We live in a culture that is redefining what it means to be human. Gender ideology has swept across schools, media, and even some churches, challenging the very foundation of how God created us. For believers, the question isn’t just, “What do I think about this?” but rather, “What does God say about this?”
This issue isn’t theoretical. It touches our families, our friendships, and our faith. As someone who has struggled with identity, brokenness, and temptation myself, I understand the pull of feelings over truth. But as Christians, we are not called to be ruled by feelings. We are called to be ruled by Christ.
So how do we, as followers of Jesus, respond to gender ideology in a way that is truthful, loving, and faithful to Scripture?
Created Male and Female
Genesis 1:27 makes it clear: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
God created two sexes, male and female, with distinct but equal worth. This isn’t just biology – it’s theology. Our bodies are not accidents or raw material to be remade according to personal feelings. They are part of God’s intentional design.
Culture says, “Be your authentic self.” Scripture says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). That’s a massive difference.
Our gender reflects the very image of God in a unique way. Men and women complement one another in a divine design that promotes life, community, and flourishing. Rejecting that design is not just a physical or psychological issue—it’s a spiritual one.
Truth and Love Are Not Opposites
The world says, “If you don’t affirm me, you hate me.” That’s a lie. Love without truth isn’t love. And truth without love becomes harsh and self-righteous.
Jesus was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He didn’t shy away from hard conversations, but He never slammed the door shut on people struggling either. We must do the same. That means we must:
- Speak clearly that men are men, and women are women.
- Stand firm that transitioning doesn’t change God’s design.
- Extend love and compassion to those who are hurting.
Some are genuinely suffering with gender dysphoria. We must never mock or shame them. But we also must not affirm a lie just to avoid offense.
The Christian life isn’t about appeasing feelings. It’s about aligning our entire lives with God’s truth. That means speaking clearly, even when it’s unpopular.
Identity: The Core Issue
Gender ideology is ultimately not about pronouns or bathrooms. It’s about identity.
Satan has always attacked identity: “Did God really say…?”
Our world is confused because it has rejected the Creator. Without God, people are left to invent themselves. But when we try to define our own identity apart from Him, it leads to confusion, pain, and destruction.
I know this firsthand. For years, I tried to find happiness in what the world offered – from sexuality to substances. It never lasted. Only in Christ have I found who I really am: a redeemed son of God, not a slave to my past or my feelings.
The truth is, our feelings can lie. Culture promotes a “follow your heart” mantra, but Scripture warns, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9). True identity is not found by looking inward—it’s found by looking to Christ.
What About Those Who Struggle?
Christians should never minimize the pain of gender dysphoria. It’s real. But the solution is not hormone therapy or surgery. The solution is surrendering to Christ.
In an article from Focus on the Family about transgender identity, biblical counselor Glenn Stanton emphasizes that our response must be grounded in both compassion and biblical clarity. He reminds us that affirming someone’s feelings without pointing them to truth ultimately harms more than it helps.
Many people who undergo gender transitions later regret their decision. De-transitioners are beginning to speak out, revealing the long-term emotional, spiritual, and physical consequences of making irreversible changes to their bodies. Yet their voices are often silenced.
That means we walk with people. We listen. We pray. We offer them something better: a new identity rooted in Jesus Christ, not in fluctuating feelings.
The Role of the Church
Sadly, many churches have bowed to culture. They’ve replaced conviction with compromise. Instead of transforming culture, they’re being transformed by it.
The Church must:
- Preach the full counsel of God’s Word
- Equip parents to talk to their children about gender and identity
- Provide counseling grounded in biblical truth
- Be a safe place for repentance and healing
Our churches must be both a hospital for the broken and a lighthouse for the lost. Pastors and church leaders cannot avoid these conversations. Silence is not neutrality—it’s surrender.
Churches must boldly teach what it means to be created in the image of God and what it means to find identity in Christ alone. If we don’t disciple our congregations on this issue, the world will.
Children Are Being Targeted
One of the most disturbing parts of gender ideology is how aggressively it targets children. Kids are being encouraged to question their gender before they even understand it. Some schools keep gender transitions hidden from parents. That is not love. That is abuse.
Jesus had harsh words for those who lead children astray: “If anyone causes one of these little ones… to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck” (Matthew 18:6).
As Christians, we must protect the innocent. That includes advocating for parental rights and truth in education.
We also must equip parents with the tools to disciple their children in biblical truth. This starts in the home, with intentional conversations and modeling what it means to walk in truth and grace.
Living Counter-Culturally
Living as a Christian today means being counter-cultural. It means being willing to be misunderstood, mocked, or even canceled. But Jesus told us to expect this.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).
We are not called to be popular. We are called to be faithful.
That may mean losing opportunities, relationships, or status. But we are living for a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. And we follow a Savior who was despised and rejected by men, but is now seated at the right hand of God.
Our job is not to change the culture through politics or popularity. Our job is to be faithful witnesses of truth, no matter the cost.
The Hope of the Gospel
No ideology is more powerful than the gospel. No confusion is beyond God’s ability to restore. Whether someone has transitioned, is questioning, or simply feels lost, Jesus offers hope.
The cross is enough. His grace is real. And His truth sets us free.
If you’re struggling or love someone who is, know this: you are not alone. There is a Savior who knows your pain and offers you a new identity – not as male or female, gay or straight, but as a child of God.
That’s the truth. And that’s our message.
The world may change its definitions, but God’s truth stands forever. Let’s be people who walk in that truth, share it boldly, and live it out with love.
For a deeper dive into how relativism is affecting truth in our culture, check out my blog on Biblical Truth vs. Cultural Relativism.
Biblical Truth vs. Cultural Relativism: What Should Christians Believe?
Love this. Love you and your heart for God.
This entire premise is so difficult. I have counseled and coached people who were transitioning and have transitioned. The issue is so much deeper than any of us can imagine. All four people who had come to me were from my church, so I could speak of spirituality with them. Without judgment, it was hard not to see the intensity of transition for each of them, mind and body, but especially body. There is a great deal of pain involved in the entire process. From woman to man is the strangest of biological change. What I’ve seen, though, is that they did seem happier in their transition. I even went to their support groups to speak and investigate what this process is all about. I went with my best friend who is a psychologist. He ended up doing his thesis on it. We were very taken aback by the stories and the metamorphosis. That being said, there were no children there. These people were 35 and above and very capable of making a decision for themselves. There were 2 fathers with children, one older man was even losing his hair, and one was a lesbian woman who looked much like a man before her transition. I can’t imagine what kind of pain and mental anguish could cause someone to make such a cataclysmic bodily change. But, trust me, from my point of view, which is definitely a Christian thought process, it was hard for even me to judge any of it. I think what this article says to me is more the talk about it and the hype that makes children want to change their bodies before they have had the opportunity to experience what God had created them as.