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1st Samuel 16:7, 2nd Corinthians 10:7, Acts 3:6-10, Bible Study, Bible verses, blog hits, born transsexual, Christian, dialog, discussion, Ecclesiastes 11:5, eunuch, God, God the source of life, God's sovereignty, harmonizing Scripture, Isaiah 44:3, Jeremiah 1:5, Jesus, John 6:63, John 9:2, key verses, LinkedIn, Luke 11:40, marketplace of ideas, Matthew 19, mental health profession, Psalm 127:3, Psalm 139, Psalm 51:5, Transgender, Transsexual, truth, Zechariah 12:1
One of the difficulties in dealing with transgender from a Biblical standpoint is the lack of any direct references to the topic within scripture. There is a section of Matthew 19 where Jesus describes three types of eunuchs: those who were born that way, those who were made that way by others and those who made themselves that way. Two of these examples could refer to transgender individuals, but it isn’t certain. This passage of scripture will require further detailed study before I will include it in this blog.
It is both intriguing and sad that even without any direct reference, certain Christians can be so insistent on the sinful nature of transgender. Backed by outdated viewpoints of the mental health profession (which are clung to by a small minority within the profession), they point at a couple of verses that don’t apply at all while selectively referring to the sovereignty of God in creating our physical body. But they ignore the fact that according to scripture, God creates the inside of a person and puts our spirit inside of us.
A few years ago, comparing scripture to scripture and harmonizing key verses, I began to put together a rationale that, based in part on the growing evidence that someone transgender is born this way, that there is indeed nothing sinful about how we are born. Part of my reason for this blog was to put my findings into the marketplace of ideas and get feedback.
I do not claim to be a Bible scholar and I did not go to seminary. But I grew up in the church, heard the Bible stories for children from the earliest age and have read the Bible pretty much since I could read. About 25 years ago, I began to endeavor to read and study it on a daily basis. The older I have gotten, the better my discipline in doing so and the more my understanding has increased. In addition to reading and studying on my own, I have attended many Bible studies and have even led a few studies and preached a sermon or two. So borrowing part of a phrase from the Apostle Paul, I can say without apology that I am “no mean” Bible student. Furthermore, any believer on Jesus Christ has access to the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things.
Ultimately, I care about what is right, not who is right. If I am in error in the ideas and treatises that I have set forth, I want to know about it. So far no one has been able to find anything in the way of error that holds up after closer examination and explanation. Sadly, there are some whose pride will not allow them to either admit that they are wrong or at least continue the dialog, so they take their marbles and go home.
The other part of my reason for this blog is that with so little in the way of thorough discussion of what the Bible has to say about transgender, I wanted people in both the transgender community and Christian community to know what I had seen and learned. If this is indeed truth, then truth sets free. Primarily in this case, it would remove the shackles that keep most members of the transgender community coming together with and in the body of Christ.
Even with what I have found, there are only so many Bible verses that touch on the subject even indirectly. Occasionally I find another one here and there, but it is a rare occurrence now. And I am not about to invent Bible verses out of thin air!
Most of my findings were published in the earliest days of the blog, when readership was meager at best. My blog is certainly far from having gone viral, but at least it is a lot more popular than it was. At the first, I was pleased if I had at least one hit every day. Recently, I had over 100 hits in a day and it is disappointing to have days with less than 10.
Mindful of the growing readership, I have added a page to my blog site giving a list (with brief explanation) of the key Bible verses on the topic. This post both advertises that page and points the reader to earlier posts using those verses.
11/18/13 – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – Part I (Psalm 139)
11/19/13 – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – Part II (Zechariah 12:1 & Psalm 51:5)
11/20/13 – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – Part III (Jeremiah 1:5, Isaiah 44:3, Psalm 127:3, Ecclesiastes 11:5)
12/3/13 – God doesn’t make mistakes (John 9:2 & Acts 3:6-10)
12/28/13 – How does God see people? (1st Samuel 16:7)
12/29/13 – A further look at how God sees us (John 6:63)
6/24/14 – Not all people trapped in the wrong body are trans (2nd Corinthians 10:7, 1st Samuel 16:7, Luke 11:40)
3/7/15 – Commentary on anti-trans legislation proposed in Texas (Luke 11:40 & Zechariah 12:1)
Finally, I bid a thankful welcome to all those who have found my blog for the first time through my LinkedIn page.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: – Isaiah 28:10
God bless,
Lois
