Five years ago, I never could have imagined this scenario: My young grandchildren going to an extended family gathering, which included a “transgender” woman (a biological woman who identifies as a man) who also happens to be “engaged” to a woman. Whatever happened to this basic truth,
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27
But such is the world we now live in. This is the world my grandchildren…and your children are growing up in. As much as it would be tempting to run for cover, find an isolated island, and shield them from this increasingly popular form of rebellion against God, there is a much more biblical, life-giving, hope-filled approach.
Denny Burk, in his article, “Training Our Kids in a Culture That Affirms Transgenderism”, states,
The Bible puts solid ground beneath our feet so that we don’t have to guess at what it means to be male and female, and so that parents don’t have to sow even more confusion into their child’s bewilderment. The spirit of the age tells us that raising a little boy to be a little boy can be cruel and abusive if that little boy wishes to behave like a girl. Gender is a choose-your-own-adventure story, and the parent’s job is to get out of the way and let it happen.
The Christian vision is so very different from this and so very freeing and affirming of what we were really meant to be before God. In the biblical view, every single person is created in the image of God. God did not make us into undifferentiated genderless automatons. On the contrary, he made us male and female (Gen.1:26–27), and that fundamental biological distinction defines us. Gender norms, therefore, have their roots in God’s good creation and are revealed in nature and Scripture. The task of parenting requires understanding those norms and inculcating them into our children—even those children who have deep conflicts about their “gender identity.” This is a truth-telling discipline that rests on the Bible’s normative connection between biological sex and gender identity. But this assumes that we know what the Bible teaches about manhood and womanhood. (www.crossway.org)
His last sentence is really important. Christian parents and teachers, do you know what the Bible teaches about biblical manhood and womanhood? Are you intentionally discipling them to embrace, live-out, and delight in God’s good design? Are you prepared to address the sinful follies of this age and answer the hard questions? Are you giving them solid, unshakable, biblical truth so that they might stand firm when hated by the world for their “intolerance”?
At Truth78, we have intentionally woven teaching on biblical manhood and womanhood throughout our resources. But two resources have been specifically written to address this important topic head-on.
God’s Design (Elementary ages) A 26 chapter interactive devotional book for families.
Rejoicing in God's Good Design - A Study for Youth on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 28 lesson curriculum to help youth (ages 13 -18) understand the work and wisdom of God in creating male and female, and embrace their God-given roles.
