A couple years ago, I felt moved (I believe by the Holy Spirit) to post a blog series on identity. Then life got busy, and I had to abort the mission. The Prologue I wrote for the series (go here to view it) underlined a number of concerns that I was beginning to see regarding what people in our country were beginning to consider as their identity. While I didn't specify it in that post, I was specifically thinking about two things: 1.) a person's "sexual identity" (which I've covered at length here, here, here, here, and here); 2.) a person's "gender identity." At the time of the original post, I didn't necessarily see the urgency regarding defending God's design for a person's sex, on the grounds that most of the attacks were elsewhere, in other countries.
Since COVID hit, that has most certainly changed. Another key concern that directly ties into what I wanted to do with this series on identity was the concern I was seeing around other parts of the world (but not here) falsely decrying the Bible as "hate speech." I even outlined it in this post here. But that's now beginning to change even here in the United States.
Considering that at the time of my writing this post now (irrespective of whatever date I end up posting it on the blog), I'm moved to write but also alternately tied up with several different projects in the balance, I don't have the particular energy to write at length about gender identity. In short, I think it's ridiculous for anyone to change their sex or even to consider themselves "non-binary." The reason here is simple:
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
If you're a regular reader of my blog, I hope you've now learned to expect that I'm going to use the Bible for just about every salient point that I make when I feel moved to write about concerning things I see in the world around me. Simply put, I believe that because God created the universe, and because God also created every human being that has ever been alive, He assigns us to be male or female, just like His word says. Therefore, it is He -- and not you -- who decides whether you are male or whether you are female.
The second point I wish to make is to bring home what God says about identity. First, below is a reference to a more complete list of Bible verses that come up regarding what it says about one's identity:
Here are the top ten verses (include a repeat of the verse I just used to make my first point):
Genesis 1:27 ESV / 629 helpful votes
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / 464 helpful votes
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
1 Peter 2:9 ESV / 417 helpful votes
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Jeremiah 1:5 ESV / 379 helpful votes
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Galatians 2:20 ESV / 360 helpful votes
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 326 helpful votes
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Ephesians 2:10 ESV / 307 helpful votesFor we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV / 289 helpful votesNow you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
John 15:15 ESV / 256 helpful votesNo longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
1 John 3:1-3 ESV / 232 helpful votesSee what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.