re all “born this way.” That is, with the sin gene. In each of us it battles for control over us with a unique set of depraved desires that may be influenced by our upbringing, personalities, or other factors. For some our innate desire may be for homosexuality, for others pornography, or gambling, or alcoholism, or overeating, or overspending, etc. But if you boil it all down, yes, it’s in the genes. It’s human nature to want to sin, that is the truth.

2. I’ll be happier, more fulfilled, and more at peace if I give into my desires and feelings. Feelings are not worthy of too much attention. They change frequently and often lie to us. The Christian life is all about living by faith and fact (truth), not feelings and desires. Romans 6:12 says, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” The ultimate example of this was Christ when he prayed in the garden the night before His crucifixion. His feelings said, “Father, my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death…If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” But His faith said instead, “Yet not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:38-39).” Look through the pages of scripture or history, and you will find that people who lived by feelings or human desires all made monumental mistakes that cost them dearly. Cain, Samson, Saul, David, Peter, Ananias and Sapphira—all would tell you today that it is not worth the price of living for the feelings of the moment.