Evangelical Leaders Draw a Line in the Sand on the Biblical View of Sexuality

A group of prominent evangelical pastors, writers, and leaders have written and signed a document affirming a Biblical position on sexuality and gender. Signees include such evangelical luminaries like John Piper, Russell Moore, Tony Perkins, Wayne Grudem, R.C. Sproul, and Rosaria Butterfield. The statement was originated by CBMW — Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

CBMW’s mission statement declares, “The mission of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is to set forth the teachings of the Bible about the complementary differences between men and women, created equally in the image of God, because these teachings are essential for obedience to Scripture and for the health of the family and the church.” As such, the Nashville Statement is in complete alignment with CBMW.

You can read (and sign) the statement by clicking here. The Nashville Statement’s preamble states:

Evangelical Christians at the dawn of the twenty-first century find themselves living in a period of historic transition. As Western culture has become increasingly post-Christian, it has embarked upon a massive revision of what it means to be a human being. By and large the spirit of our age no longer discerns or delights in the beauty of God’s design for human life. Many deny that God created human beings for his glory, and that his good purposes for us include our personal and physical design as male and female. It is common to think that human identity as male and female is not part of God’s beautiful plan, but is, rather, an expression of an individual’s autonomous preferences. … We are persuaded that faithfulness in our generation means declaring once again the true story of the world and of our place in it—particularly as male and female. Christian Scripture teaches that there is but one God who alone is Creator and Lord of all. To him alone, every person owes glad-hearted thanksgiving, heart-felt praise, and total allegiance. This is the path not only of glorifying God, but of knowing ourselves. To forget our Creator is to forget who we are, for he made us for himself. And we cannot know ourselves truly without truly knowing him who made us. We did not make ourselves. We are not our own. Our true identity, as male and female persons, is given by God. It is not only foolish, but hopeless, to try to make ourselves what God did not create us to be.

We believe that God’s design for his creation and his way of salvation serve to bring him the greatest glory and bring us the greatest good. God’s good plan provides us with the greatest freedom. Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it in overflowing measure. He is for us and not against us. Therefore, in the hope of serving Christ’s church and witnessing publicly to the good purposes of God for human sexuality revealed in Christian Scripture, we offer the following affirmations and denials.

The Nashville Statement then moves on to the fourteen articles. The first thirteen include a statement of affirmation and a statement of denial about specific points of sexuality and gender. The final article is a brief yet powerful statement about the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to save sinners.

Unless God intervenes, the coming years are going to see an increased pressure on Christians to deny the Bible and conform to the rebellious spirit of the sexual revolution. The Nashville Statement is a God-honoring line-in-the-sand for evangelicals who are committed to faithful obedience to God’s Word.