GOD'S BLUEPRINT
God is a designer who had a blueprint for everything. It was all very good (Genesis 1:31). The pinnacle of God's creation was humanity (Genesis 1:26-29). Only humans bear God's image. Man represents God and was made in His likeness, though we are not identical to God. We were called to rule over the earth on God's behalf but under God's authority.
MORE THAN THE SUM OF YOUR PARTS
Each part of us carries and reflects purpose and dignity: mind, heart and body. Therefore, matter matters. Our bodies are matter. We are intentionally made. We are not just a collection of atoms randomly interacting with one another. We have emotions and thoughts and a body thus we are to relate to our Creator in these ways.
GOD'S RIGHT TO SPEAK
Psalm 24;1-2 reminds us that the earth is the Lord's. Even all those who dwell in it belong to Him because He founded creation.
The best way to live is according to God's blueprint since He made creation. We can't rewrite the blueprints of our design. We don't have that authority or ability. God's voice needs to be heard and carry the ultimate weight. The transgender debate is really a debate on competing authorities: God or us.
GOD'S CREATION HAS PURPOSE
God's creation of gender was very good and gender was for a purpose. We aren't sovereign. Only God is. As creatures our highest calling is to fulfill the purpose for which God made us. When we rebel against the natural order in which God made us we are rejecting the highest good and life for which God created us.
MORE THAN MANKIND
God made male and female (Genesis 2:21-24). God creatively made us with differences on purpose. We are neither identical nor interchangeable. We are complementary beings.
We exercise dominion over the world as we multiply through sexual intimacy. Our bodies in regards to reproduction is one of the ways we understand our distinctions. Anatomy shows maleness but maleness isn't only anatomy. Our bodies are not lying when they reveal our gender.
(1). God created humanity in His image
(2). God created humanity male and female
(3). God created male and female for one another
These unchangeable difference in men and women (chromosomes/anatomy) are accompanied with relative strengths of each gender. Men generally have broader shoulders and women generally have broader hips. Generally, we see protective "instincts" in men and nurturing "instincts" in women. While maleness and femaleness are not reduced down to these relative strengths but it does show they are tied to a larger difference between men and women. If we believe that there are no differences between male and female then we must believe that gender is interchangeable. Gender is not interchangeable.
SHOULD WE EXPECT NON-CHRISTIANS TO AGREE WITH US?
All humans possess a minimal degree of moral knowledge. There are natural truths that all mankind can understand (Romans 2:15). God's law is built into our conscience. Up until a few decades ago, there was no debate about gender.
Romans 1:19-21 sheds light on the problem with humanity. Mankind has rejected God's rule and authority. Mankind's hearts are foolish and darkened. And it is by wicked hearts that we suppress the truth that God has made known to us in regards to creation.
Not all truth is made known to us in Scripture. If that were the case then we'd need a Scriptural reference for everything in order to know it for certain. A man can never be a woman no matter what his mind thinks. He can look at himself and see for himself that he is a man.
HOW THE CHURCH CAN GO TOO FAR
Being a man doesn't entail loving football. Being a woman doesn't entail a love for cooking. A boy playing with dolls or a girl wanting to play football doesn't constitute gender either. Those might be social constructs, expectations or even stereotypes that are not real issues of gender. A man who likes to cook doesn't mean he has gender issues. Likewise, a woman watching football doesn't mean she is transgender. There are cultural views of gender and biblical views.
EQUAL AND DIFFERENT
Men and woman are different on the deepest levels (chromosomes, reproductive systems, etc). The differences reflect God's creative will for our lives. Difference has nothing to do with worth or value. In that respect, we are all equal. A man who protects is no more valuable than a woman who nurtures. We are equal in one way and different in another way. We are made intentionally but not interchangeably. Why do the differences matter? In Genesis 1:28 we are given a mandate that we cannot fulfill without the help of the opposite sex. We need each other's differences: complementarianism. This should not be controversial or new.
Christianity doesn't sever gender from sex. Humanity's design is tied to our mission. Our gender dictates our roles in the creation mandate. Men lack something and need women to do what God has called us to do and vice versa. We complement each other and provide what the other sex needs. Men and women are made to fit together.
JESUS AND GENDER IDENTITY
The rejection of Biblical gender is really a rejection of what Jesus taught. Thus people are rejecting Jesus (Matthew 19:4-6). Jesus taught the Genesis pattern.
(1). We are created people
(2). We are created male and female
(3). A man is someone who is able to become one flesh with a woman and vice versa.
(4). What God does, people should not seek to undo.
We can ignore Genesis 1-2 but that means we are rejecting Jesus.
NO NEED FOR SHAME
See Genesis 2:25. We do not live in a world where everyone is at ease with how they are made. Many are ashamed of how God made them. People have veered from the blueprint. We need to return to what the Lord says.
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