26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26–27 ESV)
How is the believing community of the evangelical church to respond to the issue of Gender Identity? It must respond with the truth of God’s Word in general and the biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ in particular. Attention is given to John 1:1-14.
Gender Identity at its core is a rejection of God’s work in creating the male and female. The rejection of the binary male and female gender is a rejection not only of God’s creativity but also His sovereignty is assigning our gender even prior to our conception. God assigns the individual’s gender, and not the individual in question. God is sovereign and we are not.
The Gender Identity issue must be met head on with the initial truth that the God of the Bible exists and is sovereign over all.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1–3 (ESV)
Second, Gender Identity must be identified as sinful rebellion against God. This truth is not popular, and never has been. It confronts the dark, rebellious heart and core of the individual. Sinful mankind has always questioned the authority of God and the light of His truth (Gen. 3:1).
4 “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4–5 (ESV)
However, there is an answer to the issue of the individual’s sinful condition. It is the Gospel of salvation from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and eventually the presence of sin. The fallen world has always sought purpose for life; void of God. This has never been successful. It never will be. Therefore, God historically entered this fallen world to deliver it from the ultimate consequence of its sinful rebellion.
10 He (God) was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:10–13 (ESV)
The ultimate answer to Gender Identity, as is the answer to all of man’s sinful problems, is justification, redemption and reconciliation with God through the person and work of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26). Gender Identity is a sexual expression of the sinful, rebellious human soul. It is a rejection of God’s authority over the individual’s sexuality. Gender Identity is no different in principle than any other letter in the LGBTQ+ acrostic.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (John 1:14–18 (ESV)
Currently, and within the last sixty years, the fallen world has heralded a sexual revolution. It has rebelled against God heterosexually, homosexually, and now in the subject of one’s gender identity.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ not only delivers the sinner from the penalty of sin, but also the power of sin. This includes the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (I John 2:15-17). In Jesus Christ alone, there is true liberty to live a life pleasing to God and fulfilling for the individual.
How may we practically minister to anyone caught in the trap of sexual sin: whether it be heterosexual sin, homosexual sin or gender identity sin? We must uncompromisingly herald God’s truth to them. We must pray for them. We must love them by telling them what the need to hear when it is not what they want to hear. This is true, biblical love.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 