[From Baptist Press, Feb. 2, 1999]

Sunday school lessons recount Bible’s words on homosexuality

By Art Toalston

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Crux questions about homosexuality have
been raised — and addressed from the Bible — in Sunday school
materials widely used in Southern Baptist churches.

Among the questions:

— “Is Homosexuality an Acceptable Lifestyle?”

— “Is Homosexuality Natural?”

— “Do Homosexuals Have a Way Out?”

A Sunday school lesson on homosexuality has been included in all
adult Life & Work quarterlies, published for winter 1998-99 use
in churches by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern
Baptist Convention, based in Nashville, Tenn.

In the Advanced Bible Study’s lesson, Chuck Lawless, assistant
professor of evangelism and church growth at Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., wrote that Christians face
three choices in responding to society’s “growing acceptance” of
homosexuality:

1) “We may choose to join society’s ranks and affirm
homosexuality as natural and acceptable. Doing so, however, would
require a radical — and wrong — reinterpretation of the
biblical injunctions against the practice of homosexuality.”

2) “[We] may choose to rail against homosexuals from a position
of spiritual superiority. Such an approach would maintain the
biblical standards against that specific sin, but it would also
neglect or ignore the sinner. This option fails, for the church
must respect all persons as created in the image of God (see Gen.
1:27), regardless of their sins. We are not given freedom to do
anything less than extend God’s love to persons involved in
homosexuality.”

3) “[We may] maintain God’s standards on sexuality while
proclaiming his power to save and to free from sexual sin. In
this way we offer good news and we support those struggling to
escape the homosexual lifestyle.”

The third option “will possibly evoke opposition, both from
homosexuals that reject our biblical standards and from believers
who are uncomfortable with our ministry,” Lawless stated,
exhorting: “We should be willingly to take this risk, though, if
we desire to be a healing influence in a broken world.”

Concerning the question, “Is Homosexuality an Acceptable
Lifestyle?” Lawless noted:

“Some contend that the Bible condemns only promiscuous or cultic
homosexual sex, but Leviticus 18:22 does not permit those
exclusions. Others argue that the Old Testament passages are
irrelevant today. Not only does that assumption give too little
authority to the Old Testament, but it also ignores the New
Testament’s condemnation of homosexuality.”

Leviticus 18:22 states: “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a
woman; that is detestable” (NIV). In short, “Attempts to
circumvent the biblical teachings to affirm homosexuality are
fruitless,” Lawless wrote. As evidence that the Bible
“consistently and clearly condemns the practice of
homosexuality,” he additionally cited Genesis 19:1-11; Leviticus
20:13; Romans1:24-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; and
Jude 7.

Addressing sexual immorality in general, Lawless wrote: “… we
should be careful to recognize that God’s standards for sexuality
apply to all persons. Any sexual activity outside of marriage
between a male and female is also rebellion against God. As we
take a stand against homosexuality, we should equally stand
against such sins as premarital sex and adultery.”

Concerning the question, “Is Homosexuality Natural?” Lawless
reflected:

“The issue of the roots of homosexuality in a person’s life
remains a heated debate. Is homosexuality the product of certain
brain structures? Do genes, chromosomes, DNA, or hormones play a
role? If so, is homosexuality natural for some persons? Did God
create homosexuals to be homosexuals? If he did, can
homosexuality be considered wrong?”

Romans 1 addresses such questions, Lawless wrote. Verses 24-28
state: “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of
their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies
with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator —
who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over
to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations
for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned
natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one
another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received
in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

Lawless noted: “Homosexuality thus became ‘natural’ only in the
mind of one corrupted by sin, but it has never been natural in
God’s created order.”

The Bible’s words provide “a clear indication that persons
practicing homosexuality do so by choice,” Lawless wrote. “The
verbs are typically active verbs (exchanged, abandoned,
committed) … . Though victimization, upbringing, culture, and
circumstances certainly influence us in our sexual choices, we
are held accountable for those choices.”

Lawless added: “Knowing and understanding that homosexuality is
unnatural and sinful, however, does not lessen our responsibility
to minister to homosexuals. We should recognize that for some
homosexuals the psychological roots of homosexuality are so
deeply imbedded in childhood that they can remember little else.
They do indeed believe that homosexuality is natural for them.”

Christians must “help homosexuals see the truth of God’s Word
while affirming their value as human beings,” Lawless continued.
“That task will likely require gentle persistence and patience.
… [A] cognitive agreement that homosexuality is unnatural is
only one step toward breaking that bondage. Further ministry is
most often required.”

Concerning the question, “Do Homosexuals Have a Way Out?” Lawless
cited 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, which states that some of the
community’s believers had engaged in various forms of sexual
immorality, but then: “… you were sanctified, you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit
of our God.”

Everyone who turns to Christ as Lord and Savior has received the
Holy Spirit, “and we should not take that gift lightly,” Lawless
admonished. “This reality alone ought to challenge us to avoid
any type of uncleanness, including immorality and idolatry.”

Lawless also noted the Bible’s exhortations that Christ’s
followers are “are not [our] own” and are “bought at a price” by
Christ’s death on the cross.

“Since we are not our own, we are not given permission to make
sexual choices based on our own desires. The price [Christ] paid
for us demands nothing less than our uncompromising obedience to
His standards,” Lawless wrote, who also cited the Bible’s
commands that believers are to honor God by using their bodies in
godly ways.

Lawless reminded, however: “A person struggling with
homosexuality must have someone to turn to when temptations
arise. Believers should be willing to serve as accountability
partners and to provide a haven of escape when temptation
strikes. We are not only to encourage others not to fall back
into a homosexual lifestyle, but we must also support them in
their journey toward healing.”

The Sunday school lesson on homosexuality was scheduled for
classes on Jan. 31.