A prominent group of christian leaders (Dr. John R.W. Stott, Dr. J.I. Packer, Dr. Bill Bright, Dr. Rick Warren, Dr. Christopher Seitz, Dr. Francis J. Beckwith, Dr. Winston L. Frost, Dr. Stephen Olford and others) just came out with the following declaration. Do you agree or disagree?
Religious Declaration on Human Sexual Morality
Human sexual (genital) behavior is intended by God to be expressed solely within the confines of heterosexual, monogamous marriage. Since God is love, sexual activity can only be considered a true act of love when carried out within these parameters, clearly established by God in His Holy Word (the Bible).
Sexual intercourse is to be the same giving act that it represents - which is Jesus Christ's union with His Bride, the Church. It is two becoming one flesh - physically, spiritually and emotionally - the ultimate end of the separating of Eve from Adam's side.
It is a procreative and pleasure-giving act that may bear the fruit of children. It is a cause for the continuation of the human race and a bonding agent for the love shared between husband and wife. When done out of love by two spiritually healthy human beings, it will enhance the well-being and solidify the growing oneness of man and wife.
God purposed in creation that human sexual interaction be a reflection of that ultimate marriage to which He has called us - that between God and man / between Christ and the Church.
Just as God remains faithful, undivided and undeflected from His commitment to man, so this central act in marriage must remain equally faithful, undivided and undeflected - exemplifying the love, the trust and the commitment of a spouse to his/her marital partner.
Fidelity to God's blueprint for human sexual behavior is integral to healthy human spirituality.
The proscriptions on human sexual behavior established by God in His Holy Word (the Bible) are positive and life-giving. They are designed to bring both maximum glory to God and to be protective measures for those who might otherwise try to find life and fulfillment in alternative sexual behavior, which can only bring death and destruction. As such, they are an expression of God's perfect love and desire to protect those He has created.
Any deflection from these intended purposes of the Creator God is rebellion against the wisdom and goodness of God and sets one at enmity with Him until that person has repented of their actions and come into agreement once again with God's design. The idea that man has the right to chose his own methods of sexual expression flies in the face of everything taught in sacred Scripture.
For those who find themselves caught in an aberrant sexual lifestyle, God offers the atoning death of His Son, Jesus Christ, which brings forgiveness, cleansing, healing and transforming power. Jesus did not come to condemn mankind, but to save any and all who would come to Him for cleansing.
We are Speaking Out
To endorse this statement, click here.
This statement may be copied or reproduced in its entirety for news stories, bulletins, newsletters, flyers, etc., or copied and distributed at public or private meetings for the purpose of obtaining supporting signatures, without our further permission. Please credit Mastering Life Ministries of Jacksonville, Fl. as the source and our web site as a contact point (www.MasteringLife.org).
Religious Declaration on Human Sexual Morality
Human sexual (genital) behavior is intended by God to be expressed solely within the confines of heterosexual, monogamous marriage. Since God is love, sexual activity can only be considered a true act of love when carried out within these parameters, clearly established by God in His Holy Word (the Bible).
Sexual intercourse is to be the same giving act that it represents - which is Jesus Christ's union with His Bride, the Church. It is two becoming one flesh - physically, spiritually and emotionally - the ultimate end of the separating of Eve from Adam's side.
It is a procreative and pleasure-giving act that may bear the fruit of children. It is a cause for the continuation of the human race and a bonding agent for the love shared between husband and wife. When done out of love by two spiritually healthy human beings, it will enhance the well-being and solidify the growing oneness of man and wife.
God purposed in creation that human sexual interaction be a reflection of that ultimate marriage to which He has called us - that between God and man / between Christ and the Church.
Just as God remains faithful, undivided and undeflected from His commitment to man, so this central act in marriage must remain equally faithful, undivided and undeflected - exemplifying the love, the trust and the commitment of a spouse to his/her marital partner.
Fidelity to God's blueprint for human sexual behavior is integral to healthy human spirituality.
