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May God be pleased to bless all who sign and live by this Creed for sexual integrity, that they might glorify God with their minds and their bodies.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he was writing to newly converted disciples. They were living in an important trading city of the Roman Empire, where the religion of both Greek and Roman gods went hand in hand with sexual immorality, temple prostitution and homosexual activity. Paul’s gospel, however, was steeped in the morality of the Hebrew Scriptures, where holiness was the distinguishing mark of God’s people (Leviticus 11:45; cf 1 Peter 1:15-16). Yet it was necessary for the apostle to remind those who had become followers of Christ, that they must no longer be conformed to the pattern of life which they had once lived. The transforming power of the Spirit of God would set them free from the fleshly indulgences of contemporary Corinth, but they needed an apostolic exhortation to remind them of this truth.

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 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God…

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:9- 11, 18-20)

When Paul later wrote to the Christians in Rome, he was conscious not only of the plight of the Gentiles, whose lives were entailed in sexual immorality, but also of ungodly Jews who had forsaken the law in which they boasted. Paul’s indictment of the wickedness of sexual immortally was a consequence for all people who turn their back on God to follow after idols of their own making:

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 about God for a lie, and worshiped 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 sexual 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 shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:24-27)

However, after nearly 2,000 years of Christian history, many parts of the world have returned to the licentiousness of the first century, where sexual immorality is not only embraced but celebrated. Yet such behaviour continues to be in flagrant opposition to God’s good design of sex, which is to be exclusively enjoyed by a husband and wife in the covenant of marriage.

Listen to AP’s interview with Bishop Davies on Spotify or watch the interview on YouTube below:

Australia and the Sexual Revolution

Sadly, Australia has not been immune to this sexual revolution, which has undermined both marriage and society in so many ways. Despite the Australian Federal Parliament’s strengthening the marriage laws in 2004 to be exclusively a male-female union, within a short span of thirteen years, the Government sponsored a postal vote of eligible citizens on the question of legalising same-sex marriage. Although voting in elections is compulsory in Australia, the Government chose to conduct a voluntary postal vote in which less than 80% of the eligible electors took part. Although the postal vote recorded around 61% of votes in favour, this represented less than half (49%) of the adult population. In other words, 51% of the eligible voters did not support the proposal to legalise same-sex marriage. Nonetheless, the Federal Parliament proceeded to pass legislation to allow the solemnisation of same-sex marriage. Homosexuality and Lesbianism, previously outlawed for centuries, were now normalised within society with the State’s approval and celebration of same-sex marriage.

Over the past two decades, Australia has also witnessed a rise in gender dysphoria, an increased use of puberty blockers for children, and an upsurge in genital surgery to change one’s sex. The ground for pronouncing a person’s gender on the basis of their biological sex has dramatically shifted. Now a person is neither male nor female on the basis of their biology, but merely on the basis of their feelings. According to the libertarian politics of Australian society, people can now choose to be male, female or neither, regardless of their chromosomal reality. Moreover, with the assistance of some State legislatures, a person can now apply for a new birth certificate, which will indicate their preferred sex (not merely their preferred ‘gender’). The options for identifying sex on birth certificates are no longer binary, but encompass male, female and non-specific, thus allowing one to be neither male nor female.

The speed with which these changes have affected Australian society can be seen in the number of public and private institutions which have abandoned the long-held and God-designed distinctions of male and female, by introducing ‘other’ as an alternative category when identifying a person’s sex or gender.

Sadly many church leaders applauded the legalisation of same-sex marriage, in violation of their commitment to uphold the teachings of Christ at their ordination. The Uniting Church of Australia embraced this progressive theology some years ago, by ordaining people in same-sex marriages and allowing clergy who have transitioned from one sex to another, to continue their ministry under their new identity. Similar practices have arisen in some jurisdictions of the Anglican Church of Australia, but most alarmingly, the removal of chastity as a requirement for clergy and church workers has become commonplace in many Anglican dioceses. Despite the General Synod’s endorsement of chastity as a requirement for godly living, in some diocese, there is now no obstacle to those who are sexually active outside of marriage, including adultery, or those living in a same-sex relationship.

Such departures from the Judaeo-Christian ethic would have grieved the heart of the apostle Paul, as it no doubt grieves God’s heart (Genesis 6:6). Yet, God’s words remain constant and his desire for sex to be celebrated solely within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman continues to be his good design for all humanity, and especially those who are disciples of Christ.

The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity

It is therefore timely that an Australian Creed for sexual integrity be written. Many Christians are confused by society’s changing standards which have infiltrated the church. Pastors are reluctant to speak about these matters, young people are so easily influenced by social media, and even older Christians find their views being modified with the increasing pressure of the prevailing culture.

In 2017, prominent Christian leaders in the United States produced the Nashville Statement, which addressed the cultural shifts of sexual morality in American society with a clear and comprehensive defence of biblical ethics. Although a very fine document, it is a lengthy statement and given the Australian context, a number of leaders, representing many mainline denominations, considered a brief, one page statement, not unlike a creed of the Ancient Church, was needed to address the malaise in our society.

The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity has therefore been composed for such a time as this. It is unapologetic in its promotion of biblical truth and its rejection of society’s embrace of sexual freedom, as it seeks to inform Christians, and the wider public, of God’s good design for sex. It is published on the website alongside a fuller explanation of the seven short paragraphs which comprise the Creed, as well as a set of Bible studies for those who wish to reflect further upon the Bible’s teaching. While its authors are Australian, it is offered to all people of good will as a clear, concise and thoroughly biblical Creed, outlining God’s design and delight in the sanctity of sex within marriage.

May God be pleased to bless all who sign and live by this Creed for sexual integrity, that they might glorify God with their minds and their bodies (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 6:20).

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Republished with thanks to AP.