Answering Life ’ s Ultimate Questions : Part Three
By Jeff Keaton
Question Four : Why do we have only two genders ? “ So God created mankind in his own image , in the image of God he created them ; male and female he created them .” Genesis 1:27
IN this one sentence , God laid the foundation for our understanding of gender . All of history and experience have affirmed that there are only two genders .
However , as we have abandoned God and His Word , gender identity has become a huge issue in our world today . The cultural elites have fully embraced the idea that a person can declare whether or not they are male or female , regardless of their biological sex at birth .
In the first two articles of this series , we looked at the answers Genesis provides for who holds ultimate authority in this world , how we got here , and what it means to be human . In this article , we ’ ll look at the dangers of gender ideology and the importance of standing for God ’ s design of gender .
In Biblical Principles for Human Sexuality , David Closson writes : “ The truth about sexual differences cannot and should not be erased . Genetically , men have XY chromosomes ; women have XX chromosomes . Thus , when a male asserts that he is female , he asserts an objective falsehood in terms of biology and genetics . Increasingly , many who suffer from gender dysphoria opt for ‘ gender reassignment surgery ,’ which includes hormone treatment , breast surgery ( removal or implants ), other cosmetic surgery , and genital reconstruction . Unfortunately , these surgeries can be painful , can cause harm ( including infertility and incontinence ), and often are not successful in alleviating the mental anguish of those who undergo them . The rise in ‘ detransitioners ’— those who previously identified as transgender but who have reverted to identifying with their biological sex — underscores the risks and dissatisfaction that result from these surgeries .
“ A person who identifies as transgender is experiencing acute alienation from their body ; there is a profound disassociation between their mind and body . But gender transition surgery cannot change the fundamental reality of biological sex . It cannot alter a person ’ s genetic blueprint , and while genital surgery may sterilize an individual , it cannot bestow the reproductive capacity of the opposite sex . Therefore , a person remains in their biological sex regardless of the gender with which they choose to identify . Against the body-denying claims of transgender activists , the biblical worldview affirms the goodness of the material creation and the human body . The doctrines of creation , incarnation , and bodily resurrection provide strong theological affirmation [ s ] of our physical bodies . Against Gnosticism , the Bible affirms the goodness of creation in its
10 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW