Is Temptation Sin?

January 27, 2024

          Recently, I watched a YouTube interview with Dr. Rosaria Butterfield about her experience with repentance and her salvation from lesbianism. Pastor Kevin DeYoung served as the moderator. Rosaria’s testimony beautifully illustrates the grace and love of God. Never believe anyone who tells you that a gay person can’t change and stop being gay. Contrary to the media and the political elite, many thousands of people have left homosexuality and found new life.

For years, Rosaria was a leader in the lesbian movement at the university level. She is also an author. Before Christ, she taught on women’s issues, queer theory, and other such subjects. She greatly helped proliferate the evil that we now live in. She got right with God years ago, and now she is a pastor’s wife, mother, and grandmother. I have heard her testimony before. It’s wonderful and should give hope to homosexuals and lesbians all over the world. There is no sin that Jesus Christ can’t save you from; no bondage is greater than His grace and love. Her testimony should inform ignorant Christians who have believed the lie that people are born gay. In this video, she addresses the subject of temptation and repentance. I want to focus on her ideas regarding the topic of temptation.

          A Reformed Presbyterian pastor led her to faith in Jesus Christ after befriending her first. She admits that coming out of lesbianism was very difficult for her. Her theology is Reformed or Calvinistic as far as I can tell from her comments. She believes in Original Sin, the sin nature, indwelling sin, and the imputation of righteousness and imputation of obedience. If you have read any of my other articles, you know I disagree with her about all these doctrines.

She maintains that homosexuality is a deed of the flesh, like many other sins of the flesh, such as fornication and adultery. I agree. At justification, she says her nature was changed. In other words, she got a new nature at regeneration, but her feelings remained unchanged. Sanctification, according to her, is putting to death the deeds of the flesh daily. Feelings change over time. It seems that she thinks feelings, desires, and emotions are sinful because we inherited from Adam a sinful nature. This is the sin nature and indwelling sin.

Rosaria attended their missionary conference and was a guest speaker. After interacting with them, she became concerned and wanted them to know that sin is nothing to be trifled with. Sin is not static; it grows. When she heard young people at this missionary conference say that same sex attraction is not a sin and only a temptation, as some evangelicals teach, that concerned her greatly. She says, “That is a lie from the pit of hell, which will kill you”. She believes that those who see same sex attraction as temptation and not sin are heretics and Pelagians. This is what I want to focus on in this article. You judge for yourself which theology glorifies God and is logical, reasonable, and Biblical.

She referred to James 1 as proof. Others use this chapter to distinguish between sin and temptation. She says that James chapter one is talking about the life cycle of sin. Sin must be killed at the beginning. The lie, according to her, is that same sex attraction isn’t a sin but is just temptation. She maintains that the first moment in the life cycle of sin is sin. She was making reference to the writings of John Owen (17th-century Puritan minister and author) and his perspective on sin, repentance, and indwelling sin. She insists that sin must be addressed right there. And while that can be true, it doesn’t make temptation sinful. Let’s look at James 1.

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted for God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man; but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it if finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15.

James states that every man or woman is tempted when they are drawn away by their lust (desires, inclinations, something unsatisfied) and enticed (to gratify those desires of any kind, not just sensual ones, in a prohibited fashion). When those desires and lusts are conceived or birthed, they bring forth sin. Sin then brings forth death. Is this not precisely what the Apostle James is saying, and that all of us actually experience?

But she strongly objects to the idea that same sex attraction or desire is temptation and not sin itself. She believes it is sinful that we have those desires and inclinations in the first place. It makes no difference to her or any Calvinist that we didn’t ask for or permit those desires. We all know that thoughts and desires rush into our minds without invitation. Yet because she believes in indwelling sin and a sin nature, all these thoughts and desires are sinful, not just the temptation to sin. But that is not what scripture says. It says that men and women are tempted to sin (sin has not yet occurred) when they are ‘drawn away and enticed’ from the path of righteousness by these lusts, desires, and inclinations. It most assuredly doesn’t teach that sin was born before this point. It does not say that these lusts and desires are already sinful, as she believes. If James meant that, why didn’t he say that?

