Resolved,
that the Presbytery of ______________ overtures the 217th General
Assembly (2006) to declare the following: Recognizing the clear biblical
teaching on sexuality and our denomination's own long history of upholding
a standard of fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman and chastity
in singleness, we urge our pastors, elders and all those who serve
in ministries of discipleship to offer pastoral counsel and support
toward repentance, forgiveness, and new life in Christ to all those
struggling and sometimes failing to live a life in accordance with
biblical standards, and further,
We direct
that the materials produced by our national offices reflect both the
standard of fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman and chastity
in singleness, and God’s readiness to forgive and restore every
person through Christ.
Rationale
Reformed
people hold very basic beliefs both about God’s standards of
holiness and about God’s tender mercies and readiness to forgive.
John Calvin wrote that as we cross the threshold of the Christian
Church our first experience is with God’s forgiveness. We are,
each one, broken, and in need of a Savior.
As our
Confession of 1967 says, our time in history is characterized by sexual
confusion and anarchy. Our culture is replete with messages and pressures
to abandon biblical sexual standards. Even in the church, the voices
are often mixed in the conflict between those who are committed to
upholding and those who are committed to changing the church’s
historical understanding of God’s will for blessing in sexual
expression. As a consequence, many Christians fall into sexual temptations
and practices that do not honor God.
As much
as we acknowledge the harm of living outside God’s will, we
also rejoice that the life-changing power of God and the desire of
God to redeem us, forgive us, and restore us is at the heart of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. As his disciples, we are called to love each
other and care for each other, and especially to care for those among
us who fall into sin. Scripture teaches us to lead our erring brothers
and sisters gently to repentance and a knowledge of the truth. (2
Tim. 2:25)
