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Jesus himself once pointed out that when God created humans, he "made them male and female" and ordained that a man and a woman be joined together as husband and wife (Matt. 19:3-6). That does not diminish the appropriateness or the dignity of singleness, but for long-term human happiness and protection God prescribed that singles remain celibate. For those who take sexual partners, the Creator ordained permanent, monogamous, heterosexual married union.

There can be no doubt that the practice of homosexual intercourse is contrary to God's design and that it is sinful (Rom. 1:24-29; 1 Cor. 6:9). If the practice itself is wrong, it does not become right because those practicing it limit their practice to each other. Equally certainly, God can forgive, deliver and enable one who brings this matter to him in repentance and who commits oneself to his grace for the future (1 Cor. 6:11). The same truths apply also to adultery and fornication in all its forms (Gal. 5:19; Heb. 13:4). It is not the urge for prohibited sexual union which is sinful but rather deciding to act upon the urge and actually doing so.

God's grace truly provides forgiveness -- for sexual sin as well as all other kinds. That same grace also instructs us to "deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live . . . righteously and godly" lives (Titus 2:11-12). We all are sinners. None of us merits God's approval and none has grounds for self-righteousness. We must also seek the welfare of all human beings, treating each person with respect, acknowledging in every individual the image of God.

At the same time -- as unfashionable as it might be in this day of moral relativism and political correctness -- we must humbly proclaim the biblical standards regarding sexuality, as also concerning such matters as pride, anger, racism, selfishness and greed. (Jesus said far more about greed than he did about sexual practices.) But we simply cannot change the biblical standards and we dare not pretend that they do not exist.

For more on sexual issues, click here.