A Brief response to Sam Allberry, Gregory Coles, and Revoice from Dr Jared Moore
Discovering True Victory Beyond Rhetoric: Embracing Christ's Redemption
You can't find victory from sin in the mirror. Rhetoric cannot take your sin away. Only Christ can. And if you depend on your rhetoric to justify you rather than Christ, you'll be miserable, because saying, "I'm not sinning," has never taken anyone's sins away.
Sam Allberry says same-sex attraction is not sin. Rather, it's "the capacity to be attracted to people of the same-sex." But, the apostle Paul calls this "capacity" the "flesh," which he calls "sin" (Rom 7:8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20, 23-25). Anything in Christians that is contrary to God is either the flesh or it was produced by it, which is all sin.
Gregory Coles says the same thing and also argues that his same-sex attraction is a "pre-lust desire." But God calls "pre-lust desire" "iniquity" which He must forgive (Ex 34:6-9). In other words, there is no "pre-lust desire." Rather, the seed of lust is the beginning of lust, that's why it produces sin and never anything else; and that's why, for us to be saved, God must forgive it (Matt 22:37-39; James 1:13-15). If we follow Coles' logic, how can the flesh be "sin" as the apostle Paul says, and yet, produce something neutral, which then becomes sin again if we submit to it? Neither the Bible nor the logic follows.
Revoice argues that they can separate their same-sex sexual attraction, which is sin, from their same-sex attraction or homosexual orientation, which is not sin, if turned to holiness. They believe the Holy Spirit gives Christians enough power to turn their sin to holiness but not enough power to turn from their sin. But the apostle Paul says nothing good dwells in our flesh (Rom 7:18).
Romans 7:18 (NIV)
¹⁸For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Same-sex attraction cannot be produced by the flesh and also be turned to holiness, because sin can never be made holy. The flesh can only produce sin because it is sin, and can only produce in its own likeness. That's why Christians are commanded to walk in the Spirit not the flesh (Gal 5:16-25). No where are Christians commanded to turn the flesh to holiness. We're only commanded to repent, to turn from the flesh, to Christ, to walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-25 (NIV)
¹⁶So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
¹⁹The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
For further insights and discussions on this topic, consider following Dr. Jared Moore's church on YouTube and connecting with him on X. This excerpt was derived from a recent sermon where Dr. Moore delved into the complex theme of sin and sexuality.