A Biblical Perspective On Transgender Identity: A Primer For Parents And Strugglers
One of the biggest misperceptions about Christianity is that its simply about acting right. When Christian parents overemphasize their childs behavior rather than their heart, the real message they send often has more shame than love. As secular opinions continue to reject biblical standards, many Christians struggle to discern what their response should be to such hot-button topics as transgenderism.
The chasm between the biblical view of sexuality and the secular view grows wider every day. Social media and the entertainment industry now celebrate gender fluidity as a more enlightened way of thinking than the biblical view. The trend has grown quickly, with transgender-identified celebrities making headlines and drag queens leading story times at schools and libraries. Society faces unexpected legal and ethical challenges as transgender-identified people compete on sports teams and use public restrooms of their non-biological sex. Parents increasingly allow their underage children to chemically and surgically alter their bodies, and several states now permit minors to do so without their parents consent.
Transgender Identitywishing Away Gods Design
Genesis 1:27 says God made them male and female. No matter how hard some people try, they cant wish away this fundamental physical realityand thats a good thing.
When you wish upon a star,Makes no difference who you are Anything your heart desiresWill come to you.
In the 1940 film Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket sang thosefamous lyrics to a woeful little wooden boy who wantedto become something different. The tale is touching. Inour day, however, people no longer apply such inspirationalmessages in traditional ways. Anything yourheart desires has been hijacked.
In ways that Walt Disney could not imagine, suchslogans now inspire people to surgically remake themselves.Witness the spread of transgender identity,in which men seek to become women and women seek to becomemen. In 2015, this is no extraordinary occurrence. It is an increasingtrend and a major worldview challenge to the .
illustration by Jon Taylor
Doesnt The Bible Condemn Homosexuality
Doesnt the bible condemn homosexuality? The short answer is, no.
The bible certainly records human fears and prejudices, as well as human hopes and resilience, but the bible, as a whole, isnt about condemnation.
The bible is a collection of stories, songs, sermons, sayings, poems, and prayers covering centuries and continents and even a few languages. It is a rich and wonderful anthology that invites readers to think and feel, explore and imagine, heal and grow. In light of this understanding of our sacred texts, it would be difficult to think of them as being condemnatory.
Lifted from the larger narrative or divorced from cultural, linguistic, literary, or historical contexts, any sentence or phrase from scripture can be used to endorse or vilify almost anything imaginable. That is not, however, the most faithful way to engage the bible.
Relationship, hope, courage, generosity, second chances, compassion, and love are the values that are repeatedly featured in our scriptures.
For me, love is the biblical message and mandate, and love does not condemn love. Love does not diminish people. Love does not seek to deny justice or dignity or safety to anyone. Love does not suggest that anyone is unworthy of or beyond the reach of love.
Does the bible, an anthology of writings whose running theme is love, condemn same-gender loving people? As someone who has spent my life studying, teaching, wrestling with, and even playing with the bible, I must say unequivocally, it does not.
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First Argument God Made Two Distinct Genders
Lets look at the first building block more closely, that God made two distinct genders, male and female.
Now of course the passages in the Bible which are usually talked about at this point are the creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2, and also other passages that refer back to these, for example when Jesus does it in Matthew and Mark .
But it seems strange to use Genesis 1 and 2 to say that God only made a male and a female and that therefore this must apply to everyone since. Sure, it applies to the vast majority. But according to studies, only about 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 50,000 of the population are transgender .
The creation accounts in Genesis arent focused on unusual situations they dont even apply straightforwardly to those who dont have children or remain single. The creation accounts say that God blesses both male and female, that both are made in his image, that God blesses, if you like, marriage and children.
But Genesis doesnt try to address transgenderism, or whether you must get married, or whether you must have children. Genesis doesnt address transgenderism at all.
But lets also consider the problem in claiming that there are two distinct biological sexes. Thats true for most people, but its not true for everyone.
But not always. Occasionally, women are born with XY chromosomes. How come? Because from being in the womb their bodies dont react to a male hormone. These females have what are usually considered male chromosomes.
But What If These Interpretations Are Wrong
The answer to this question will be different depending on the tradition of the person asking. For example, for some Christians, affirming or not affirming transgender and non-binary people is connected to salvation and eternity. For other Christians, the afterlife isnt their main concern, but instead their focus is determining what it means for Christians to contribute to human flourishing and to the moral integrity of the church. Whatever is at stake for the person asking, it is important to note the role of humility, grace and having a consistent standard to apply in discerning what is true of God. We read in Pauls letter to the Corinthians that until Christ returns we are bound to see truth in a way that is incomplete, a mere reflection, as in a mirror, dimly . The Bible calls its interpreters to the awareness that even if ultimate truth about any subject isnt always in our grasp, we can still remain committed to the task of trying to find it.