How do we explain her position? Believing we are born sinners with a totally depraved and sinful nature, everything we are as a person is sinful including all of our thoughts, actions, desires and lusts. She said, “Someday this indwelling sin will eat you alive”. Don’t listen to people who tell you that this is temptation and not sin, was her advice.

The Pastor stated that the Roman Catholic idea of concupiscence is not accurate. He says the Roman Catholic Church believes that desire is the kindling for sin, but not sin until the will is moved. It becomes sin when a person, by an act of the will, sets this desire on fire. I agree with the Roman Catholic Church on this one point. The Reformers said the desire itself is sin. But notice this. The reformers believe in total depravity and the imputation of Adam’s sin and guilt on all humanity; therefore, we are born disgusting sinners by the decree of God. That decree of God predetermined every evil thought, desire, and action we would take over the course of our lives. I believe these ideas are unreasonable, illogical, and unbiblical. I wonder, who is the real heretic?

They both agreed that Jesus was tempted but without sin. However, they both believe that His temptation was simply external, as in the tests and trials, He had to pass. He did not have internal temptations, according to them. Jesus had no indwelling sin; therefore, His temptations are all external trials. John Owen taught this. In other words, Jesus did not have impure desires, passions, feelings, or lusts. Jesus had only external temptations, not internal temptations. Mankind has internal sinful desires, which flow from indwelling sin, which is founded on Original Sin. But the Bible teaches the exact opposite of this and tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way as we are.

Some people will say they don’t want these desires; they just wake up in the morning with them. Rosaria referred to Romans 7 and quotes Paul as saying sin dwells in him. In other words, it is not you that sins, but it is sin in you that sins. This is how Original Sin presses in on us. She said you must come to hate sin. I add that it is only possible if it is the decree of God. Then God works in your life over time to make that a reality, but God never accomplishes much in this life, as Calvinists believe that we sin daily in thought, word, and deed. You are already forgiven and simply need to walk in the newness of life. Ultimately, only physical death brings salvation from the bondage of sin. I add that is not the gospel.

Same sex attraction, according to her, is sin itself, and we must repent of that (even though God decreed that we would have that same sex attraction). All this confusion comes from her belief in Original Sin, the sin nature, and indwelling sin. This theology flows out of the Augustinian Calvinist foundation. It includes total depravity, unconditional salvation, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance or preservation. I believe every one of these is in error and unbiblical. (See my book, When Lies Become Truth, and many other articles for much more detail). Many are those who also believe that Calvinism is unbiblical, unreasonable, and false.

Here are some of the problems:

