Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I. Sociological
B. Societal issues
The current social and cultural climate can be discussed on two levels:
Socio-cultural distinctions
1. Theonomous - The laws of the divine (God) dictates the moral and social
framework of the state. Sometimes called the “Natural law”
2. Heteronomous - The elites on top dictates the moral and social framework for
the state. Eg. Sharia Law
3. Autonomous - “Autos” - self, “nomos” - Law, the individual determines his own
moral and social life.
Relational distinctions
II. Political
Legislations:
III. Biological
● Occurrence of Intersex
o Statistics The most thorough existing research finds intersex people to constitute an
estimated 1.7% of the population
o This includes other genetic aberrations and deviances
Genetics: “Born Homosexual?”
o Brain sex theory - Suggests that the introduction of hormones (testosterone, estrogen) in
utero influences the sexual identity of a person. More estrogen for male fetuses can or more
testosterone for female fetuses may well be a predisposing factor for gender formation and
identity.
IV. Psychological
b. Diagnosis of Gender dysphoria also presents a difficulty as to its DSM V categories and
presentations. This adds to the efforts of identification of clients that present to have the
condition.
B. Treatment
“The main arguments cited in attempts to ban reorientation therapy are not compelling. They
do not stand up to scientific scrutiny or logic, nor do they appear consistent with medical
precedent and ethical practice” (Yarhouse & Throckmorton, 2002)
V. Theological
Bible passages
A. Leviticus 18:22; 20:13
18:22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is
detestable.
20:13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of
them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on
their own heads.
B. Romans 1:24-27
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity
for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created
things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women
exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
27 In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were
inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and
received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
D. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have
sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God.
All these Biblical passages are debated and are interpreted by others to be non-
indicative of the direct prohibition of homosexuality and homosexual acts. But regardless
of the opposing sides of interpretation, the Scriptures include homosexual acts in a
category that umbrellas its inclusion as a sexual sin among any others.
John 8 Paradigm
The scene in this passage is more than just a picture of Jesus’ defense of
Himself against the accusations and persecutions of the Pharisees but it shows us
something more than just a battle of wits, it suggests a deeper, more meaningful
approach to people who fit the profile of a person with sexual sins. The tension in this
account involves Jesus being forced in a position to agree with the Pharisees and
teachers of the Law to condemn the woman presented in the temple courtyard. As
expected by these temple leaders, as a rabbi who claims to be the Messiah, He was
expected to uphold the Law of Moses and fulfill the punishment of stoning to death the
woman accused (John 8:5). But what makes this account interesting is Jesus’s method
of dealing with tension.
Jesus’ words in verse 7 were totally unexpected by the teachers of the Law, the
people around and the woman in the trial. He said, “Let anyone of you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.” The comments of Jesus caught the spectators off
guard as they left the scene one at a time. They have witnessed something that was not
commonly done by rabbis. Jesus' way of response did not only confront the hypocrisy of
the people and the teachers in the temple, but it was a demonstration of God’s
compassion for the sinner. If we look at Jesus' actions, we do not only see compassion
and grace but He does it with a command to repentance. Of course, we can assume that
the woman was indeed an adulterer and according to what these teachers say, the
woman deserves to die right away. But as we can see in this passage that Jesus was
able to show compassion and grace but also, He does not let the woman leave and
continue to live in sin. Jesus equally emphasizes the need for repentance and changed
life as he declares “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11). So when we look at
the sin of homosexual acts, we are to view it in conjunction with all the other sexual sins
and avoid putting a “premium” on it. It is a sexual sin that God detests, like any other
sins. We should treat people who struggle with it the same way we treat other people
who struggle with a different kind of sin. That is with love and compassion.
Note:
These principles are applied to new Christians who struggle and wanted to fight the
struggles in homosexuality.
For Non-believers the first step is to explain to them the good news and there must be
admission of sins and homosexuality and accepting Jesus Christ who died on the Christ to save
us from our sins. The Gospel is still the foundation for true transformation.
1. Identity must be formed in Christ.
Theological understanding of the Christian being in Christ is critical for those who struggle with
homosexuality. Romans 8:1. Gal. 3:26-29
Who they are in Christ must be the planet around which all their thoughts and actions orbit.
It is especially effective to teach the principles of Romans 6:1-14 while recalling the earlier
context of Romans 1: 24-27.
Change begins when you see the problem as God sees it. Prov. 28:18; James 4:8-10
Thus they say that although the practice of homosexuality is sinful, the condition is not.
I Samuel 16:7; Psalm 7:9; Jeremiah 17:10- No such distinction is made in the scripture.
Christians who have a history of homosexual struggle are in special category of sin in the
Scripture.
All Christian practice regular repentance but the homosexually tempted Christian has a
particular sin and has been unrelenting for some time.
Life dominating sins are sins that the Christians continue to commit because he feels powerless
to change, even though he knows that these are wrong (Psalm 19:13, 119:33, Rom. 6:12-13)Ex.
Drunkards, liars, homosexuality.
Most people who seek biblical help for overcoming homosexual desires are well aware of the
Bible’s condemnation of homosexual sins (Gen. 18:20-21; Lev. 18: 22, 20:13, Deut. 23:18),
Rom. 1:27; I Cor. 6:9)
A detailed theology instruction on divinely instituted paradigm for sexual intimacy (in
heterosexual marriage) and the gender distinctiveness of Adam and Eve. (Gen. 1:27-28)
Further instruction can be given on the creation mandate to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the
earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). This mandate was not given to two men or two women, but
to a man and a woman. Without artificial means, homosexual or lesbian couples cannot
procreate or fulfill God’s command. Such can only be naturally and righteously fulfilled through
monogamous heterosexual marriage.