Gender

<<sexual category>>

God made humans distinctly male and female, with different physical, personality and emotional qualities being suited to special roles in life (Gen 1:27). Meanwhile, in the spiritual dimension all believers are equal in God's eyes (Gal 3:28). There are not differing values in men and women, merely different roles, with each person ultimately accountable to God for his or her own life (Rom 1:12).

Live honourably before God and others

Every human being is valuable and worthy of respect. To purposefully not embrace your God-given gender both outwardly and internally is not honouring to God. Live your manhood/womanhood by the biblical definition, not by untrustworthy worldly opinions. We should celebrate that God made us who we are including our specific clearly defined sex. Our interaction with other people, both male and female, must always be with respect and dignity, not compromising our standards, and being aware that the sexual realm is one of Satan’s favourite means of causing people to fall into major sin. Thus while it is natural to be attracted to those of the opposite sex, yet it is essential this 'chemistry' is handled correctly with complete integrity, without lustful thoughts and without any physical interaction – except with one's spouse (Mt 5:27,28; 1 Tim 5:1,2).

We can rejoice in God's good design of creating humanity both male and female yet some people struggle with their sexual identity. Those who are confused and consider they are born in the wrong body do not have a baseline for this comparison; instead they are just relying on their feelings, which generally are poor indicators. Parents may have wished their child were of the opposite sex, with the projection of those thoughts resulting in sometimes even dressing and treating them as if they were. Yet even dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex detracts from the sanctity of whom God made us (Deut 22:5). Childhood abuse and single parent families also compound the sexual orientation of impressionable minds.

Gender identity is a person’s innermost concept of their self – as either male or female, or both, or neither – and determined by their self-perception. A lifestyle of defiance of their God-given gender is a symptom of a bigger problem – rejection and rebellion against Him

Be who God made you to be

and attempting to be ‘their own god’. When people defy their God-ordained identities and choose to live according to their sinful desires and try to adopt the characteristics of the opposite gender their perverted lusts lead them into chaos and an escalation of ungodly practices (Rom 1:18-32).

Gender dysphoria is a term describing a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. The answer for those struggling with gender confusion is not in sex-change surgery but rather in making Him Lord of all, with their desires in submission to His ways and allowing the Holy Spirit to change their heart with an acceptance of who God made them (Gal 2:20; 1 Pet 4:2). Living life by God’s clearly defined sexual designation and principles results in blessing while rebelling entraps people in bondage and unless repented of ends in eternal damnation (1 Cor 6:9-11; Eph 5:5; Jud 1:7; Rev 21:8).