Battle of the Sexes: Gender

Intro

We have been working through what Biblical sexuality looks like these past 3 weeks.

This week, Gender

I believe the only way to really speak of Gender is to lay the groundwork for temptation vs sin, then look at Gender and Same Sex Attraction in that light.

Tension

What is temptation?

“The allurement or seduction of sin”

We need to understand something: temptation is not sin. This is Good news! But there is also some bad news hiding in this definition. First though, the good news.

Let’s look at a passage to clarify this:

Luke 4:1–13 ESV

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ” And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

The literal translation of the phrase “led by the Spirit for forty days” is “thrust out into”

So, if we believe Jesus is sinless, and we see that he is tempted, then we cannot believe that temptation equals sin.

So, The good news is that temptation is is not sin, but an allurement or seduction of it. Temptation is the “thing” that entices us to sin. So, we have the choice to to either sin, or not. Thats the good news.

Part 2

Now the bad news:

James 1:12–15 ESV

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

James 1:12-

Where does temptation come from?

“by his own desires” US! It comes from our hearts!

Truth

So, how does this apply to Same Sex Attraction and Gender?

As we have seen:

created order

Ordinance of marriage

Biblical condition for sex

The temptation isn’t sinful, but acting on them is. Thats the same for SSA and Gender fluidity.

Application

So, how do we handle this with our friends and family.

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