The New Sexual Revolution

Ideas that were once widely rejected or rarely discussed in public are now promoted through entertainment, education, social media and law. These changes can create serious challenges for Christians seeking to hold fast to God’s Word while also responding to people with compassion, patience and hope.

To help address these sensitive issues from both a biblical and counseling perspective, United News conducted an interview with Dr. Roy Fouch on issues related to sexual morality, pornography, homosexuality, same-sex attraction, transgender issues and the Church’s role in helping people seek God’s help and healing.

Dr. Fouch holds a PhD in Psychology and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). He and his wife, Barb, serve as a deacon and deaconess in the Cincinnati congregation of the United Church of God. Dr. Fouch brings both professional counseling experience and a longstanding commitment to helping individuals and families address difficult personal and relational struggles.

In the following interview, he discusses what he describes as the “new sexual revolution,” how Christians should understand sexual sin and identity issues, and how the Church can help those seeking God’s help, healing and direction.

What do you mean by the new sexual revolution?

The phrase “sexual revolution” often refers to the major social and cultural changes that became especially prominent in Western societies in the 1960s and 1970s. In more recent years, that revolution has continued and expanded, reshaping cultural attitudes toward sexual behavior, marriage, gender roles, identity and the purpose of sex.

It drastically altered traditional moral codes and attitudes on these issues, resulting in an increased acceptance of premarital sex, cohabitation, and sex pursued apart from marriage and God’s intended purpose.

This shift has led to broad cultural acceptance of modern LGBTQ+ ideology, including the gay rights movement, same sex relationships and divergent sexual identities and practices that Scripture does not approve. Today’s culture would describe this as sexual liberation. God’s Word shows that rejecting His design for sex does not bring true freedom, but spiritual bondage.

The Bible categorizes sexual behavior outside of God’s design as sexual immorality. The world’s view of sex is contrary to what God defines as appropriate—and to violate what God has defined as appropriate sexual behavior is sin.  Scripture addresses the danger of promised freedom that actually leads to spiritual slavery: “They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for ‘people are slaves to whatever has mastered them’” (2 Peter 2:19, New International Version).

Is viewing pornography a sexual sin?

The simple answer is yes, and this is why: Jesus instructed us that you don’t have to commit the physical act for something to be a sin. This is found in Matthew 5:28 where Christ said, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Another instructive scripture, spoken by Jesus, is found in Matthew 6:22-23: “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

The eye is the lens through which we see the world. What we let in through that lens will affect our thoughts, desires and behavior. If we let light in through our eyes by reading the Bible, for example, we will make better choices in terms of our thoughts and actions. However, if we let darkness into our minds and hearts, we will become corrupted and more vulnerable to sinful thoughts, desires and choices.

In one of the oldest books of the Bible, Job acknowledged that our eyes can lead us into sexual sin. He said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman” (Job 31:1, NIV).

Pornography is not harmless entertainment. It trains the mind to lust, objectify others and misuse the powerful gift of sexuality God created for marriage. A Christian must resist it, repent of it, and seek God’s help to overcome it.

What does the Bible say about homosexual conduct?

Homosexual behavior is not a new issue. The Bible is filled with scriptures both in the Old Testament and the New Testament where God defines homosexual conduct as sin.  Leviticus 18:22 is one such scripture where God says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.”

Does the New Testament address both male and female homosexual behavior?

In Romans 1:26-27, where Paul is discussing a debased mind, he is inspired by God to say this: “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”

Is same sex attraction the same as homosexuality?

Homosexual conduct and same-sex attraction are not the same thing. Same-sex attraction means a person experiences attraction, temptation or unwanted thoughts toward someone of the same sex. Homosexual conduct involves acting on those desires sexually.

A person may experience same-sex attraction without choosing to act on it. That does not make the person less valuable to God, nor does it mean the person has chosen a sinful lifestyle. Like all temptations, those feelings must be brought under God’s authority.

At the same time, the attraction is real and should not be ignored or treated lightly. A person who struggles in this area should seek God’s help, resist sin, and pursue wise spiritual counsel and support.

What causes people to experience these feelings?

There is no single explanation that applies to everyone. Human sexuality, emotions, personal history and spiritual struggles can be complex. In my experience as a counselor, I have seen many different life experiences contribute to sexual confusion, temptation or unhealthy sexual patterns, including exposure to pornography, sexual abuse, family dysfunction, emotional wounds and boundary violations.

Repeated exposure to certain sexual images or behaviors can also shape desires over time. Yet in many cases, a person may not be able to identify one clear cause. That is why we should be careful not to assume we know someone’s full story.

Whatever the background, God calls each of us to seek His help and bring our thoughts, desires and conduct into harmony with His Word.

How should I, as a Christian, respond to someone who is gay, homosexual or has same sex attraction?       

