For the last few years there has been a national debate across America, with an underlying question of, Who gets to decide what it means to be a woman? It may come as a shock to many Christians that a question such as this is even being asked. But, it comes on the heels of whether or not people who identify with being transgender should be allowed to play sports with the gender they identify with? Should an individual who was born male be able to complete with girls at a track and field meet? Should a 140 lb individual who was born female be able to play football and get tackled by a 250 lb boy? My answer is no, because who really wins in either example? If all trained equally, there’s still a disadvantage. 9 out of 10 times the transgender person who identifies as a girl will win the race, because of the male genes. Is that fair to all the girls who have worked just as hard to succeed? And what about the transgender boy? Because of the female genes that person is more likely to get seriously hurt, than to succeed, because of the lack of mass and strength. Nobody really wins in the end. Both science, as well as the Scripture declare this.
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Here, the Bible declares that women are indeed weaker than men both physically and emotionally. However, a husband is to honor his wife as equal to himself, even though she is weaker. For a good and strong leader, a wife will follow, but a tyrant she will not.
This passage alone should tell us that we can’t mix competitive sports with male, female, and transgender, because it wouldn’t be equal or fair for every player involved.
Now, back to answering this question: Who gets to decide what it means to be a woman (or man)? The One who created them does. God decides who is truly male and female based on the gender at birth. If God made you a man, you will always be male no matter the way you think or what you change. And the same goes for a woman. The truth is plain to see that there are only two genders (not many), because God said it was so. Therefore, May God be true and every man a liar (Rom. 3:4).
Genesis 1:20-22, 20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.
Here, God blesses a male and a female (be it human or in the animal kingdom) with the ability to procreate, and commands the man and woman to carry out the command in order to be bless. This alone is God’s standard and design, and the only sexual relationship that He will bless, in the covenant of marriage. And the blessing comes in the form of children. Now ask yourselves, can a man to man, or woman to woman sexual relationship produce children? No, it’s totally impossible. Therefore, these relationships are not blessed by God, because these parties have failed to obey God’s command to enter a relationship with the ability to procreate. This twisted and perverse generation needs to continue to hear this biblical truth. So, we must continue to speak God’s truth, on God’s behalf.
Genesis 2:18, 20b-22, 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
This word fit or suitable (depending on translation) in the verses above, is the same Hebrew word neged, and it literally means opposite of. Did you catch that? The partner that God declares fit for a man or a woman is of the opposite sex. There can be no mistakes, in regards to the meaning of original language of the Bible. This is God’s design for male and female, and when we step outside of those boundaries, we are living in sin.
Jesus Himself validifies this in Mark 10:6-7, 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother (who bore him) and hold fast to his wife (who can bare children).
The LGBTQ can continue to push their beliefs on us, but as true Christians, we must stand on God’s word and accept nothing outside of His commands. We must be lights in this dark world.
In the end, be it sports, relationships, or life in general, men and women (the only two genders) are equal, but never interchangeable declares the Lord.
By: Daniel C. Rodgers