Romans 1:25. It is usually the wise that get caught up in the nature vs nurture debate. But in reality we are fools if we take a strong position on either side of this debate (Romans 1:22, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”). This debate is foolish because God is not included in either side of the argument nor is there any acknowledgement in either argument that God has given us freedom of choice.

If we take the nature side of the debate, we profess that we were born that way and we cannot change our actions. This argument assumes that God cannot change things and we have no choice but to fulfill our nature. This is a lie.

On the other hand if we take the nurture side of the debate, we profess that our environment makes us the way we are and we cannot act outside our environment. This argument also assumes that God cannot change things and again that we have no choice in this matter. This is a lie.

The extremes of both of these arguments change the truth of God into a lie (Romans 1:25, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen”). In reality the major reason for taking a strong position either way in this argument is to avoid God, and to avoid our real purpose, which is to worship Him. We, the creature, are choosing to worship our own wisdom rather than God, our creator. God has given us free choice to love Him or not to love Him. We are not bound up by our human nature or our environment. God is the ultimate power in this universe and He has given us choice through Jesus Christ to worship Him. That is our purpose if we choose to accept it. Our nature or our environment is no excuse to not worship God. There is a God and our choice is to either serve Him or not.

BIBLE SCRIPTURE Romans 1:25, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Romans 1:32. The nature vs nurture debate is usually all about justifying someone’s bad behavior (sin). This type of argument operates on a bad premise that we are not accountable to God for our bad behavior. The nature position declares that a person was just born bad. This is not true because God did not make us to be bad - to sin and be disobedient to Him. The nurture position is that a person became bad because of his environment. This argument really boils down to “the devil made me do it.” This argument is in error as we always have a choice and there is a supernatural God that can change anything.

Yes, many environments offer many opportunities for us to be bad, but it is still our choice to be bad. God, our creator, has given all mankind the knowledge of what is right and wrong. In the final analysis, if we are in sin, it is because we chose not to retain God in our knowledge and be disobedient to Him. We desire to fulfill our own pleasures over fulfilling the purpose that God has given us(Romans 1:28-32, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. “).

BIBLE SCRIPTURE Romans 1:32 "Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."