The principle of love must guide how we treat all people. Jesus taught us to love even our enemies—but people struggling with sexual sins or confusion are not our enemies. They are human beings made in the image of God, and they should be treated with compassion, kindness, patience and respect.

That does not mean approving sin or redefining God’s Word. Love does not require us to call sin righteous. But neither does truth give us permission to be harsh, dismissive or cruel.

A Christian response should combine both truth and mercy. We can lovingly point people to the Scriptures and explain that God designed sexual intimacy for marriage between one man and one woman. We can also acknowledge that sexual struggles are often deeply personal and painful.

Many today claim that love requires accepting any sexual relationship or identity a person chooses. But the love of God begins with submitting to God’s instruction. We do not rewrite God’s Word under the guise of love. True love helps people move toward God, repentance, healing and obedience.

What are your thoughts about the transgender issues that are prevalent in the world today?

God created human beings male and female. Jesus reaffirmed that design when He said, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female?’” (Matthew 19:4).

God is not confused about how He made us. He designed human beings as male and female, and He calls us to honor the sex He has given us.

At the same time, we should recognize that some people experience deep distress, confusion or pain over their identity. Events that alter the course of a person’s life can sometimes affect that person’s perception of self-identity. Childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, emotional wounds or difficulties in emotional development can contribute to confusion about sexuality and identity. In addition, much of today’s educational and media environment encourages people—especially young people—to view sexuality and gender in ways that are contrary to God’s design.

Another contributing factor raised by some research involves environmental chemicals that may interfere with the body’s natural hormone systems. These are often called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. They may be found in certain plastics, food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances and other common products. Some of these substances can mimic, block or interfere with hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. For example, bisphenols such as BPA can mimic estrogen in the body, and these have been used in some food packaging, water bottles and cash register receipts. Phthalates, found in some plastics, cosmetics and fragrances, have also been studied for their potential effects on hormone function. More information about these chemicals is available from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Endocrine Society.

We may not always be able to identify the specific causes in an individual case, since a person’s struggle with sexual identity or gender dysphoria may involve more than one factor—emotional, psychological, physical, environmental or spiritual.

But these complexities do not change the biblical foundation. Scripture makes it clear that God created human beings male and female, and He expects us to honor His design. Therefore, Christians should not reject God’s created design or adopt an identity, role or lifestyle contrary to the sex God gave them.

Attempting to change one’s God-given sex through surgery, hormones or other medical procedures in order to live as the opposite sex is not consistent with God’s will.

His Word warns against deliberately blurring the distinction between male and female: “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 22:5). This reinforces the broader biblical principle that God calls us to honor the sex He has given us, not reject or redefine it.

This is certainly one of the major cultural issues of our time, but it is more than cultural—it has deep spiritual implications. Satan has always sought to distort what God has created, including marriage, family, sexuality and human identity. For that reason, rejecting one’s God-given sex and attempting to live as the opposite sex is contrary to God’s will.

At the same time, there must be a compassionate path forward for those who have become caught up in this confusion or who are struggling deeply with these issues. God does not leave people without hope.

If someone has already made serious or even irreversible choices, that person should not be condemned or shunned. The Church should seek to help him or her understand God’s will and take faithful steps toward living a life pleasing to Him.

The answer is the same as it has always been: seek God’s help, acknowledge the truth of His Word, repent where repentance is needed, ask for His forgiveness, and begin taking steps to bring one’s life into harmony with His will.

The Bible is clear about sexual sin and about conduct that is contrary to God’s will and purpose for men and women. But it is also clear that God is merciful, patient and willing to help those who sincerely turn to Him.

What is the Church’s role in helping people overcome sexual sins?

If someone is struggling with one of the sexual sins or identity issues we’ve been discussing, he or she should be encouraged to seek help from their pastor. That conversation should be approached with humility, honesty and a sincere desire to receive biblical guidance and support. From there, a pastor can help develop an appropriate plan for spiritual counsel, accountability and practical steps forward.

There are articles and videos on the Church’s website that address many of these issues. The Church also has a support group for men who struggle with pornography addiction. Counseling is available for women who may struggle with pornography themselves or who have a mate who struggles with it.

Light of Hope is also a helpful resource for finding additional support in your local community. You can call our toll-free helpline in the U.S. and Canada at (888) 241-6211. If you are outside the U.S. or Canada, or prefer to contact us by email, you can email us at hope@ucg.org.

When we encounter individuals who are struggling with, or even engaged in, some of the behaviors described in this article, we should always respond with love and compassion.

They are often in a lot of emotional pain and inner conflict. We should gently direct them to the Bible for God’s instruction, while treating them with the patience, mercy and dignity Christ showed to those caught in sin and in need of repentance.

If you struggle with any of these issues, seek help. Go to God the Father and Jesus Christ, remembering that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).