• Calvinists define sin so broadly that to be human is to be fully and totally sinful. We are born sinners. Babies are born sinners deserving of hell because of the imputation of Adam’s sin on all humanity. I find all this unbiblical and unreasonable. It also makes God out to be the cruelest and most wicked person in the universe. He creates us as sinners and demands sinless perfection on pain of eternal damnation. The atonement, if this is true, is simply justice. God owes humanity atonement because of the injustice of creating us sinners.
• The Bible defines sin as lawlessness. Sin is a violation of the law of God. To be sin, it must be voluntary and a known breach of the law of God. A sin nature and indwelling sin make sin involuntary, which means it can’t be sinful. Think about it. If God created you, directly or indirectly, without the ability to obey His law, would a just and holy God damn you to hell for not obeying a law that you have no ability to obey? Any earthly dad who did that to his children would rightfully be called a wicked person. Isn’t that correct?
• Temptation is a solicitation, enticement, allurement, or encouragement to lawlessness, to disobey the laws of God. Temptation is an incentive to do evil and to refuse to do the right thing. If you are born lawless, born with a sinful nature, or born with indwelling sin, you can’t be and don’t need to be tempted to sin. You are born a sinner who can’t do anything but sin. This is what Calvinists believe. The devil doesn’t need to tempt you or anyone. He just needs to get out of your way. Do you believe that?
• The word says that Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. If Jesus was born without a sin nature or indwelling sin, then He doesn’t know what it is like to be tempted as we are. Scripture is a lie. How can intelligent people believe that it is impossible for us to say no to sin and impossible for Jesus to say yes to sin? Yet Jesus somehow knows what it is like to be tempted as we are. Impossible and incoherent.
• If this Calvinist position is true, we do not have a high priest who can understand and sympathize with us. We all should know that it is not true and that it contradicts the Word of God.
• What exactly was Jesus tempted to do if it was impossible for Him to yield to sin? She says His temptations were external, but ours are internal. She believes that Jesus had no indwelling sin like we do. But we all know that while it is true that many of our temptations are internal, we also experience external temptations all the time. Everyone knows this to be true already. Our culture is the personification of external sensuality and temptation. It is completely sold out to external sexual temptations. Her distinction is untrue and results in confusion.
• The Word of God says that no temptation shall overtake you, but that with every temptation God provides an escape. How can that be true when we are born totally depraved and can only sin? We are unable to do anything righteous until God, in His sovereignty, regenerates us. We then receive the ability to stop sinning, but for all practical purposes, we do not stop sinning even as born-again Christians. Indwelling sin never leaves us, according to them.
• We indirectly control desires, emotions, and feelings. Therefore, they can’t be sinful because they are not under our direct immediate control; they are involuntary in this actual sense. We all know that our feelings come and go depending on many things, including circumstances.
• Strictly speaking, sin resides in the will only. Only the will is under our direct and immediate control. Rosaria and the Pastor both disagree and believe that we are born sinners who can do nothing but sin until we are regenerated. After regeneration, we have the ability to say no to sin, but we don’t. We sin in thought, word and deed every day. I find that disgusting and a flat denial of what the Bible abundantly teaches.
• If you believe in Original Sin, the sin nature, and indwelling sin, you believe in total depravity. That means that you can only sin and can’t do any good at all until you are regenerated. All this is in God’s hands, including your regeneration, of which you have no say. When you are regenerated through no choice or act of your own, you now have the ability to sin not. However, many Christians believe that even with the grace of God, a born-again person will sin in thought, word, and deed daily. Many scriptures rebuke that error. See Romans 6 and 8, 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 5, Galatians 5, and 1 John, just to name a few passages. Refer to my other articles on Two Natures, Classical Theism, and Original Sin.
• Not surprisingly, she refers to Romans chapter seven (7). This passage is usually referenced to justify the idea of indwelling sin. See my article on Romans 7. Romans 6 and 8 refute the obscene notion that real Christians and the apostle Paul live in bondage to sin and a sinful lifestyle or habitual sin.
• If we are born with a sin nature, that we will never get rid of until death, then the devil does not need to tempt anyone to sin. Are Calvinists doing the devil’s work for him?
• How does temptation work if not by our thoughts and desires? Who is tempted to do something they do not desire? No one. How does the devil tempt us to sin? Does He put before us that which we find undesirable and unattractive? That is ridiculous.
• We all know by consciousness that thoughts and desires come into our minds uninvited. Rosaria believes all this comes from our sin nature, and we are rightfully guilty before God. Really? God would never find us guilty for involuntary acts or states of the mind, would He? And if God Himself decreed those thoughts and acts, would He find us guilty for them? Yes, according to the brainwashed Calvinist.  What we do with those thoughts, attractions, and desires determines if we sin. If we rebuke those thoughts and desires, if we refuse to yield to the temptation, we do not sin. We all know this is true by consciousness. Any theology that contradicts what we know by consciousness is wrong and is a trap set by the devil.
• Are some of us born gay? Below is an excerpt from another article I wrote titled, ‘Can a Christian live without sin? Part two”.

“In part one, I made mention in a footnote that I would come back to this subject of homosexual orientation. The dogma of original sin states that as a result of Adam’s original sin, all of his descendants are born with a sinful nature. We are born sinners, who can do nothing but sin, before God enters into our lives. This teaching clearly states that we are all born sinners, that is our orientation. Some of us are born thieves, and some of us are drunkards. Some of us are born adulterers, and some are born fornicators or a combination of all of the above. If all that is true, why isn’t it true that some of us are born a homosexual or a pedophile? If original sin is true, then clearly some people are born homosexual or pedophiles. People are not just born liars, thieves, adulterers, fornicators, and murderers, but not homosexuals or pedophiles. Some people must be born homosexuals and or pedophiles if the dogma of original sin is true.

