SBTS Prof. Says Same-Sex Attraction is Not Sinful, and Those Who Disagree Sound like Satan
David Prince is a long-time professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) the ‘Pastor of Preaching and Vision” at Ashland Ave. Baptist Church in Lexington, Kym and a frequent contributor to the ERLC. In an article on his website, Prince argues that same-sex attraction is not a sin and that if you disagree with him, you are acting like Satan.
Temptation is not the same as sin. Temptation can certainly lead to sin but maintaining the distinction between temptation and sin is vitally important. Getting this wrong destroys our Christology and creates a culture of unnecessary guilt in the life of a Christian. Misplaced guilt is one of the chief weapons of our serpentine accuser (Rev 12:10).
The discussion of how believers and churches should respond to brothers and sisters in Christ who struggle with same-sex attraction has led some evangelicals to argue that the attraction itself is sinful, even if the Christian remains chaste, and in obedience to Christ never yields to the temptation. Of course, same-sex attraction is simply one among many ways all believers are tempted to sin. How we answer the question of the relationship between temptation and sin has huge implications for every Christian…
In the comment section, when pressed, he adds:
…I am arguing that same-sex desires and same-sex orientation are in that category of groaning — waiting for the redemption of our bodies. Which means they are in the same broad category with all kinds of disordered bodies and minds and emotions. If we tried to make a list of the kinds of emotional and mental and physical brokenness of the human family, the list would be unending. And all of us are broken and disordered in different ways. All of you are bent to desire things in different degrees that you should not want. We are all disordered in our emotions, or minds, our bodies.”
This act of theological malfeasance was discovered by Pastor Jared Moore, who offers commentary on it in a video, demonstrating how Prince gets it completely wrong. Later, Moore points out:
The Dissenter offers this commentary as well, pointing out that one thing is not like the other:
“Men desiring to have sexual intercourse with other men and women with women is not described anywhere in Scripture as an “emotion,” but rather “πάθη ἀτιμ,” which is translated as “dishonorable passions” in the ESV, “degrading passions” in the NASB, and “vile affections” in the KJV. Further, these degrading passions are described as a state of being demonstrative of a mind, body, and spirit that has been “given over” by God to the “lusts of the flesh.” Sexual attraction is not described as an emotion, but rather thoughts and desires that can either be natural or unnatural.
And since homosexual attraction is described in Romans 1 as a mind being “given over” to the “lusts of the flesh,” In the same chapter of Romans (chapter 8) that Prince cites to try to remove the stigma of homosexuality and redefine sexual sin as “brokenness,” he fails to acknowledge that just prior that in verse 7, that “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God,” because it does not, and cannot, submit to God’s law.”
About Author
He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
Nothing shocks me anymore. In our rotting society, the last bastion was the church and now Satan has a foothold in many – welcome to the last days.
It is written: If a man looks upon a woman to lust after her he has committed adultery in his heart.
Logically if a man looks upon a man to lust after him he has committed homosexuality in his heart’
Sin.
See my reply below… Temptation is not sin. What you do with it back become sin.
Umm, EXCUSE ME?
I am to believe Christian adults do not understand that temptations are not the same as sins? We are all tempted. Overcoming temptation is what it’s all about, and when we do Jesus is more please with us. I am to believe someone doesn’t know this? It’s how we prove we love Him.
You are not “inclined” to sin when you see a beautiful woman? Really! Or when you are with your girlfriend. Really!? But then when you marry her all of a sudden bingo! You desire her for the first time.
And when you are a teenage boy, you are not Tempted to self abuse? Really?! Never occurred to you! Wow. I don’t know what that is, but it is not Christian or even human.
Did no one ever hear of Paul’s “thorn of the flesh?”
I warn anyone who will listen: no one will ever hurt you like you will hurt yourself by lying to yourself.
Temptation is not sin. If it was then Jesus would not have died sinless.
Hebrews 4:15 –
Christ was tempted in every way we are tempted, but He did not sin.
Luke 22:28
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
It’s what we do with it after being tempted that it becomes sin. And to imply that a desire alone even if not acted upon should be called sin is also wrong. The desire could be sinful yet like Jesus we have the Spirit of self control and not give place to sin.
Romans 6:12-18
New International Version
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.