It’s true that God made everything that exists. As the Bible says concerning Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). And yes, He made everything good: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). But here’s the rub: He didn’t make everything in the world exactly as we find it today.
How can we say this? Because while God originally made the universe good according to His own perfect design, everything changed when mankind disobeyed Him. Creation was spoiled and corrupted when Adam and Eve fell into sin. At that point, as the writer of Genesis describes it, thorns and thistles sprang up in the paradise of Eden (Genesis 3:18). Sorrow, pain, suffering, weariness, and burdensome toil entered into the human experience. Ever since that time, the world has existed in an abnormal state. We have to bear this in mind when evaluating the relative “goodness” or “badness” of any part of creation as it exists in its present state.
This teaching is what theologians refer to as the doctrine of the fall. It explains why we have disease and disasters and birth defects and broken relationships and all the many other problems that have plagued the human race since time began. Just because a thing exists – homosexuality, for instance – that doesn’t necessarily prove that the thing is good or healthy or desirable or part of God’s perfect plan. There are other factors that also need to be taken into consideration.
The important point is that each and every one of these “defects” is traceable to the “sin nature” we’ve inherited from Adam (see Romans 5:12-14). Not one of them had any part in the perfect plan God had in mind when He formed man from the dust and appointed him to tend the garden of creation. That’s why He had to send His Son into the world to redeem it. He has something better in mind for all of us, and He is in the process of working it out.
If you think it might be helpful to discuss these concepts at greater length, .
Resources
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101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality
The Gay Gospel? How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible
Referrals
Desert Stream Ministries
Articles
Understanding Homosexuality
