Today's question comes from a podcast listener named Kathy, Hello Pastor John, you recently

came to speak at my church in South Carolina and wow what a blessing it was to me into

our entire church. Thank you for your faithful ministry. I write because my best friend

just told me that she has been wrestling with homosexual desires for years and will now

give in to them. She recently said this to me, quote, I'm going to date a girl. I just

feels more right and I just have to try it. I've agonized over this for years. I didn't

ask for this and I'm not guilty or ashamed anymore. I've prayed and prayed and prayed and studied

and I don't really feel condemnation from God. I just feel it from people. I feel fine about it,

free, unconvicted and not scared anymore. End quote. Those are her words. My friend clearly

professes faith and has come to the conclusion that it is okay to pursue this lifestyle but a

strong defensiveness makes me unsure how to best voice my disagreement. Pastor John, what would

you say to Kathy? Kathy, my suggestion is that you go back and review what you know because seeing

it in black and white in God's word strengthens us, gives us guidance for what to do and I have in

mind Romans 1, 22 to 28, all of it's important but here's the sentence that is most immediately

relevant, verse 26, Romans 1. God gave them up to dishonorable passions for their women,

exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature. That's the most important

sentence right now for you and your friend. This is very frightening because she is your best friend,

you said. And it seems to me from what you say that God is doing this very thing in her life,

giving her up to passions, a terrifying prospect that should make her tremble and you for her.

So notice two levels of activity in this verse, 26 of Romans 1. One level is that God is giving

her up to dishonorable passions. God gave them up to dishonorable passions these women. There are

three implications for your friend here. One, God ordinarily restrains sin for millions of people,

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