The Gospel Coalition (TGC) has been one of the leading organizations smuggling in aberrant theologies and vain philosophies into mainstream Evangelicalism that are either blatantly or subtly at odds with biblical Christianity. While TGC has been the primary conduit for the introduction of “woke” theology, or Critical Race Theory, into churches, another, more subtle false teaching has been creeping in the way Jude describes as “unawares.” In fact, it has been so well-disguised as “loving” to adopt this new philosophy that it has gone nearly completely unnoticed.

That false teaching is known by its adherents as “Side B Christianity,” which essentially teaches that being, feeling, or having unbiblical sexual thoughts or attractions is not, in and of itself, sinful, unless you “act out” on them. This false teaching has opened the door to all sorts of heretical movements, including “gay celibacy,” “transgender Christianity,” and more. Because once you accept the premise of “Side B,” one cannot logically argue against these other remaining heresies.

The idea is that one can harbor these thoughts, one can identify as “gay” or homosexual, and one can even identify as “transgender,” and there is no need to repent of these “unchangeable” thoughts, feelings, and attractions. “Side B” teaches that these are inherent “ailments” or “sicknesses” that we cannot help and are part of our fallen bodies. Just like catching a cold, having “unwanted” attractions to people of the same sex, for example, or thinking of ourselves as the opposite sex that God created us to be, are simply natural feelings as part of this fallen world that we cannot help. Therefore, it only becomes sinful when we “act” on these feelings or attractions by seeking sexual relationships with people of the same sex or, having body surgery.

This is essentially what Sam Ferguson says in a podcast episode for The Gospel Coalition recently. In this episode, he says argues that Christianity makes the case that simply being human, according to Christianity, is to have “dysphoria,” and then uses “gender dysphoria” as an example:

Christianity makes a case that to be human is to have dysphoria. Dysphoria just means incongruence between the way you feel on the inside and how things are on the outside. Christians speak of the fall, this plunge into sin and brokenness and exile, darkened passions, broken hearts, ailing bodies.

And what the Bible will say to you is that the path out of that is not transitioning, it’s not changing yourself on the outside, it’s transformation. And the biblical promise of transformation starts on the inside.

We’re transformed in our inner heart, in our minds. And so it’s submitting your heart and your mind to the Lord Jesus who loves you and made you. It’s a transformation that promises a ultimate perfecting of the body.

One day in the resurrection, Paul says in Philippians 321 that Jesus, he will change, he will transform our lowly body to be a glorious body like his own. And it’s a path of transformation that is not conducted with a scalpel or in a man -made community.

But it’s done by the gentle touch of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit that was involved in your creation, that’s involved in your redemption. And it’s carried out not alone but in the community of a local church.

So I would just say to someone with gender dysphoria that these deep questions, who am I, is their hope for me, that Christianity addresses these head -on and it tells you that who you are is really who’s you are, that you’re God, you’re his son or daughter, he made you.

And that he does have a pathway of transformation for you that you can start on today. It’s not easy, but it’s profoundly deep, begins with your soul. I don’t think the movement of transitioning offers you a high enough ceiling.

It’s always going to be cosmetic. You’re cutting against the grain of creation. And humbly, I just want something better for you and I believe Jesus holds that out.

Ferguson, at least, argues against the physical acting out of “gender dysphoria,” however, the problem with this approach is multifaceted. First, Ferguson, like the vast majority of the “Side B” heresy, equates aberrant sexual desires, what the Bible describes as “degrading passions” and “vile affections,” with sickness and body ailments. But the Bible never describes “desires” as ailments—and nobody ever desires to get sick or break a bone. People, some people, do desire to engage in aberrant sexual behavior, and those desires require repentance. These desires are not “unwanted,”—that’s an oxymoron to say you have an “unwanted desire” for something. That’s what a desire is, it’s something you want.

Secondly, Ferguson’s approach embraces the world’s attitude toward this sin, waters it down with language like “brokenness” and “dysphoria,” in an effort to downplay the seriousness of this sin. Instead of being something that we should be turning from and being sanctified out of, it becomes something that we must live with and accept. This then becomes a serious false teaching that has eternal ramifications. If we’re required to repent of our sin and turn to Christ, a refusal to repent of a particular sin places us in a predicament with God. Did Christ die for this sin or not? If so, we must repent and trust in Him. If not, then we’re in trouble. And people like Sam Ferguson and The Gospel Coalition are teaching people that full repentance is not necessary.