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How Should We View The Body As Christians
The creators of Pinocchio, of course, did not have transgenderindividuals in view when they made their famous movie.They simply wanted boys and girls to dream big. As the Westhas lost its Judeo-Christian moral constraints and its traditionalvision of manhood and womanhood, we have embraceda radical individualism. This mindset has created what theologianR. Albert Mohler Jr. has called a culture shift.
Radical individualism casts off all moral restraints in orderto achieve maximum personal happiness. In my book RiskyGospel, I call this mindset Narcissistic Optimistic Deism. Ican do whatever I want, many people think, and existsto make all my dreams come true. This perspective has influencedhow many people view their body. The body is not madeby God for His glory. It is a blank slate upon which we maydraw any identity, any self-expression, we choose. Use it, abuseit, do whatever you want with it. This is a neo-pagan idea.
We see the profound tension between Gods design and Satans attacks on this design.
The Bible teaches a very different perspective. Our manhoodor womanhood is not incidental it has been given usby God as a gift. We inhabit our God-created bodies as vesselsof delight, temples of the Holy Spirit, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19
Colossians 3:19). These andother patterns constitute the markers ofour manhood and womanhood. Our differences,as is clear, are considerable. They arealso God given.
What The Scriptures Teach About Determining Gender
As an initial matter, he hypothesis that gender identity is an innate, fixed property of human beings that is independent of biological sexthat a person might be a man trapped in a womans body or a woman trapped in a mans bodyis not supported by scientific evidence.15 However, in light of recent efforts to define gender as a psychological construct, that is, the consequence of what one thinks or feels, one must consider the way gender is depicted in Scripture it is consistently presented as a consequence of nature. God created Adam as a male, and He created Eve as a female . They were physically complementary beings capable of producing offspring together , and their offspring were distinctly male or female as they were . On the one hand, males had an anatomical design that included the ability to produce seed while impregnating females . On the other, females had an anatomical design consistent with bearing and nursing children . So, then, since the beginning, each human being has been fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God as either a male or a female .16
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Consider The Future Effects Of Your Parenting Decisions
Wise parents consider the long game in their parenting. Girls and boys have many needs that overlap, but they also have some that are unique to their sex. Fortunately there are some great resources available to help todays Christian parents anticipate what their children need to thrive and develop a healthy, secure sexual identity.
Perhaps your childs behaviors have already gone beyond the circumstantial issues of dolls versus trucks. Parents are under tremendous pressure to support their childrens and teenagers feelings and preferences without question. However, once you say yes to the lesser trans behaviors like cross-dressing, youre soon going to be asked to sponsor greater ones. By opening the door to things you may later have to disallow in your home, youre actually setting your child up for longer-term concerns.
Parents need to explain clearly, I love you unconditionally and I always will, but I cant relate unconditionally to everything you ask for. Just as you wouldnt allow them to drive the car illegally and unsafely, there are likewise serious, scriptural, psychological, and medical reasons not to sponsor their trans behaviors. Of course, they may do whatever they choose while theyre at school or when they move out, but you do not have to endorse wayward and sinful behavior by condoning it in your home.
How Can Parents Help Instill A Secure And Stable Sense Of Sexual Identity As God Designed
Ideally, parents will begin the following approaches early in a childs life, nurturing a healthy, biblical view of gender and sexuality. For even more help on this topic, read our article Talking to Your Children About Transgender Issues and this information on Helping Children With Gender Identity Confusion.
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What Does The Bible Say About Transgender
This article features in the Engage NIV Youth Bible, which seeks to connect young people with God’s wordhelping them to unpack the Scriptures for themselves. The aim is not to tell young people what to think about the Bible, but to show them how to think about the Bible.
Lets start by defining what the various terms mean:
Gender dysphoria: the experience of feeling a mismatch between gender and sex .
Transgender: taking on an identity of a different gender to the sex you were born with.
Transitioning: to undergo treatment in order to try to make the way your body is built express that identity.
NIV Bible with articles, explanations and creative spaces to help teens read Gods word.
The Bible And Transgender/intersex People
Ask: Can you think of any biblical principles that might apply to the transgender experience?
Allow discussion and then explain that you are going to looking at some verses which apply to what transgender people experience.
