Identity Crisis: Male and Female He Created Them

It’s Difficult Writing About Gender and Sexuality…

The reality is that one wrong word, phrase, sentence, or idea can get me booted off of a platform very easily. One wrong movement can get me labeled a bigot, a transphobe, or worse. Perhaps there is something in our culture behind this. But at rock bottom as a Christian, I know that the world is broken, that people struggle with brokenness in any way shape or form, and that there are some who will take brokenness at champion it as good and true instead of fixing it. I will be brief, but hopefully clear in this article.

In our Identity Crisis as a culture, I think that the idea of Homo Sapiens being a gendered species like the rest of the species on this planet is lost. Pair the obvious loss of biological realities with a culture that is founded upon the sand “You-Do-You”, and you have a recipe for confusion and disaster.

Presuppositions

First, I want to lay my cards on the table. I believe that the Bible is trustworthy. I think that it is the inerrant word of God and that it tells us what we need about God, ourselves, and the world around us. Out of this understanding, I think that God created the world to function in a certain way and that He created human sexuality as a gift. God created our sexed bodies, male and female, as a gift. It this the context of male and female being separate sexes (genders if you will), that is the foundation for marriage; marriage, of course, being within the context of a biology man and a biological woman.

I hold the position that to work outside of the way that God has ordered the world leads to confusion, destruction, and pain. To live within God’s framework comes flourishing. As Jesus, said the truth will set us free. It may hurt a lot. But it will set us free; from evil and for choosing good.

Thus We Come to the Statement:

I cannot understand the pain and frustration that comes from wrestling with one’s sexuality. I cannot fully understand the anguish of feeling as though you are trapped in a body that is not yours (gender dysphoria). What do I know is this. Jesus, in the beginning created two genders. And Jesus came to set us free from sin, shame, sickness, and evil. Jesus created a world a certain way for us to live and flourish, and thus to live outside of this leads to destruction. But what now? Where do we go from here?

The Purpose of the Body

So, God created human beings male and female. He created human beings in His image as well. The implications of this are huge. The male body, and the female body were both made with a purpose by the Lord. But, what is this purpose? Let’s take a look:

“So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.”

– Genesis 1: 27-30

What do we See?

Earlier, I’ve stated that God created male and female bodies for a specific purpose. It would seem that the purpose is to fulfill a specific duty; to be fruitful, multiply, and govern the earth. The way that God created us, as male and female, is something that is observable at birth. Men and women simply have specific parts that separate us. The classification of male and female is directly tied to a biological fact that was set in stone by the creator of the universe. We should tread lightly before agreeing to the idea of changing one’s body to fit the mold of another gender that is not their own. God created the body to be Good. Thus our therapies, medicines, and treatments should point people back to the original purpose of our bodies.

Conclusions

There are some things that are simply unwise to state on a public forum. But perhaps I’ll make this statement in order to be as clear as possible.

I think that we are called to love those who are struggling with their sexuality. Eat a meal with them. Spend time with them. Listen to them. But, at the end of the day, be ready to explain the “why” behind the Christian view on sexuality. God created us with a certain intention. To break away from God’s intention leads to more destruction, hurt, and confusion than one is already feeling. There are too many stories of detransitioners who underwent gender-affirming care who have irreversible damage from surgery and puberty blockers. There are too many instances of suicide, depression, and anxiety from people who have undergone sex-reassignment surgery. The loving thing to do, is to be graceful, supportive, and caring, while having a pastor’s heart. The loving thing to do paired with this mindset… is telling the truth.

Share your thoughts in the comments.