Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
who are accustomed to doing evil.

This verse is widely famous, referencing our inability to change intrinsic things. Interestingly, homosexuals claim that their predilection is as intrinsic as race or species, when actually it comes under the second half of this verse, in being an accustomed evil. The thing is, God has indeed made a way for those who are accustomed to evil to change, and it’s called repentance and faith. Jesus never gave up on the Pharisees, for example, though He spoke to them very bluntly about what they were doing, (e.g. Matthew 23) and some indeed did repent and become pillars of the Church. One of those, Paul, spoke of himself as “chief of sinners,” (1 Timothy 1:15) but he also spoke of how God takes the hopelessly sinful and remakes them into saints. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) God is in the business of transformation, but we must choose to repent in order to receive the transformation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is famous and dearly loved. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” However, the new requires dying to the old. Paul uses that analogy extensively in Romans 7 and 8. Jesus Himself said that trying to hang on to our old self, that is, life as we are used to it, means eternal death, but letting that die, out of commitment and obedience to Christ, means eternal life. (Luke 9:23-25) Change is sometimes humanly impossible, but nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

I have seen some pretty “impossible” transformations, and I praise God for them. I have also seen people use the Bible to “justify” their behavior, using verses like this one, with no intention of changing. That is tragic! I am to keep watch first of all on myself, that I not hang onto anything God says to let go of, and that I cling firmly to Jesus Christ my Lord, as He has taken hold of me. (Philippians 3:12) As a pastor, it is my task and my privilege to encourage others to do the same. All too often I get the response, “That’s OK for you, because you’re a professional Christian. I can’t do that.” I need to help them understand that I’m no more able than they are, apart from Christ. It is only in Him that “I can do everything,” (Philippians 4:13) and in Him they can too.

Father, I am constantly aware that apart from Christ I can do nothing. (John 15:5) Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, abiding in Christ as Your Spirit abides in me, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!