Born This Way?

Lady Gaga’s latest song—Born This Way—recently became the fastest selling #1 single in iTunes history. This young singer is very talented and has a nice voice. Sadly, though, her latest song is little more than an excuse to indulge one’s sinful flesh.

Holy Scripture states clearly that each and every one of us enters this world a sinner. This inherited “original sin” is the underlying cause of every sinful thought, word, and deed.

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” [Psalm 51:5]

“I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.” [Romans 7:18]

“None is righteous, no, not one.” [Romans 3:10]

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” [Romans 3:23]

So, should you indulge your sinful flesh since you were born this way? Holy Scripture again provides the answer.

“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” [Romans 13:14]

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. … And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” [Galatians 5:16-17, 24]

Sin is sin. You entered this world spiritually blind, dead, and an enemy of God. Simply put, you were born this way. Yet, the Triune God did not leave you in your sin and death. On the contrary. He came to redeem and save and forgive you.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” [Ephesians 2:4-10]

Being born a sinner is never an excuse to indulge your sinful flesh. Crucify that flesh. Drown it daily in the remembrance of your baptism into Christ. And then live the new life Christ has given you to live. What ultimately matters is not that you were born this way, but that you have been born again of water and the Spirit!

“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” [Ephesians 4:22-24]

Now that’s something to sing about!!!