Introduction
THE rapidly changing moral landscape of the twenty-first century has overturned centuries of norms concerning the family, marriage, and human sexuality, leaving many people, including Christians confused. This is a call for Bible believing Christians to go back to the Scriptures and see what the Bible has to say about Human Sexuality.
I will respond to the announcement made by the Caretaker Minister of Education, by expressing my opinion as a church leader, and give some help to our understanding on the topic of ‘sexuality’ from a historical, cultural, biblical and theological perspective.
The announcement made by the caretaker Minister of Education, Mrs. Lanelle Tanangada on the development of a ‘peace curriculum’ which amongst a number of factors, embraces ‘sexuality’ for a peaceful and harmonious Solomon Islands, is a wakeup call to parents, education providers, church leaders of both SICA and SIFGA member churches and the Christian community at large.
This peace curriculum is design with an intention to pave the way for an inclusion into our schools, a curriculum that allows our children to have the liberty to express their desired sexuality, that includes lesbianism, gayism, bisexuality and transgender in our schools. A peace curriculum of this nature is not the need for our schools.
This is not an important issue for the education department to pursue as priority to improve our education system. There are many other important matters to pursue and should be of priority to provide better education to our children such as improving the current system, School Infrastructures, Teachers Welfare, students’ welfare, increase school budgets, build more schools, Improve RTC’s etc.
The collaborated effort of the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) and the Ministry of Peace, Traditional Governance and Ecclesiastical Affairs (MPTGEA) to develop a ‘peace curriculum’ that embraces an inclusive approach to students’ sexual orientation will only bring more trouble and curse to our nation. It will not provide a safe environment for our children’s learning.
I urge these two responsible Ministries not to succumb to the pressure of the so-called human right advocators and donors from the west, who are pushing their ungodly ideologies on us, packaging it with the label of peace.
Any push to adopt this ‘peace curriculum’ in our schools does not serve the education needs of our children nor does it promote peace for Solomon Islands. This is purely an agenda of someone else who promotes and want to imposed the LGBT values, Principles, and practices on us, which are not compatible to our Christian and traditional norms.
My attention is drawn to the definition of sexuality stated in the second paragraph of the article by Ian Ladd, “Sexuality”, is the way people experience and express themselves sexually and covers lesbianism, gayism, bisexuality and transgender” (Solomon Star News, Issue: 29/01/24).
Many people don’t have a clear definition of sexuality and takes their cues from recent academic studies, marketing campaigns, or cultural norms. Christians, however, ought to follow the Bible.
Human sexuality and marriage are grounded in the authority of the Bible as the divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God. This position is consistent with the teachings of the Christian Church through the Centuries.
Human sexuality, including all its physical, emotional, and spiritual intricacies, was God’s invention. He gave sexuality to His human creations as a gift with two functions: to perpetuate the human race and to create an intimate bond between husband and wife. The right use of sexuality leads us to understand intimacy with God in greater ways; the wrong use of it destroys intimacy with God and substitutes sexuality in His place.
Since the beginning of creation, God has revealed His intention for human personhood, sexual identity, and sexual intimacy in marriage. God created humanity in His image as male and female, thus giving all humanity value, dignity, and eternal significance. The distinction God created between male and female is part of His glorious plan to bless humanity.
It is the foundation for all subsequent human life and is reflected in a person’s biological birth sex; embracing one’s birth sex honours this distinction as designed by God but misrepresenting one’s birth sex violates God’s generous intention for human relationships. The goodness and beauty of God’s creation is affirmed by Jesus Christ and is foundational for the New Testament view of human sexuality.
While the Bible does not provide a succinct definition of sexuality, it does provide a robust framework for one. From this framework, we can gather that sexuality is the basis of the desire for male and female to be united in one flesh union called marriage. Such a union is both physical and rational, exclusive and permanent.
God intended sexual desire to draw people to marriage, not merely to sex. Therefore, understanding what the Bible teaches about the nature and purposes of marriage is essential to a biblical understanding of sexuality.
