Transgenderism
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· 31 viewsA Review of the Biblical View of Gender and Asking How Christians should Respond and Teach our Kids to Respond to our Current Culture's Official Religion
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Transgenderism – Cultural Movement – Modern American Religion
Movement that is difficult to make sense of (Carl Truemann – Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self)
In a world that is increasingly secular, increasingly believing that all truth is only the result of science and if science cant show it then you shouldn’t believe it, into that world comes perhaps the most anti-scientific movement in history, a movement that would have been thought impossibly absurd for all of human history, a new religion of utter madness
I preached a sermon 7-8 months ago on the Biblical view of Gender, and I know of course that you memorize all of my sermons so there is no reason to but I am going to remind you of the main points that we looked at (YouTube/Podcast)
Gender = Sex - Male = Man
No such thing as gender apart from sex
God Created 2 Sexes/Gender
Identifies humans FIRST by their sex - in Garden, perfect all is Good world, male and female
Maleness and femaleness is essential to humanity
Never any indication there is anything else
God Identifies Men and Women by their Bodies
You are more than your body but you are not less
Platonic separation – you are soul and body
If your body is injured, YOU are injured
If your brain is injured, it inhibits your soul
Your growth and maturity from infancy is a direct result of the growth of your body
Your body is YOU
One of the causes of this idea that you can be INSIDE what you are not OUTSIDE – disconnect btw body and soul
Biblically your true self is body and soul – Your body isn’t lying to you
Side note – identified by bodies not by interests – she likes football, he must be a boy, he likes playing with dolls, he must be a girl – NO! She is a competitive girl, he is a nurturing boy, not signs of the WRONG BODY but of God’s beautiful variety, allow the variants to be beautiful, don’t try to force your child to fit the stereotypes – David wrote poetry and played the harp, Jael killed an enemy in battle by stabbing him in the head
God Created You in Particular
You exist because God decided for you to exist, as an idea from the mind of the Divine One, uniquely crafted by the hand of God, he made you exactly as he intended to, beautifully, unlike anything else he had ever created, designed to be a window to him
The Creator can tell you better who you are than even you can.
Your identity cannot be chiefly in your skills or your looks or financial status or where you were born or your skin color or who you are attracted to . . .
To strive to become what God has not made you is an act of rebellion and can not lead to your flourishing
How do we Respond? What do I tell my children about how to respond?
Love them Radically
Not every Transgender is an Activist trying to change you, most are just hurting and confused, how are we supposed to respond to the hurting and confused? We (myself included) tend to get really defensive and aggressive with this topic, largely because of the media and because of the extremes that we see in the news, the extremes on both sides is what gets the clicks and views. Most are not out there trying to overthrow society, most have simply grabbed on to a new branch on the as old as Eden tree of Idolatry.
This ideology is everywhere and across all ages, but the prevalence is BY FAR the greatest in young people.
Most rampant in young people, today’s teenagers and twenties. We think, “THIS IS ENTIRELY NEW AND UNIQUE!” These are teenagers who are hurting, teenagers looking for identity, 20 somethings looking for where they belong, trying to figure out who they are and their place in the world – that’s about as old a thing as there is! Sure this avenue of searching is new, but young people that are confused and hurting is far from novel. Young people putting their identity in the wrong place is constant. This one puts his identity in this gender decision, that one puts his identity in sports, that one in girls, that one in academic success, that one in popularity. They’re all missing it and they’re all harming themselves and they’re all living in idolatry.
Asking today How should Christians respond to LGBTQ and Transgenderism, How should Christians respond to people that are hurting and confused?
If I said, there’s a transgender teen here, would you mind talking with them? What would you do? What if I said, there’s a hurting and confused teenager who is looking for a place to belong, trying to find themselves, and desperately wanting to be loved, would you mind talking with them?
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
1 Jn 4:11-12 – God is visible through us
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
We know what is true, we know what is best for them, but they aren’t going to care if they feel like you don’t love them truly. Care about them as you would any person that is struggling. Be kind. Make sure they know you are FOR them. We say all the time that evangelism is one blind beggar who has found food, and now trying to help another blind beggar find the riches he has found. That doesn’t change when the person’s struggle is gender related. Love them knowing that you were once like them, hungry, confused, idolatrous. Don’t see them as WHOLLY OTHER, see them as you without Christ.
Confusing times, how do I handle this situation, how do I speak to them or about them – I’ve read books and books on the topic, and there’s still things I am unsure about. When in Doubt: Love. Treat like Christ treated the outcast, knowing they are hurting.
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
1 Corinthians 13
Love them Radically (Without Approving)
Be Unashamed for the sake of their Soul
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Drum beat of my generation of my age Christians when I was in college, we couldn’t get to the tattoo parlor fast enough (not as cool as Paytons . . . )
The message is not just don’t be ashamed of Jesus, it is don’t be ashamed of the Gospel BECAUSE the Gospel has real power to save. Not BE UNASHAMED SO YOU CAN SHOW THEM YOU’RE RIGHT AND YOU WIN, its be unashamed because you have living water.
In a thirsty world, God has led you to the fountain, how could you be ashamed of the fountain.
You have the answer for who they are, you have the answer for where they belong. All the questions they are asking, all the hopes they have for finding answers from this gender obsessed culture, you have better answers, you have what is True. Don’t be ashamed.
“You either affirm me or you hate me” – Dear Christian, you cannot do either of those things. The Bible won’t allow you to hate. The Bible won’t allow you to affirm.
Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
modern demand for approval – classical call for tolerance and love
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Tell them what is true, but do it honestly from love and care, and make sure they know that is where it is coming from. Be gentle. Be gracious. Show them respect. Don’t lie to them. Tell them the truth.
Expect to be Slandered
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Jerry-Weeds
Talking to Mrs. Tammy this week – Bonhoeffer – doesn’t cost to be a Christian . . .
Lights shine in darkness
Shadrach Meshach Abednego picture – young men – what do you think the Babylonians wanted to do to these fellas when they stood, how bout the fellow Jews, their other friends, get down mates, what are you doing, just go along with it, we don’t really mean it, just bow.
Transgenderism, LGBTQ+ is the closest cultural parallel to this moment that I can remember.
When the boys are brought to Nebuchadnezzar, they are respectful toward him, they gave him proper honor, they simply refused to bow, and they were ready to suffer and die instead.
If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
C.S. Lewis – When the whole world is running toward a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The great goal of your life is not to avoid pain and increase popularity, it is to exalt Jesus, to shine His Light – don’t be surprised when the darkness hates you for it.
Love them Radically (Without Approving)
Don’t Be Ashamed for the Sake of their Soul
Expect to be Slandered