It was during a presidential election more than forty years ago when I overheard two men discussing the upcoming political race. The moral character of one of the candidates was an issue, yet one of these Christian men was adamant about his support. To him the only issue was the support of his political party. I remember his statement and also the reply of the other man. He said, “I was born a (his political party), I was raised a (political party) and I will die a (political party).” It was the second man’s response that made such a profound impression on me and I think it will have the same impact on you. Before I tell you the other man’s unforgettable reply, look at some of the ways many use this same type of reasoning about their spiritual lives.
The attitude is as old as the first century. When John the Baptist began his preaching, some of the Jews sought to negate the impact of his preaching. Their attitude was somewhat like the man mentioned above. Their response was something like, “I was born a Jew, I was raised a Jew and I will die a Jew.” This had little to do with the moral issues John was trying to get them to change. His response was, “God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Mt. 3:9).
There are those who sometimes seek to justify the use of drugs by talking about the fact their mothers used drugs before they were born and the were raised in a home where drugs were being used. They seem to say, “I was born a druggie, I was raised a druggie and I will die a druggie.” This has little to do with the moral issue of using drugs and is no justification for doing wrong.
Then there are those who believe that the only explanation of homosexuality is that it has a genetic origin. They seem to say, “I was born gay, I grew up gay and I will die gay.” However, this has little to do with the moral issue of homosexuality.
Now get back to the response of the second man in the story. When the first said he was born, raised and planned to die as a member of a political party (regardless of the moral issue that was involved), the second man said, “I am like you in some respects. I was born a (member of the same political party), I was raised a (political party) but I have been born again!”
That seems to say it best. It make no difference as to the moral issue that is involved. The aspects of our birth or the influence of our environment do not change what God says about what is right or wrong in moral issues. The issue is not our birth, but our rebirth!