The Bible says nothing about environmental determinism. We all stand before God and are not free to shift blame to others as Adam and Eve attempted to do in the Garden of Eden. But Scripture does indicate that evil men and women can and certainly do encourage others to sin.
In 2 Kings 21:8-9, we read that people did not listen to God’s Law and that Manasseh led them astray. Verse 11 further describes how he led Judah into sin with his idols. And verse 16 again echoes this theme, “the sin that he had caused Judah to commit.”
A sad, modern-day example of this is found in a recent Gallup news article entitled, “LGBTQ+ Adults Are Coming Out at Younger Ages Than in the Past.” This article written by Justin McCarthy and Rachael Yi is filled with heartbreaking polling data showing that younger people living in sexual rebellion are expressing this at a younger age than previous generations.
“The youngest LGBTQ+ adults, those aged 18 to 29, came out at a median age of 17, while those aged 30 to 49 and 50 to 64 came out in their early 20s. The median age adults aged 65 and older came out is 26.”
In California, it is estimated that 10% of students identify now as LGBTQ.
In his powerful book, A Queer Thing Happened to America, Dr. Michael Brown addressed the efforts to target children with an LGBTQ agenda. The third chapter of the book focuses on intentional efforts to teach “gay is good” in our children’s schools. The last quote in that chapter’s introduction comes from Patricia Nell Warren, who said,
“Whoever captures the kids owns the future.”
This quote was taken from a 1995 article in The Advocate, a pro-LGBTQ magazine. A more recent article, “Kamala Harris defends LGTBQ+ teachers & condemns book bans at teacher labor union conference” centers on the same subject.
For at least 30 years, there has been an agenda to teach children there is absolutely no moral difference between heterosexuality and homosexuality. This is not some conspiracy theory, it is simply an observation of the history of the LGBTQ+ movement in America.
Since 1996, GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) has promoted the Day of Silence for students in schools.
“Every April, students would go through the school day without speaking, ending the day with Breaking the Silence rallies to bring attention to ways their schools and communities can become more inclusive.”
In Deuteronomy 6, God commanded fathers and mothers in Israel to completely saturate their children with God’s truth.
“7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
What we have witnessed in our culture is the antithesis of this passage. Children have been saturated in sexual perversion both through education and by the broader culture. It is, sadly, not a surprise to see the bitter fruits of this indoctrination.
In the Old Testament, God’s people were to live as distinctly different, a holy nation. In the New Testament era of redemption, God’s people could not move to a separate nation, but they were still called to live as God’s holy people.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. – 1 Peter 2:9
The statistics about LGBTQ+ youth are very discouraging, but we must take comfort in knowing that God’s grace is greater than our sin. The power of the gospel is not stopped by the power of the LGBTQ+ movement.
For the love of God and the love of the lost, we must not compromise by watering down God’s law or His gospel.
We must boldly and lovingly proclaim the full counsel of God’s Word, for He alone can deliver sinners from their rebellion.