None of this makes any sense whatsoever, yet many Christians do believe we are born sinners. Can we be born with a sinful orientation to adultery and fornication but not homosexuality and pedophilia? The truth is that we are not born sinners of any kind. If you believe in original sin, then you must believe that a person can be born a homosexual or a pedophile to be consistent with your own beliefs. But that thought goes too far for most Christians, who refuse to admit what the homosexual has been saying for years: homosexuals are born gay! Believers in original sin are trapped but don’t even know it.

The truth is that no one is born a sinner. No one is born an adulterer, fornicator, thief, homosexual, or pedophile. All of these are evil choices made by moral beings and all violate either the law of the land or the law of God. At one time, all these behaviors violated the law of the land and God.

One last comment regarding this subject. Suppose you only get your news and information from the legacy media. In that case, you probably are not aware that many thousands of homosexuals have become heterosexual through the truth and grace of God. Many of these are now happily married. The media would have you believe that a homosexual can never change, which is a lie from the pit of hell. Reread the passage from 1 Corinthians 6 cited above, which states that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God and mentions explicitly homosexuality. The passage goes on to say, “such were some of you.” Those born of God are no longer living in the sin of homosexuality. They were homosexual but now are not.”

• What is same sex attraction? This is a romantic attraction that will naturally lead to sex if not stopped. Some churches and Christians believe there is nothing wrong with same sex attraction in Christians, as in a romantic sense, which is not sin if it is not acted on. It is temptation but not sin according to these folks. Remember what Jesus taught about lusting after a woman but not acting on it. He said you have already committed adultery with her in your heart if you lust after her. I believe Mrs. Butterfield is referring to these people in particular. And if true, I would agree with her that same sex attraction and lust are sinful. God will save the homosexual from same sex attraction, orientation, and from homosexual sex. No one is born gay or same sex attracted.
• Scripture states, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. A sinner who comes to God as a gay person or a same sex attracted person is not yet a new creation. With repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and being born again by the Spirit of God, that old man or woman dies. The new creation is not a gay person or a same sex attracted person, for old things have passed away. The new person is a saint of God and walks in the newness of life. How does it get any clearer? To say that a born-again child of God remains a gay person or a same sex attracted person is a denial of this passage and many others.
• God made male and female. He did not make anything in between. Males fit with and are designed to be with females, not just physically, but in many other ways. The two genders complement each other. The same is true for females.
• That said, men and women can have close friends and love their friends very much. King David loved Jonathan. But this love is the love of friends and is not sexual in any way. It is like the love of a brother or sister. A better word for love might be strong affection for each other.

Rosaria has said that today, the culture in the USA is worshipping the gods of transgenderism and homosexuality. This is the idolatry of today. I agree. She also made a statement about love that I find incorrect, but that will need to wait for another time. She may have just misspoken when she said that love is morally neutral. Nothing could be further from the truth. Biblical love is the fulfillment of the moral law of God. So much for neutrality! Real love is righteousness, not moral neutrality. This was her response to the idea so common today that ‘love is love’. That is a lie at its core.

The love of God is to keep His commandments, and it has nothing to do with your feelings, emotions, or affections. To love God is to repent of same sex attraction, homosexuality, and every other sin that offends a holy God. When they say ‘love is love’, they mean that all affections are good and holy. They lie or are deceived. Every affection and feeling can easily turn into something unholy and sinful. The sin of homosexuality is an excellent example of affection masquerading as love. Enough said for the moment.

Purpose of this article

The purpose of this article is to highlight what I have mentioned often. 1) many former homosexuals are leading Christian lives today. Rosaria is one of them. Praise God for her testimony of light in this dark world. 2) The second purpose of this article is to point out how differently Christians think about these theological issues. It all depends on your starting place. She is a Calvinist and starts with the assumption that Adam’s sin is imputed to us. All of her explanations must therefore align with this starting presupposition. Remember that there is not just one theory of Original Sin that all Christians agree on, but multiple theories. (If you want more information on this subject, see my other articles already mentioned about Original Sin and the book I wrote, “When Lies Become Truth.”) You can be a real Christian and not believe in any of the Calvinist doctrines. You will be called a heretic and a Pelagian by men and women. But what is most important is what God calls you, children of the Most High.