What is transgender?
Though this category is still in a state of continual change and redefinition we will offer the following: Transgender is an umbrella term that is used to describe anyone whose inner sense of gender is, to varying degrees, not in agreement with the biological reality of their body. This is about perception and feelings. We also acknowledge that the discussion of this topic is complicated. There are also other terms that do not fall under the same umbrella with transgender, e.g. cross-dressing, intersex, Xenogender, etc.
If males and females are made in God’s image, does that mean that God is both male and female?
We will briefly answer this huge question by laying some foundation. God is an invisible (1 Timothy 1:17), non-physical Person (John 4:24). God does not have the limitations of a physical being (Job 11:7-10) or frail human characteristics as we do (Numbers 23:19). Though the Bible often uses physical descriptions to describe His spirit-being, that is for our understanding. Scripture also tells us that the physical creation and the humanity of mankind reveal things about who God is (Romans 1:18-20). In short, God is neither male nor female. He is spirit.
Joseph – “There are things about God that we cannot fully know; however, I’d say that God is the fullest expression of all of masculinity and femininity. When He created mankind, he made male and female two distinct genders but having varied relational and emotional capacities of masculine and feminine traits. Thus, each of us reflects God in some beautiful and unique way!”
Jim – Nowhere in scripture does it say or indicate that God is both male and female. Scripture fully describes God using male pronouns and words such as Father and the Lord God, all have masculine foundations. When the Son came to Earth, he came in a bodily form as a male.”
God created humanity in His image (Genesis 1:27). Psalm 8 declares,
4“what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?[c]
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God[d]
and crowned them[e] with glory and honor.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—” (vs. 4-6 NLT).
Wow! What a glorious description of humans! We carry about in our human form something that is different than all the rest of creation. We are image bearers. Created in His image, God created a binary expression of either male or female. We are equally carrying God’s divine image, and we also carry His image together. One gender is not more desirable than the other. One is not better than the other. This does not mean that male and female are the same with the same functions. Male and female are not interchangeable. Instead, male and female are gloriously different. That matters, and that is good. Patricia Weerakoon in her book, The Gender Revolution stated, “Difference in form and function does not mean difference in value and worth.” We wholeheartedly agree.
Laura Beth – “Scientists have discovered over 6,500 biological differences between men and women, and nearly every part of the body has differences in the design that point to a binary creation of two distinct sexes. Every part of the body is designed for the roles that God gave us and to be a witness of those characteristics of God He displays differently in male and in female. If male and female design was that important to God, then we must believe that He has reasons far above what we are able to understand.
I have a child who has been transitioning. Recently they asked us to use their trans name and asked us to use new pronouns. What should we do?
Jim – In the interest of being a person known for the truth, I’d recommend a very kind, but firm response based off what one knows to be the truth. “I’ve known you all of your life, and because of my love for you, I cannot agree to go against what I know to be true.”
Linda Seiler from her book, Transformation, writes: “Under no circumstances would I affirm my child in a false identity contrary to God’s design. However, I need wisdom from the Holy Spirit as to how to navigate that conversation” (p. 261-262).