at ODDS: Gender

"What does the Bible say about Gender?

"In a nutshell, our culture has been changing at light speed. Even the definitions of words have been changing at light speed. So, it’s hard to know the right words to use. Because what we mean by the words we choose may not be what you hear. And, what concerns us most – as Jesus followers – is that some of these cultural winds seem at odds … at odds … with the designs and purposes of our Creator, our God.

You see, for thousands of years, the vast, vast majority of people have assumed there were just 2 sexes – male and female – and that sex and gender were essentially linked. In other words, your gender was based on your equipment. This wasn’t just the assumption for people who believed in the God of the Bible; this was the way just about everybody viewed the world. There was this “binary,” … not only with people but with just about all the other creatures on earth.

And yet, with what seems like light speed, sex and gender have been disconnected, separated, and differentiated. Now, for many, your sex is linked to your physical body … kind of, but your gender is linked more to your heart and your mind. Your physical body determines your sex … kind of, but your identity is more about your heart … what you feel, and your mind … what you think you are."