Not only is it a behemoth topic, but it also spills over into hundreds of other fields and disciplines. In some parts of the world it’s all that’s talked about; while in the rest, it begs not be mentioned in public. For some, that public includes the church. One place that does speak about its importance, however, is in Holy Writ. Sensing the challenges of discussing this grand topic of sexuality and its implications in society, the home, and the church, the editors have pulled together experts, leaders, pastors, and scholars to present articles and resources to help our last-day movement people.
The range of the implications of biblical sexuality is vast. So over the course of the past year, different topics have been spotlighted, in partial relation to sexuality. As you will see, both publications of Adventist Review and Adventist World have sought to bring more light than heat, to provide clarity and hope.
May 2024 was dedicated to the understanding of sin and its solution. Sexual sins are by no means the greatest and most egregious of sins. They are all part of the same problematic category, which Christ came to solve by giving up His life. In this series of articles, not only is sin defined, but the solution of righteousness by faith is clearly explained.
November 2023’s issues of Adventist World and Adventist Review addressed the topic of where the Christian’s true identity is found. Many people base their identity on gender, race, sexuality, and a variety of other categories. In the politicized world we are in, these values often eclipse the new identity that Christ has intended, created, redeemed, and offers to us. As Christians, our identity is rooted in Christ and His Word.
March 2024 sought to provide clarity and balance to the pragmatic issues of church discipline. Seeing that unrepented sexual sins cannot coincide with church membership as well as leadership, our two publications delved into the real purpose behind church discipline and revealed the grace-oriented manner in which church discipline should be understood. Our churches must make a case for and utilize church discipline carefully, gracefully, and redemptively for Jesus’ sake.
This brings us to the current issue in Adventist World and her sister publication Adventist Review. Though there are a myriad of sexual sins, our intention is not to highlight the evils of one type. But when we compare Scripture with the predominant popular culture, it is plain we need clarity on the biblical understanding of sexuality, especially in the arena of same-sex attraction. Moreover, the editors seek to offer support and grace-filled counsel to the Adventist community that is wrestling with relatives and family members engaged in alternative sexual lifestyles. We pray that our hope of His return also extends to hope on this earth as well.
Before you dive into the articles on sexuality in this current issue, we invite you to revisit or discover for the first time the articles in our previous issues that build up to this topic. We trust that the articles here can stand alone. But it will certainly be a richer experience when you think of all the issues highlighted as a complete package.
This will not be the only time we address sexuality. There is much left to be said, particularly on the affirmative aspect of God’s purpose in gifting humanity with sexuality for enjoyment, procreation, pleasure, and satisfaction. In a world in which the devil is unafraid to promote a false narrative about human sexuality, we must strive to point to the beauty of biblical truth.
Issues addressing our identity in Christ:
Adventist Review – November 2023
Adventist World – November 2023
Issues addressing church discipline:
Issues addressing victory over sin:
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has voted several statements that relate to the topic of human sexuality. Of particular relevance to this issue of Adventist World magazine is the one found here.
