gender Archives - Tasmanian Baptists

Peter Smith responds to the article, ‘Gender Diversity’ in reCharge on 21 March 2024

INTRODUCTION

The article on Gender Diversity on the 12 March 2024 in reCharge introduces to us a definition of gender but makes no attempt to show us from Scripture that that definition has arisen from its pages.

It assumes that one’s gender and one’s sex are different things but gives us no proof from God’s Word that this is so.

The article quotes some Bible references as it seeks to ground, at least some of its argument, in Scripture but it appears unconvincing to me.

GENDER AND SEX

Jesus points out that from creation there have only been two sexes: “The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” 4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? Matt. 19:3-5. And in pointing out this He indicates that this difference is set and was for the purpose of marriage. (The Bible does give exceptions to this in the case of those who never marry.)

The Scriptures prohibit what we now call “cross dressing”. “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God.” Deut. 22:5. Was God simply talking about different styles of clothing? Of course not! He was demanding the difference between men and women be maintained as He had planned from the beginning.

I cannot find in all of Scripture anywhere where gender and biological sex are not aligned.

BIBLICAL CONTEXT

“The Bible’s context for gender is bound in culture.” (Page 2/4) Really? Are we then to conclude that we can use different rules in our society because our culture is different and so we can interpret the Bible from our cultural lens? Is God’s truth then not eternal but relative?

How different societies treat culture makes no difference as to how we are to treat the Scriptures. It made no difference to the authors of Scripture (even though they wrote in different cultural contexts). It did not influence them so as to make what they wrote their own view of the subject. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Pt. 1:20-21. What they wrote in Scripture was God’s word – God’s truth on the subject under discussion. It was not their interpretation of what they saw. Being God’s truth it is then prescriptive for us.

OUR CALL

“For some of us, it is very important that we are conformed to the rules that our body aligns with most.” (Page 3/4) How can that be when we are told not to lean upon our own understanding? Isn’t God’s Word the light for our path and not our own desires or thinking?

Gen. 1:27 “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Since God made man in His image, male and female, any blurring of the genders is an attack on the image of God.

JUDGING OTHERS

“We should trust in God, and remember Romans 14 that we should not judge, and trust in the hearts of those we may disagree with.” (Page 3/4) So, are we to believe everything that comes out of the heart of others – or even our own heart? Are we to accept this as truth? Are all hearts pure and therefore on par with the Scriptures?

The reference to Romans 14 is taken out of context. “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.” Rm. 14:1. The discussion in this chapter is confined to “doubtful things”. And the examples in this chapter are such things as foods and celebration of different days. It has nothing to do with truths that are clearly set down in Scripture. And one of the things in Scripture that is not doubtful is the definite distinctions between male and female. This is not up for debate.

THE SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE

The thing that really saddens me is that behind the views that are expressed in this article is, as I see it, the lack of conviction on the sufficiency of the Scriptures. Clearly the viewpoints expressed in this article about gender do not arise from Scripture but from the current viewpoints expressed by our culture.

The Bible is very clear as to the sufficiency of Scripture to prepare us for any good work. We do not need to go to the world to listen to them as to how we should believe or work. (Not that God cannot use the world to teach us things.) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim. 3:16-17. The Scriptures are sufficient to make us complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work (that, of course, would include dealing with gender confused people).

CONTENTMENT

Contentment is a characteristic that held up to us by Scripture as a great blessing. “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:11-13.

It is a cruel thing to encourage a gender confused person in their dissatisfaction with themselves rather than addressing the issues that lie behind it. It is even more terrible to advise them from a non-Biblical point of view that will not address those issues.

CONCLUSION

As expressed above the issue at stake here is not simply that of gender diversity, but much more importantly, that of a view of Scripture that is not consistent with its inspiration and its sufficiency as laid out in the Scripture themselves.

To abandon the Word of God in such a way can only invite disaster and results in a gospel that is not the Gospel (which brings an anathema upon it).

In His service,

Peter Smith

(Member of Deloraine Baptist Church)

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.

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