Biblical Gender Identity
Section: Intro ⋅ Single ⋅ Marriage ⋅ Adultery ⋅ Living Together Not Married ⋅ Prostitution ⋅ Cross Dressing ⋅ Homosexuality ⋅
Disclaimers:
1. This is a mature topic only intended for people who've at least begun puberty. If you are less than 13 years old then I pray you don't have any reason to concern yourself with this yet, and you should ask a trustworthy adult before reading this. (My Family in the Bible page (here) is meant for all ages.)
2. This summary is not intended for general counseling, it is for those who want to know what the Bible says on this topic, and for those who claim the Bible is silent or says the opposite, plus a little commentary to get us started on what it means and how all this fits in a Biblical worldview.Direct Indirect
- Genesis 2:20 hub
The Genesis passage is actually Genesis 2:18-25, and is very applicable to a Biblical perspective of the role of sex in life. Verse 20 says "no suitable helper was found" for Adam. Which begs the question, "suitable" for what? Adam knew, because earlier in that verse all the animals had paraded by Adam so he could name and assess them, and "no suitable helper was found." Then in verse 24 Adam says "that is why..." because he knew Eve was there to fulfill what God had commanded in Genesis 1:27-28. She was there to allow him to procreate. That is how woman is man's helper, and that is why Adam says the two will "become one flesh." A prophet reminds us of this over 3 millennia later in Malachi 2:15. In the modern church, we sanitize the scriptures. We teach little children in Sunday School that verse 25 says "they felt no shame" because no one else was there to see them and make them feel embarrassed because our private parts and even our bodies as a whole are not all that pleasant to look at. But that's a white lie given to extend the innocence of youth. The truth is a lot of people have a lot of lust when we see the true figure of man or woman. We are supposed to cover up not because we look bad but because we look so good to each other.
As little more than related trivia, Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 15:39-40 that the Hebrews / Israelites / Jews made a significant distinction between different kinds of living beings.
Thankfully, sex with animals is one perversion that is neither common nor lobbied for in any culture I know of, nor an active problem. Though we'd be naive to think it doesn't happen all over the world anyway. Because Satan also uses the Bible as his guide, we need to expect bestiality to grow in popularity sooner or later. Can you imagine people lobbying Congress to pass a law that allows a man to marry a dog? Or more specifically, a law that protects a man from being told "no" if he wants to force a hospital to allow his dog into his hospital room, or to force a restaurant to allow his dog to dine at a table with him regardless of the impact on the people around him? Passing laws to protect any sexual immorality are just as ridiculous when we recognize the nature of sexual immorality. If we start with the Bible as our guide, we'll know not to tolerate this behavior, even if we get labeled a bigot (intolerant). (Note the keyword is "behavior." We shouldn't tolerate the behavior nor condone the thoughts that lead to the behavior. But people, individuals, should always be treated with love and respect.) Granted, bestiality is arguably not a strict human gender identity issue, but it clearly relates to human sexual immorality.
Last Modified: Sunday, December 03, 2023
