By Mike Lutz
THE biblical view of gender identity and the world view of gender identity grows further apart with each passing day. Gender identity refers to one’s internal sense of being male, female, both, or neither. Transgender, describes a person whose gender identity is different than the sex they were assigned at birth.
Nowadays cultural progressivism includes transgender tolerance and an overemphasis on individual determinism over biological designation and divine issuance. Gender identity has become an aspect of self-expression that is chosen based on feelings. Creating a cultural morass leading to gender fluidity, where whatever gender you identify with today could be different than how you choose to identify tomorrow.
What makes this issue more complex is the sudden and rapid support from government
institutions, businesses, and the academic world which are increasingly supporting the individual’s right to select gender as their chosen identity, which is muddying the societal waters.
So what’s the big deal here?
Does God even care about gender identity? And what should the Christian response be? The
simple answer is yes, it is a big deal, and God does care about this issue because God cares about every individual, and He wants every individual to make choices that promote a healthy relationship with Him.
So, if we want to understand Gods heart on such a sensitive subject, we must begin by asking ourselves, does the Bible have anything to say about this subject?
Some would argue that the Bible has nothing to say about the recent transgender phenomenon and, therefore, does not condemn a person’s choice in the matter. After all, there isno verse that says, “Thou shall not choose thy gender” or “Cursed is the one who changes their gender.” But neither are there any verses that talk about genocide, whether it’s alright to buy assault weapons, listen to secular music, or take vaccines. But that hardly means the Bible provides no guidance for Christians trying to make sense of those issues or the issue of gender identity. The Bible actually has a lot to say, not by proof text, but it does lay down some important principles that can inform our understanding and shape our response.
To begin with, the Bible teaches that God made humankind bearing His image and He made them male and female (Genesis 1:27). As the only created beings that bear God’s image, it is clear God has a highly valued view of personhood. Our bodies and our personalities are gifts from Him. It is true that within the creation of our individual personhood, God has given us a wide range of expression for masculinity and femininity, but that diversity of expression does not come with the freedom to undermine God’s creational assignments. Even if there are those who have genuine feelings of gender dysphoria, and feel strongly disconnected to their body and sense of gender, their feelings do not override God’s design and designation.
Feelings or Facts
Feeling are real but they are not always reliable. God gave us feelings as part of the human experience but they can sometimes be misleading. We all have hearts that are unreliable and untrustworthy (Jeremiah 17:9). This isn’t unique to gender identity; it is part of the human condition and an aspect of our sinful nature. The important thing to remember is that feelings are never given permission to override God’s direction, we should always act in accordance with the reality of God’s good design and direction because our feelings can betray us.
Proverbs 3:5-6 advises us to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
This suggests that instead of relying solely on our feelings, we should seek God’s wisdom and
grounding in His Word, the Bible. And the apostle Paul challenges us that there is a way to combat feelings and bodily inclinations that are not in agreement with God’s word by saying,
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For 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” (Galatians 5:16-18 NIV).
Living for God
True peace, happiness, and contentment will only come as we learn to find peace with God and not rebel against God. The world is not only telling people with gender dysphoria, to listen to their heart and let their mind guide their decisions, it is yelling from every rooftop and mountain top to every person on this earth to do the same. At the same time God is pleading for all to give their bodies to God because of all He has done for us. He wants our life to be a living sacrifice that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. The Bible is clear not to copy the behavior and customs of this world, but to let God transform us into new people by changing and challenging the way we think. Then we will learn to know God and His good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives (Romans 12:1-2).
Transgenderism is not simply a war of sexual identity; it is a war raging in the unseen heavenlies (Ephesians 6:12). And a person who struggles with gender identity must learn the
same lessons we all must learn, which is to find our contentment, identity, and purpose in God. Seeking purpose and worth apart from Christ will always leave a person dissatisfied and
handcuffed to sin.
A Christian Response
There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with those in the LGBTQ+ community;
just know that if you meet someone from this community the most important thing that has just happened is God has given you an opportunity for relationship and you should seek to be a good steward that opportunity. We must approach them with wisdom and compassion, not judgement and condemnation for Jesus came not to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be saved (John 3:17). We must let love for our neighbor force us to step up and reach out to others, and not cower in confused apprehension. Jesus went out of his way to reach those society has labeled as outcasts and castaways, we are called to humbly love as Jesus loved and share His truth, hope and healing so that the Holy Spirit can bring about conviction, salvation, and transformation.
Mike Lutz is the author of the award-winning books “Jesus Speaking”, a daily devotional based on the words of Jesus and “Jesus Speaking Devotional Prayers.” His works can be accessed at mikelutz.org
