David Prince, Longtime professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, SBC Pastor, and Trustee for the ERLC, in an article on his website, "Temptation, Jesus, Sin, and Same-sex Attraction," argues that same-sex attraction is not sin unless you act on it. But is his heresy biblically correct? No. *This is heresy for at least two reasons: 1) It's blatantly unbiblical. 2) Both Roman Catholics (to the 1700s) and Protestants (to the 1900s) for most of church history argued that original sin and all that comes from it is morally culpable sin. Same-sex attraction is produced by original sin. How can something produced by sin be anything but sin?

Furthermore,

1) Christ’s temptation cannot be used to justify same-sex attraction. Jesus was tempted and did not sin (Luke 4:1-13); however, Jesus’ temptation remains distinct from the temptations of sinners after the fall of Adam in at least 2 ways: First, Jesus was only tempted from without not from within. In order for Jesus to be tempted from within, He would have to choose to desire the Devil’s gifts, because He had no original sin from Adam. Second, Jesus was tempted by an objective desire for a good thing that the Devil then claimed was his to give. He desired the objects the Devil offered because they belonged to God and they were intrinsically good, but He did not desire them from the Devil. He was tempted to receive what His Father had already told Him would be His during His ministry and/or after the cross. Yet, He did not desire to submit to the Devil’s will, only His Father’s will. Same-sex attraction is an inward desire for something evil. Jesus has never had an evil desire. Being perfect, He would have to will evil desire for it to be in His heart. *Also, it’s crazy how pastors want to use Jesus being tempted by food, angels protecting Him, and being King of creation, all things His Father was going to give Him during His ministry or after to the cross. They want to use Jesus’ desire for these good things to justify a desire to have gay sex!!! Are you kidding me?!

2) Hebrews 4:15 does not mean that Jesus was tempted with every sin of man under the sun. Rather, the author of Hebrews is saying that Jesus is our Truly Human High Priest, & that as Truly Human, He was really tempted, yet without sin. Thus, Jesus is a better High Priest than the Old Testament High Priests who were sinners. Otherwise, Prince has to argue Jesus was tempted with atheism, abuse, adultery, bestiality, murder, etc., if He was tempted with every sin under the sun.

3) Prince presents a Modern Roman Catholic view of sin here. Jesus said we must love God with all our heats, souls, & minds, & love our neighbors as ourselves. Same-sex attraction neither loves God nor our neighbors. Modern Roman Catholics teach that evil desire from original sin only becomes culpable sin if you act on it. But the apostle Paul says his flesh is sin in Romans 7. And the 10th Commandment says, “You shall not desire.” Prince does not have a biblical view of sin. He grounds sin in man’s will like Modern Roman Catholics rather than in its lack of obedience to God. Sin is not sin because man chooses it. Sin is sin because it’s contrary to God. Anything in us that is against God is sin. Praise God for Christ who takes away all our sin & gives us His righteousness!

Prince's article: https://www.davidprince.com/2014/12/20/is-same-sex-attraction-sinful/

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INTRO: [Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-3] In the first 3 verses of this chapter, we learn that love is essential when we’re discussing “matters of conscience.” Remember also that “matters of conscience” are those areas in life that the Scriptures do not speak about. If the Scripture says or implies that we should something or shouldn’t do something, or that we should believe something or shouldn’t believe something, the Scriptures are always right. We must always submit to God’s word. He has revealed Himself clearly. Paul said it this way in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Where the Scriptures speak, God speaks. They are God-breathed. Thus, they’re non-negotiable. By Scripture alone friends. But, concerning the areas in life where Scripture is silent, we must submit to our consciences, for they are informed with Scripture by God the Holy Spirit. Love must govern our consciences—love for God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and love for our neighbors (Matt. 22:37-39). This, however, does not mean we are not free in Christ. Christ has freed us from the commandments of men.

In matters of conscience, love and freedom are essential because. . .

v.4-5 – 1. Idols are nothing; there is only one God.

v.6 – 2. There is One Father, one Lord Jesus Christ, who are the source of all things.

v.7-8 – 3. Food does not make us better or worse toward God.

v.9 – 4. Our Freedom should not be a stumbling block to others.

v.10-12 – 5. If we know the consciences of other Christians will be offended, we sin if we encourage them to violate their own consciences and follow us in our freedom.

v.13 – 6. We should limit our freedom if we love our brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Our consciences are the inner courts in our hearts that hold us accountable to the right and wrong we believe. But our consciences are only good at judging us if they are well-informed by Scripture, and we’re repenting and believing in Christ. Sin has warped all creation, including our consciences. We need Jesus! For, apart from turning to Christ to cleanse our evil consciences, they will not be biblically informed by the Holy Spirit, to where our consciences can accurately and faithfully judge us, keep us from harm, and spur us to loving obedience and faithfulness to God.

Concerning the context of Romans 14, Romans chapters 1-11 provide a comprehensive descriptions of salvation. And Romans 12-16 tell us how to live as a result of being saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. How shall we live? Well, Romans 14 tells us we should limit our freedom around our weaker brothers and sisters in Christ…

Why are weak Christians’ consciences more important than our complete freedom?

