Biblical Sexuality and the Call for a Bold Response (Genesis 1-2; Romans 1)

What this episode covers

I mentioned what others have said about Biblical Sexuality Sermon Sunday in a previous post. The church leadership thought it was important to address the issue of biblical sexuality not only for the cultural moment that Canada is facing at the moment, but also because of the matters we are dealing with in our own denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America. In 2006, a case regarding the clash between sexual and religious freedom came before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. At a California high school, gay and lesbian students organized a Day of Silence. Those in support of the movement refrained from speaking in school. The school allowed this to take place without any hindrance. The next day, Tyler Harper, wore a t-shirt that read, “Be Ashamed, Our School Has Embraced What God Has Condemned.” The back of the shirt said, “Homosexuality Is Shameful, Romans 1:27.” School officials took him out of class and asked him to remove the shirt. The Court of Appeals sided with the school, but Harper’s petition to the Supreme Court eventually overturned the ruling. In a similar example, although I can’t remember when or where, Christian Students created a poster with the text of Rom 1:18-32, but they left it unattributed. School authorities tore the posters down and destroyed them. They went on to demand that the author report themselves for immediate expulsion. They soon discovered that they had just expelled the Apostle Paul. The Bible has always been offensive Scripture frequently critiques cultural norms. When you consider the original context you realize just how polemical it is. It should not shock anyone that the Bible has detractors. The problem nowadays is that people truly have no idea that their position stands in direct contradiction to Scripture. Why are we taking a one-week break from our series in Nehemiah? We rarely take such measures, but sometimes the cultural moment is too important to ignore. Bill C-4 has made it a federal offense to practice conversion therapy in Canada. The penalty for conviction can result in up to five years imprisonment. Now, we can be clear that there are many examples of conversion therapy that are horrendous. No one is threatening to return to those approaches. However, the language of the bill defines conversion therapy in such broad terms that some could interpret it as outlawing any teaching of biblical sexuality. Does the Bible teach conversion therapy? It could easily set a precedent for condemning the Bible as hate speech for its condemnation of homosexuality. This morning’s sermon will clarify the principles that inform any counsel I would give to someone who confessed to experiencing same-sex attraction. God’s Word on biblical sexuality is under attack from a rebellious world that rejects it and a timid church that is all too often embarrassed by it. God’s Clear Intention for Biblical Sexuality Made in the Image of God Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.Genesis 1:26–27 ESV Let’s begin this topic of biblical sexuality where God begins, with a positive note regarding the creation of humans. Since God made both genders in his image, they possess equal dignity and value. Both genders are fully human and both reflect the glory and communicable attributes of God equally. Both genders represent the pinnacle of God’s creation. God calls both genders to take dominion over the earth. There are distinct males and females in every human culture even if their gender expression differs from one another. Marriage is Between One Man and One Woman And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill t

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