Dani Treweek of The Gospel Coalition Australia interviewed same-sex attracted “Christian,” Ed Shaw, who’s one of the founders of Living Out Ministries. A brouhaha erupted over Shaw’s claim that Jesus “struggled” with His gender and sexuality. So TGC added a postscript to Treweeks article in an attempt to tamp down the strong reaction to what Shaw said about the Lord Jesus. According to Elizabeth Prata, in so doing TGC mishandled Scripture, specifically verses in Hebrews that say Jesus was tempted in every way. Before we get to Prata’s piece, in which she clears up the confusion, here’s the Editor’s Postscript:
In view of some strong reactions on social media to some of the material in this interview, the TGCA editorial panel would like to make clear that we are very grateful for the heroic stand of Christian leaders such as Ed Shaw who have been open and honest about their own struggles with sexuality while defending biblical standards of sexual practice.
We urge our readers to consider the meaning of Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15. Jesus (i) was genuinely tempted in every way like us; (ii) suffered in the process; (iii) did not sin. Every one of those statements is important—not just the last. The Bible does not tell us what particular temptations Jesus may have experienced in these areas, but it stresses that he had a human nature that was capable of being tempted. Temptation, in other words, is not the same as sin. This article should not be understood to teach that Jesus possessed a fallen nature, lusts or same-sex attraction, but that he experienced suffering and testing through the privation of his human nature. See more detailed discussion here.
We would also urge readers who want to be properly informed about what Ed Shaw and Living Out believe to take some time to visit http://www.livingout.org and spend some time looking at the questions and answers discussed there. [CRN does not recommend Living Out Ministries]
Keep TGC’s postscript in mind as you read Elizabeth’s piece over at The End Time. She writes:
This article from Ed Shaw at The Gospel Coalition Australia is causing a stir. It claims that Jesus “struggled” with sexuality, His gender, and temptation to same-sex sin.
Shaw said in his interview:
TGCA: Tell us about your plans for the youth night on Friday night? Do you see youth as a particularly vulnerable age for confusion on matters of sexuality?
Shaw: I’m wanting the young people who come to this event to know that Jesus is the one person that they can fully trust with their sexualities, identities and gender because he is both their Creator God and a human being who knows what it is like to grapple with a sexuality, identity and gender.
Jesus struggled with same-sex temptations? Thoughts? Lusts? No.
Their basis for saying this, wrongly, comes from a misunderstanding (or a deliberate twisting) of the verses in Hebrews that say Jesus was tempted in every way.
For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18).
Nor we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15).
The homosexual lobby is separating the temptation from the sin itself and claiming that the temptation itself isn’t a sin, just the act is sin, so it is OK that Jesus ‘struggled’ with it. And the temptation not being a sin, it isn’t necessary to repent from. That’s a generalization but it’s essentially the issue that is leading to this problem and confusion.
Related
Same-sex Attraction, Biblical Christianity, and the Fractures in Our Evangelical Mist
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