Can God Change our Sexual Desires?

 

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s Christians we seek to honor God with our body, mind and soul, including our behavior and identity as sexual and gendered beings who are made in the image of God. In this area Transform Minnesota holds to a historic Christian teaching about marriage and sexuality (expressed more fully here).

Serving a network of churches from many different denominations in communities all across Minnesota, we are aware that people often come to their pastor wrestling with unwanted sexual attractions or with questions about their sense of gender identity. Because God made us as sexual beings, we believe God ordained our sexuality. As spiritual leaders we want to help people invite God into this most intimate aspect of our lives: to discover meaning, identity, redemption and hope.

Transform Minnesota’s desire is to help pastors wisely discern how to provide loving spiritual care to the people in their congregations as they wrestle through the deeply personal issues of sexuality and gender.

One particular question that has arisen in our culture today is about the possibility of changing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. In this area we believe it is important to listen to the voices of faithful Christians who have experienced same sex attraction or gender dysphoria – some of whom by God’s grace have experienced the transformation they desired, while others have not, and yet they seek to live lives of personal holiness and chastity. Hearing their stories, we are cautious to promise change through human endeavors. We must trust in God’s plan and timing.

Ultimately we still hope for and believe in change. All of us who follow Jesus have hope that God can and will heal and redeem our whole being, including our sexual brokenness, whether in this age or the age to come.

We call on the church to minister with deep compassion, grace, and pastoral wisdom to those who struggle to align their sexual attractions or gender identity with what we believe is God’s intended design for humanity.

And finally, but foremost, we seek to uphold the dignity of each person created in the image of God, as persons who possess inestimable worth. We confess that all of us live in a fallen world that has marred our sexuality, identity and relationships, and so we endeavor to bear one another’s burdens and minister to the whole person.