Weak Christians’ consciences are more important than our complete freedom because. . .

v. 1-12 - 1. Christ is the Lord of their consciences, not us.

v.13-21 - 2. We must encourage our brothers, not cause them to disobey their consciences.

v.22-23 – 3. Whatever does not come from faith is sin.

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Our consciences are the inner courts in our hearts that hold us accountable to the right and wrong we believe. But our consciences are only good at judging us if they are well-informed by Scripture, and we’re repenting and believing in Christ. Sin has warped all creation, including our consciences. We need Jesus! As Hebrews 10:22 says, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” For, apart from turning to Christ to cleanse our evil consciences, they will not be biblically informed by the Holy Spirit, to where our consciences can accurately and faithfully judge us, keep us from harm, and spur us to loving obedience and faithfulness to God.

Christ is the only One who can purify our evil consciences!

Why is Christ the only One who can purify our evil consciences?

Christ is the only one who can purify our evil consciences because. . .

v.11-12 – 1. He is the only One who can secure our eternal redemption.

v.13-14 – 2. He is the only One who can purify us from dead works to serve the living God.

v.15 – 3. He is the only Mediator of the New Covenant.

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How do we know that our consciences are the highest court of mankind?

According to Acts 24:1-21, we know our consciences are the highest court of mankind because. . .

v.1-9 – 1. Men accuse based on a person’s outward actions.

v.10-21 – 2. Our consciences convict us based on our hearts and their internal motions.

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"Understanding Our Consciences" 6-part Series

INTRO: The book of Judges shows us that God is faithful, keeping His covenant promises to Israel, even when Israel is unfaithful to Him. He is gracious to them. Even though Israel did what was evil in His sight, worshipping Baal and the Ashtaroth, once they were captured or harmed by their enemies, they would eventually cry out in repentance. God would then raise up a judge to deliver them from their enemies. However, even these judges were not mature in their faith, in their relationship with YHWH. They would often deliver Israel but then participate in heinous sin as well.

The book of Judges screams out praise to YHWH for His steadfast love and faithfulness, and it also cries out for a King, a King of kings, who will deliver Israel from her enemies once and for all, and who will also rule them in obedience to YHWH.  We know God has provided us this King. His name is Jesus Christ. Therefore, Judges serves as a warning to us, concerning what happens to those who do not know God’s word, who do not hide it in their hearts. They go after false gods and commit heinous sins.

I. Point 1: A conscience is a moral guide given to all humanity from conception. It is not morally neutral, but is informed by “common grace,” “general revelation,” or “natural law,” and is distorted by sin. Whatever information a conscience has, it judges its owner by, for good or for ill.  Consciences can be evil or good, based on what information they are fed with faith. If they are fed with God’s word by the Holy Spirit, believing God’s word, they will judge you according to God’s word. If they are fed with unbiblical lies, believing these lies, they will judge you according to these lies.

ILLUS: Canada has legalized assisted-suicide for certain individuals. They’re getting more and more lenient on who qualifies for this. **They’re trying to inform people’s consciences so that they will not feel bad for wanting to take their own lives. This is pure evil. Only God has a right to give life and to take it away.  **This reminds me of a documentary I watched called, “The Bridge.” It’s a documentary about the Golden Gate Bridge and how many people choose to jump from it to take their own lives…2-3 per month. So many, in fact, that San Francisco is building a net in under the bridge that will be completed in 2023, they estimate.  But in this documentary, there is a couple, a husband and wife. And their son suffered for various reasons. But his father told him to go ahead and take his own life so that he would not suffer anymore. And they interview this couple. And they’re so heart-broken because they miss their son desperately. As I watched that, I thought of the devastating effects of the Devil’s lies! Oh, how people need the word of God! Oh, how they need the hope of the gospel! Jesus saves eternally! Run, run to Him and be saved forever!! He is more valuable than our pain and suffering; and He will never leave us! (Pastor Jeff Wright and I spend about an hour and a half discussing suicide on our podcast, Pop Culture Coram Deo, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christian-understanding-suicide-dr-samuel-stephens/id1332025685?i=1000510159920)

Consciences can be evil or good…

Hebrews 9:14 - how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

According to Judges 11:29-40, we know our consciences are a guide because. . .

v.29-36 – 1. A conscience that disagrees with the Holy Spirit guides us to evil.

v.37-40 – 2. Evil consciences guide us to have evil desires, do evil actions, and suffer the consequences.

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Wesley Hill calls himself a "Gay Christian" because he believes he can separate his same-sex attraction from his same-sex sexual attraction. But is this a Biblical view of sin, repentance, and holiness?

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Sources:

*Wesley Hill, “Is Being Gay Sanctifiable: Scripture and the Great Tradition On Same-Sex Love and Christian Friendship," http://www.wordmp3.com/details.aspx?id=17313.

*Wesley Hill, Spiritual Friendship, 76.

*https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2022/05/12/qa-episcopal-priest-wesley-hill-shares-what-its-like-as-a-celibate-gay-christian-in-a-fully-lgbtq-affirming-church/.