The accounts of the first marriage provide us with four principles that frame and inform all subsequent biblical reflection on marriage (Genesis 1-2). First, marriage is permanent. A man and a woman leave their families of origin and united together in a life-long relationship. Second, Marriage is exclusive. Third, marriage is a sacred covenant, Fourth, sexual differentiation is part of God’s plan for marriage. God did not create androgynous beings; He created two complimentary, biologically, and genetically sexed individuals.
Although sexuality is supposed to lead men and women to unite in the permanent, exclusive, one-flesh union of marriage, this truth is often denied, suppressed, and disobeyed.
The apostle Paul explains that humanity has rejected God, exchanging the truth about Him and the things He created for a lie (Romans 1:18-32). While describing the sinful “exchanges” men and women have made, Paul uses the term para physin, which means “unnatural” or “against nature.” Homosexuality is unnatural because it is a departure from God’s design for sexuality. According to the passage, homosexuality is also a consequences of human suppressing God’s truth and refusing to honour Him (1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:10).
Although Jesus did not directly address homosexuality, the available evidence strongly suggests that He would not affirm same-sex relations. Jesus believed in the binding authority of the Old Testament and affirmed the creation pattern for marriage and humanity’s creation as “male and female” (Matthew 19:4-6).
Another departure from God’s design for sexuality is transgenderism. This ideology believes “sex” refers to the physical body (including the reproductive system), while “gender” refers to a person’s inner perception of themselves (i.e., their identification with either maleness or femaleness). This is inconsistent with a biblical understanding of sexuality.
In Christianity, we have reflected on the topics of marriage and human sexuality for well over 2000 years. Understanding our arguments can help today’s believers navigate through current issues in sexual ethics.
Early Christian writers affirmed marriage as the only appropriate context for sexual intimacy. Theologians such as Tertullian and Augustine reflected deeply on marriage and sexuality and their writings provide valuable insights.
After the Reformation, both Protestants and Roman Catholics remained committed to the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sexuality. Martin Luther once explained, “There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.”
Christians remained committed to the biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality well into the twentieth century. Only then, at the height of the sexual revolution, did many mainline Protestant denominations such as the Episcopal Church and Presbyterian Church (USA) change their view on homosexuality.
There is a striking correlation between rejecting the Bible as God’s authoritative Word and accepting homosexuality. Denominations that continue to believe in the Bible’s trustworthiness and reliability remain committed to the church’s historic teaching on sexuality.
Today, this biblical understanding of sexuality is ridiculed as being outdated. It is also viewed as dangerous by many in governments, higher education, and media in western societies. Biblical beliefs about marriage, gender and sexuality are called intolerant in an effort to drive these beliefs from the public arena.
Ironically, these efforts in the name of tolerance have resulted in increased intolerance on the part of the so-called human right activist, LGBT community, and those who advocate this humanistic view on sexuality toward Christians who want to live their lives peaceably and in accordance with their deeply held religious beliefs.
The unfortunate situation today, more Christians and Christian denominations are succumbed to the pressure and embrace these new norms of sexuality, which is simply immorality.
Marriage and sexuality are deeply personal topics, and Christians must speak the truth about them with conviction and love. The gospel is good news for all people, including those who struggle with their sexuality and those who experience unwanted same -sex attraction. The church should affirm God’s design for humanity while proclaiming God’s faithfulness to rescue us from our sin.
Conclusion
The gospel has the power to save. Both truth and love must frame a biblically faithful response to the moral revolution that has upended the culture’s understanding of sexuality. Upholding, teaching, and defending biblical truths in a loving manner isn’t easy, but is necessary for the witness of the church and the flourishing of our society.
My recommendation, is for the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD)and Ministry of Peace, Traditional Governance, and Ecclesiastical Affairs (MPTGEA) to conduct a much broader consultation across the nation, first with our people; second, SICA and SIFGA Leaders; third, Education Providers, and finally, other stakeholders to gain their opinion on this so-called ‘Peace curriculum’.
God Bless Solomon Islands
Rev. Bishop Eric D. Maefonea
South Sea Evangelical Church,
Solomon Islands
