Gender, Pronouns, and What the Bible Says

In this cultural moment, a shared understanding of who we are and who we were created to be is not the norm. When discussing identity with many of our friends, family, and co-workers we, as Christians, simply cannot assume a common biblical worldview. In fact, one recent revelation in our culture came about when a female Supreme Court nominee was asked to define what a woman is. Her response was that she could not… Her reason? “I am not a biologist,” she said. Unfortunately, this is not the only recent revelation of our current crisis.

For instance, not too long ago, a leading tech empire released their newest emoji depicting a very bloated man. Some believed this to be a pregnant man, but this certainly could not be. Men simply do not have the plumbing, nor the mechanics to pull that off. Right? Some in our culture even prefer the term “non-birthing parent” over “father,” picking up on that plumbing issue. So, it must have been a bloated man.

I am certain that this tech empire would disagree, along with many others in our day. Yet, at the center of this misconception lies the issue of reality–how things really are and what they are meant to be. A technical term for this issue would be “ontology.” So, with this in view, hopefully I can add some clarity here. Allow me to explain.

He Said, She Said

Our culture suffers from a kind confusion. So many voices and so many thoughts, right at our fingertips, with no filter! Who are we to believe? Who are we to trust?

While some of the dynamics are unprecedented, the current confusion is really nothing new. This is simply a new manifestation of an old problem. At its root, it is the sinful heart of men and women that reveals itself in rebellion to God’s design. It is a rejection of who God created us to be—more on that in just a bit.

One way that this confusion presents and propagates itself is in the redefining of terms. For instance, the word “gender” was once understood to be synonymous with “sex.” According to Merriam-Webster, “In the 15th century gender expanded from its use as a term for a grammatical subclass to join sex in referring to either of the two primary biological forms of a species, a meaning sex has had since the 14th century; phrases like "the male sex" and "the female gender" are both grounded in uses established for more than five centuries.” It was only in the 20th century that these terms began to take on new meaning.

 While I will not get into all the detail of those changes here, one is worth noting. It is the change in the use of the word “gender.” Although the primary definitions in Merriam-Webster still reflect the historical usage of these terms, it has added definitions to “gender.” As explained in the above referenced article:

“[Gender] gained a meaning referring to the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex, as in "gender roles.” It has advanced from this to now include “gender identity [which refers to] a person's internal sense of being male, female, some combination of male and female, or neither male nor female [and] gender expression [which] refers to the physical and behavioral manifestations of one's gender identity.”

By now you might be wondering whether to commit to reading the rest of this article. Don’t worry. It’s getting to the good part—the part where we talk about what the Bible has to say.

“He Created them Male and Female…”

God’s Word is clear from the beginning. God created all things and as the pinnacle of his creation, his crowning-creature, he created Man. All the other creatures had mates, each of them had complementary companions.[i] But for man, there was no such complement. So, God created Woman from Man, and the two became one (Gen 2:18-24).

Creation testifies to the binary distinctions of male and female, not only in humanity but in all creatures, big and small. It is interesting to note that there is no substantial argument about biological sex and gender norms in the animal kingdom that defies the binary framework (then again, I am no biologist).

The current conversation is a smoke screen that tries to separate sexual identity from sexual biology. It is the make-believe versus the reality of things. It is this psychological and social shift that explains the change in definitions, and it has been a long time coming.[ii]

I do not say this to in any way be dismissive of those who disagree. I can respect and honor a person as created in God’s image, even if they reject that status and malign it. But it must be said that rejecting this reality is to break out against the One who made you. This path comes to a frightful end. As one who has once walked in enmity of the Creator of all things and has been delivered from the grip of sin and death, I am compelled to speak truth, even if it must offend, but may it be truth that offends and not my own pride or false sense of self-righteousness.

Gender, Pronouns, and What the Bible Says

At this point you might be wondering, “what about the pronoun thing?” What about the bloated man and the fact that I am no biologist?

When we take the above into consideration, I think it makes that issue quite simple—not easy, but simple. Love speaks truth. It is not truthful to address someone according to something they are not. It is not loving to lie to avoid offense. However, this does not mean we are to be jerks about it!

The same gospel truth that brings hope to a wretch like me is there for the one who is confused about who God created them to be. To be sure, this is not mere passive confusion. It is a symptom of a very active rebellion! But, friends, this is not a condition beyond repair or redemption. There is grace for the sinner in the arms of Christ. There is mercy and love flowing from Calvary’s cross, hope shining from the empty tomb, and glory calling from the throne of heaven: “Come!” Leave your sin. Come out from the confusion and deceitfulness of your sin and turn to Christ!

This world is not our own. It did not come about by accident, nor is it waiting to be claimed or identified by the whims and fancies of fickle humans. God created us in his image, male and female he created us, that we might be fruitful and multiply, subduing and exercising dominion for the increase of his worship among the nations and the filling of the whole earth with his glory.

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[i] As an aside here, the word “complement,” as in “complementarian,” can be defined as “something that fills up, completes, or makes better or perfect.”

[ii] For a comprehensive look at this shift, see “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self” by Carl R. Trueman or his more popular level treatment of this same work titled “Strange New World.”