Explain that there arent any scriptures that deal directly with the issue of transsexualism. But there are a few scriptures which deal with principles connected with the transgender experience. Also, how the Bible deals with forms of transgender identity in biblical times can help us understand Gods perspective on transgender people.
Gender dysphoria, the primary cause of transgender identity, could be considered a birth defect . The Bible deals directly with the issue of birth defects.
Have someone read John 9:1-3.
Ask: What birth defect is discussed here?
Many people connect being transgender with sin. According to Jesus, are birth defects the result of anyones sins? Are they signs the person with the birth defect is sinful?
Based on why Jesus says this man is born blind, what reason could we conclude that people are born with birth defects like gender dysphoria and intersex conditions?
Explain that according to Jesus, birth defects like congenital blindness are not necessary the result of anyones sin. To connect someones blindness, paralysis, or gender dysphoria with sin is to miss the point. These are natural conditions common to our imperfect world.
Have someone read Deuteronomy 22:5.
First, what type of cross-dressing is being condemned?
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Standing Firm In Gods Truth Is The Best Way To Help Your Child
Have you ever noticed in the story of the prodigal son that the father didnt have to kick the son out of the house? The son chose to leave. He wanted a lifestyle of excess and sin, and the father allowed him to make that choice as an adult. It was simply a given that the son had to leave his fathers home in order to live in this manner. The father didnt cave to the fear of losing his son and compromise to get him to stay. He didnt even use financial control and withhold his inheritance.
In the end, what changed the sons heart wasnt his father preaching at him or pleading with him. Instead, Gods Spirit used the emptiness and filth that a rebellious lifestyle naturally yields over time to make the son yearn for his fathers comfort and care.
God works in ways we cant comprehend, even using the consequences of our sin. He is able to do far beyond what you can do for your child in your own wisdom and strength. Your job is to maintain personal integrity, love, and solid faith in Gods truth. For more information and encouragement in dealing with a prodigal child, .
Treat Them With Compassion
The new kind of apologist who is aware of the transgender persons brokenness finds that this knowledge changes the way he responds. Hes touched by compassion for transgender people, and his kindness towards them tempers his apologetic approach.10 If not, what he says will not matter or, worse, will come off callous and harsh.
The truth and compassion approach is the one Jesus, the perfect apologist, took. He understood people better than anyone else. His knowledge was perfect and, consequently, His compassion flowed freely.
The truth weve learned about transgender people is a sober reminder that we live in a fallen world. These people have been hurt. The culture has lied to them and medical professionals have been complicit in their gender-identity confusion. We need to speak truth to them, but it must be motivated by compassion. Heres what we can do.
First, make your relationship with transgender people a top priority. It doesnt have to be the top priority, but put it high on the list. Relationships are the bridge we use to communicate with each other, especially about things that are difficult to say. Your ability to speak the truth in love will be a function of your relationship with them. By knowing them personally, youll discover their unique situation. This should evoke the compassion so you can speak with precision and care. Therefore, build your friendship first and make your arguments second.
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Focus On The Familys Values
Focus on the Family is dedicated to defending the inherent honor, dignity, value and equality of the two sexes as created in Gods image intentionally male and female each bringing unique and complementary qualities to sexuality and relationships.
Each of the two sexes is a glorious gift from God. Our sexuality is meant to be offered back to Him either in complementary unity with the opposite sex in the context of marriage for procreation and mutual delight or in celibacy for undivided devotion to Christ.
Not only do male and female together reflect the image of God, but their coming together in a marriage relationship to bring forth new life is used in Scripture as the deepest and most intimate analogy of Gods relationship with His people. Throughout both Testaments, God and His people are portrayed as husband and wife or as a groom and bride. The creation account found in Genesis lays out this gender-based, matrimonial picture and sets the stage for the final, eternal union of God and His people of Christ and His bride described in Revelation.
God created humans male and female, and that matters. In recent years, a revisionist transgender theology has been put forth in some theological circles that violates Gods clearly articulated and intentional design for the two sexes. This distorts His image and His plan for sexuality, marriage, family and the just and proper ordering of society.
Giving Up Sugar Tasting Gods Goodness
As a latchkey kid, Wendy Speake turned to sugar for comfort. Every Friday, she would pedal to the candy show and use her allowance to fill her bag with candy. And one day, when she was older and a mom of three young boys, she came to realize that she was still pedaling away from her stress and using sugar as comfort, instead of turning to Jesus. She was joyless, worn out, tired, and in need of a change. In this interview, Wendy will challenge Christians to take 40 days to focus on fasting from something they turn to instead of Jesus for comfort. She invited people to break free from a dependence on sugar and taste the goodness of God.
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