The proscriptions on human sexual behavior established by God in His Holy Word (the Bible) are positive and life-giving. They are designed to bring both maximum glory to God and to be protective measures for those who might otherwise try to find life and fulfillment in alternative sexual behavior, which can only bring death and destruction. As such, they are an expression of God's perfect love and desire to protect those He has created.
Any deflection from these intended purposes of the Creator God is rebellion against the wisdom and goodness of God and sets one at enmity with Him until that person has repented of their actions and come into agreement once again with God's design. The idea that man has the right to chose his own methods of sexual expression flies in the face of everything taught in sacred Scripture.
For those who find themselves caught in an aberrant sexual lifestyle, God offers the atoning death of His Son, Jesus Christ, which brings forgiveness, cleansing, healing and transforming power. Jesus did not come to condemn mankind, but to save any and all who would come to Him for cleansing.
We are Speaking Out
- We are speaking out against the attempts by those in secular and religious communities who seek to overturn and redefine the clear teachings of the Bible, to make it appear as though sexual behavior outside of the bounds described above is somehow normal and blessed by God. There has been a clear and unbroken Judeo-Christian, scriptural witness on these matters for over thirty-five hundred years.
We are speaking out against the impression being given by a minority of religious and media figures that their version of sexual morality is consistent with the biblical witness and/or accepted by the Church.
We are speaking out against the unchecked confusion and division sown in the Church by such apostles of immorality.
We are speaking out against the death and destruction that such teachings have brought to our culture and the confusion that it has sown in our children.
We are speaking out against any sex education program that would teach such ideas to our young people.
We are speaking out against the impression given by some that those who support biblical definitions of morality hate those who refuse to accept or live by them.
- We oppose any and all efforts to normalize or sanctify homosexual behavior, to advocate or bless homosexual marriages or to ordain those who engage in homosexual behavior.
We oppose any attempt to stigmatize or reject persons who are turning to Christ for forgiveness, healing and transformation who have been struggling with their sexual orientation.
We oppose any suggestion that they are lesser or more sinful human beings than anyone else. They are welcome in the Church.
We oppose any and all attempts to normalize or sanctify heterosexual immorality, including the use of pornography or prostitutes, adulterous or other non-marital sexual relationships or any other behavior outside of healthy, heterosexual, marital monogamy.
We oppose the taking of a human life in its mother's womb or any other form of abortion.
- We call for people to return to the God of the Bible, through His Son Jesus Christ.
We call for people to return to God's design for human behavior (sexual and otherwise) as found in the Holy Bible.
We call for people to seek and receive from God Almighty the forgiveness, the cleansing, the deliverance and the healing that they need as a result of their unnatural sexual behavior.
We call for people to seek and receive from God the desire and the power to walk in His ways.
We call for those in government to honor the institution of marriage as it has been held for thousands of years by keeping it restricted to heterosexual, monogamous unions.
We call for government to resist the legitimization of alternative sexual lifestyles in creating civil unions for couples who do not qualify for marriage.
We call for our educational system to remove sex education materials that promote promiscuity, homosexual behavior or any other sexual behavior outside of traditional marriage.
We call for the producers and distributors of every form of media communication to resist the temptation to fatten their coffers by continuing to spread the toxic message of sexual immorality.
We call for religious leaders to stand firm against the tide of moral relativism and to remain faithful to God's Holy Word.
We call for religious leaders to refuse to ordain those who engage in homosexual or non-marital heterosexual activity.
We call for those leaders and laity in the Church who have not yet done so, to extend the same hand of love and grace to the repentant sinner that Christ has extended, and to repent from any condescending or hateful attitudes that they have held toward those who struggle with unholy sexual temptations.
We call for religious leaders to refuse to bless what God calls sin, including homosexual unions, but to instead invite those who struggle with unholy sexual desire to the same fount of forgiveness and healing as everyone else - even Jesus Christ, the Lord.
To endorse this statement, click here.
This statement may be copied or reproduced in its entirety for news stories, bulletins, newsletters, flyers, etc., or copied and distributed at public or private meetings for the purpose of obtaining supporting signatures, without our further permission. Please credit Mastering Life Ministries of Jacksonville, Fl. as the source and our web site as a contact point (www.MasteringLife.org).
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