Sex and Gender

Thinking Clearly About Gender 
Sex And Gender 
Genesis 1:26-28 

The challenge in approaching this issue is to avoid extremes.  To think, speak, and act in ways that are biblically sound and exhibit both the love and truth of God’s good design. 

Some Groundwork

Biologically someone is male, or female based on four things: 

• Internal Reproductive Organs 
• External sexual Anatomy 
• Endocrine systems that produce Secondary sex characteristics 
• Presence or absence of a Y Chromosome 

Gender Roles describe the social and cultural aspects of being male or female – in other words, all things related to masculinity and femininity. This is largely influenced by culture and can change as culture does.

Gender Identity has to do with the psychological aspects associated with being male or female – someone’s internal sense of self as male, female, both or neither. 

Transgenderism is an umbrella term for the state or condition of identifying or expressing a gender identity that does not match a person’s physical/genetic sex. Someone who identifies as transgender may experience incongruence between their biological sex and their gender identity.

Gender Dysphoria describes the psychological distress or impairment that some people experience as a result of their experience of gender incongruence.  

Intersex is a general term for a variety of physical conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. The vast majority of people with intersex conditions identify as male or female rather than transgender or transsexual.  

Clarification: 

• Intersex is a physical/biological condition.
• Gender dysphoria is a psychological condition.
• Transgender is an identity. 

Key Question: If someone experiences incongruence between their biological sex and their internal sense of self, which one determines who they are – and why? 

What Does The Bible Say? 

1. Sex is an essential part of what it means to be Human (Genesis 1:26-28) 

Our biological sex is a good part of God’s creation.  God deliberately made us a race of men and women.  Our sexuality is about who we are, and who God made and meant for us to be.  

Our body is essential to our status as image bearers. 

2. Whenever the Bible addresses crossing gender boundaries, it is unequivocally Denounced 

““A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5, ESV)

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10, NIV84) 

“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26–27, ESV) 

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18–20, ESV) 

3. The Bible seems to allow some Flexibility in how we live out our biological sex 

God has created and called us to live in congruence with our biological sex, but we have to work out that principle within our cultural context.  

We must find an appropriate balance between the biological sex God has given us without uncritically adopting certain cultural stereotypes. 

The Current Tension 

Key Question: If someone experiences incongruence between their biological sex and their internal sense of self, which one determines who they are – and why? 

Authority: Who has the right to tell me what to do? 
Knowledge: Who knows what is best for me to do? 
Trustworthiness: Who loves me and wants what is best for me?

Questions For Reflection 

How is God calling me to think differently? 
How is God reordering my heart’s affections – what I love? 
What is God calling me to do as I go into this week? 

Ready to take your Next Step?

• See Pastor Jeff after the service today
• Fill out a Connect Card and drop it in the offering box
• Text Next to 803-637-8484
• Go to FBCFM.COM and click “Next Steps”