When Sin Tries to Redefine God.
In January this year, we had Simeon Trust training, where we looked at Bible-handling tools and how we can faithfully handle the Word of God as ministry workers. We discussed how people sometimes add to or subtract from the Word of God, and the dangers that come with that.
During one session, we were asked to share in pairs. My colleague said something that really stayed with me because I realized I was also guilty of it. She said that we are often prone to tone down God’s Word when we are speaking to someone whose sin we already know about. We do this because it feels less confrontational, but in doing so, we end up softening what God has clearly said. The message of the gospel is not ours to adjust.
The book of Galatians 1:10 says: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?” That truth sat with me for a while, but over time I moved on and forgot about it, until recently. In one of the campuses where we serve as The Bible Talks (TBT), we started a new Bible study. During our first session, we spent time getting to know one another. One of the women shared a painful and traumatic experience from her past, and explained that because of it, she now experiences same-sex attraction.
As she shared, I found myself becoming very aware of what we would soon be studying in Romans. I started to wonder how she would feel, and how I should approach passages like Romans 1:18–32, which speak so clearly about God’s wrath against sexual immorality and perversions and humanity’s rejection of Him. I did not want her to think the Bible study had been organized to target her personally or her sin.
But as the study continued over the following weeks, God’s Word did what it always does: faithfully and clearly speak to all of us. Romans 1 does not single out one group; it reveals the condition of every human heart apart from God. Later, as I reflected more on this passage, I was struck again by a phrase that is often used today in our societies: “God made me like this.” I began to think seriously about what that implies. If God is the one who creates sinful desires, then He would be the author of rebellion against His own holiness. But Scripture is clear that God is not the author of sin nor of confusion, “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” (James 1:13), “I the Lord do not change.” Malachi 3:6
God’s design in creation is also clear: “So God created mankind in his own image… male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27). Sin distorts what God has created. It does not come from Him. It arises from the brokenness of a fallen world and a fallen human heart. Romans 1:25 describes this condition: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.”
What becomes clear is that sin does not just break God’s commands; it also tries to redefine God Himself. It tries to make Him the author of what he is actually against. Romans 1:32 continues and says, “Although they know God’s righteous decree… they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” This is sobering. It shows how far humanity can go in suppressing truth, so far that sin is not only practiced but also justified and celebrated and attributed to God.
This is why the statement “God made me like this” cannot stand under Scripture. It shifts responsibility away from ourselves and misrepresents the holy character of God. God is not the author of sin. He is the One who calls sinners to repentance and offers new life in Christ. And that is where the hope of the gospel lies. God does not affirm our sin; He rescues us from it.
