The Weekly Encourager – September 24, 2018 – Gender Bender?

I apologize in advance, for today I'm going to share thoughts on a controversial topic: homosexuality and “gender reassignment.” I know that in many circles this is politically incorrect, but sometimes as Christians we are called upon to speak the truth. Read or delete as you wish.

I start with this irrefutable fact: “God created man in His own image...male and female He created them….God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good.” - Genesis 1: 27, 31. Just let this soak in.

I'm not an expert on the topic, but here's what God says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” - I Corinthians 6: 9-11 ESV

Note that, after listing a bunch of sinful lifestyles, the Bible says, “And such were some of you.” It doesn't say, “such ARE some of you,” but “such WERE some of you,” indicating that they have changed, by God's grace. Every one of us is a sinner, so we can't judge homosexuals as being any worse than idolaters, thieves, or drunkards. We still love these people just as much. BUT, those who have met Jesus and chosen to follow Him will repent of evil and try to reform bad habits with the help of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we slip and fall into old patterns sometimes, but our hearts have been changed in a fundamental way. These sinful acts are no longer our chosen lifestyle, but aberrations we regret. The church is made up of sinners of every stripe who are not perfect, but forgiven. We have received mercy, thus we have a new desire to live righteous lives which bring glory to God. Therefore, if we have homosexual thoughts, we try not to act upon them, but direct our minds to something else. If we are alcoholics who feel like getting drunk, we step away from the bar.

I know several teenagers and young adults personally who are “identifying” as homosexuals and/or pursuing changes in gender. By the way, most of these dear children come from “good Christian homes” with parents who believe in Christ. These parents have tried to live by faith and raise their kids in the faith. I cannot begin to understand the grief of these parents, who are my dear friends. My heart goes out to you, and my prayers go up to God on your behalf. My love for you and your children remains as strong as ever.

What's happening to these young people is beyond sad. And it's just Wrong. No matter what you do to your body, you can't change your DNA. This is a scientific fact. Therefore, I cannot bring myself to call a boy “she” or a girl “he.” I could change my name to Butch S. Manly, get surgery, take hormones, act like a man, and dress like a man, but I will never BE a man inside. Every cell in my body cries out, “I am a woman.” “Gender reassignment” is ridiculous on the face of it. God gives gender assignments, not people. If you are required to pass a Spanish class and the teacher gives you the assignment to learn a certain set of Spanish verbs, you don't answer back, “No, I'd rather learn some Chinese verbs instead.” It should be obvious that the teacher gives the assignment, not the student. Our job as students is to do the work to get comfortable with those verbs, to practice and become fluent in the assigned language, whether it's our first choice or not.

The underlying problem here is not the child's gender, but the overall unhappiness with his/her life in a sinful world. Most often, the person seeking a gender change is depressed and not getting help for it. The person believes that changing gender will be the solution to his/her problems. Often, the child is going through the typical “I don't fit in” feelings of youth. They struggle with perfectly normal feelings of not belonging, being rejected by peers, etc. As parents, teachers, mentors, coaches, relatives, and friends, our role is to help these struggling children to navigate the difficult phases of growing up. At the risk of being overly simplistic, we do this by providing unconditional love along with positive male and female role models. We must foster an environment where the child feels safe and accepted, loved and listened to. We must help the child find his/her God-given gifts, so that he/she can feel the satisfaction of doing something well, finding some place to fit in. We also must provide age-appropriate rules and boundaries, with firm discipline when necessary. We get pastoral or professional help when needed. No matter what our fallen world says, we never let the child set his own agenda. That is a fool rearing a fool.

I am reminded of a young boy I know, who got up early one Saturday and ate an entire box of a dozen donuts himself. His parents awoke in time to see their son vomit up the sugary treats. I assure you that if he had asked first if he could eat a dozen donuts in one sitting, his parents would have refused. A parent is given the responsibility of helping the child distinguish between Want and Need. Train the child in the right way to go, so he/she can make healthy choices later. We can't give a child everything a child wants, but we try to give everything a child needs.

Our role is to help these sad children to find Jesus, for He alone holds the answers. He alone can give meaning to life, ease real suffering, and bring joy to troubled hearts. Even if a child asks for a stone (thinking it to be a box of donuts), good parents will give him nourishing whole-grain bread. As the Proverbs say, there is a way which looks appealing to a person, but it leads to death. Remember Adam and Eve, the original disobedient children. Trying to become the opposite sex is like eating a bad apple full of worms or a box of donuts which will make you vomit over and over. Eating a stone will only drag you down further. Suicide rates are twenty times greater in people who have artificially “re-assigned” their gender through surgery.

Sometimes it's an issue of authority. Remember that we have been given the sacred duty to supervise and superintend our kids' growing years. We must cultivate healthy relationships with the children God has placed in our lives, so that they are able to confide in us. We are wiser than they. We try to cultivate good sense and emotional awareness, so that they can make wise decisions as they mature. We must build trust. We must build faith. We must affirm, encourage, and celebrate the gender God chose for them.

What if it's too late? If you are a parent, this situation may not be your fault, but a result of living in a broken world. It's never too late to change your relationship with your child. Get godly help. For your child, this may not be his/her fault, but a result of living in a broken world. It's never too late for God to change a heart. Get godly help.

In any case, keep on praying, for God is faithful. Keep on loving the person, no matter what, yet speak Biblical truth and maintain boundaries. Refuse to call good evil and evil good. Truth is a part of love. Maintain your integrity, finding your strength in the Lord, who is our only Rock. Stay close to the Lord, His word, and His people. These are the same things we all must do to fight our daily battles. Stand firm! God is more than able to overcome any problem, to forgive any sin, to reach any reprobate. “They who trust Him wholly, find Him wholly true.” - Frances R. Havergal.

Have hope! Remember that love covers a multitude of sins. Above all, do not hate sinners, but love them to Christ.

God is faithful,
j

For further reading: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2015/06/15145/