We are seeing a growing number of cases where young people are confused or no longer satisfied with their gender. Boys who think they should be girls; or girls who think they should be boys. Or in some cases confused young people who think they should be one of the recently invented genders.
As Christians there is no need to be confused. God only created males and females. Genesis 1:27 “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Both genders are created in the image of God himself. It is a great honor and privilege to be a female or a male. It really is basic science; the genitals of males and females are different from one another (there are other difference, but these are the most obvious). I remember when I was eight years old watching our pet dog give birth. As each puppy was born, I was excited to see if it was a boy or a girl. Two were male, three were female. Even as an 8-year-old I could tell the difference.
The Bible tells us that God Himself is responsible for our gender. Psalm 139:13 “For You formed my inwards parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”
If it is so simple, why so much confusion? It is just the latest attack upon truth. If God says it is so, the World the Devil and the Flesh will fight against it. The young people I have spoken with can give no reason for the confusion. It is just a feeling (the flesh making them uncomfortable with the truth). They are reluctant to talk about it because it makes no sense and cannot be defended. This “new” problem is not very different from other common problems our young people face. “Sex will bless me and make me happy, solve my problems”. Or instead of sex; alcohol, drugs, laziness, material things, the list is a long one. We who are older may think it strange to be confused about one’s gender. Yet, if we are honest when we were young, we knew what God said, but lived otherwise, allowing ourselves to believe a lie.
It is just the latest attempt to define ourselves. “God does not have the right to define me. I am independent from God and everyone else. I am the only one with the right to define who I am. So, I can be another gender if I want to be.” God is patience with our foolishness, for a time.
What are we to do to help our young people struggling to rightly understand themselves?
- Someone is introducing these ideas, grooming them toward this lifestyle. Find out where these influences are coming from and stop it.
- Take your child seriously, it is very important to them. I know it is difficult to take something so silly seriously but if you don’t you will send the message that you do not love them or that you think they are stupid. Your child may be confused or being misled but he is not stupid.
- Do not treat it lightly, a phase that will soon pass. Scripture warns us that denying truth is very serious. Romans 1:18-19 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
- Study up on the topic. It is much more complicated than I have space to cover here. It is presented in a cunning manner, with a lot of “expert” testimony. The basic argument is that our sex (genitals we were born with) is different from our gender (which can take many forms). This is pagan thinking, refusing to allow God to define His own creation.