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A DISCUSSION OF TRANSGENDERISM (2)
The Bible and Biology
Victor M. Eskew
When studying any issue, the Christian always turns to the Bible first. The Bible is “inspired of God” (II Tim. 3:16-17), meaning it is “God-breathed.” It has been given by God in order to instruct mankind as to the way of salvation (John 8:32; Rom. 1:16; Jms. 1:25). But, it is also the means by which God guides the everyday lives of His children. The psalmist declared: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105). Dear readers, God cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). Thus, everything found in the pages of the Bible is true and trustworthy (Ps. 19:7-8). When the Bible provides answers, those answers are certain and enduring.
It was God who created man. God only created two sexes, male and female. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27). Jesus affirmed this fact in a discussion that He had with the Pharisees regarding marriage in Matthew 19. Verse four tell us: “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female?” The two sexes were designed to complement one another (Gen. 2:18, 21-24; Eph. 5:22-33). Too, they were designed to satisfy one another sexually in the realm of holy matrimony (I Cor. 7:2-4).
The Bible does not go into a lengthy discussion about the differences between men and women. A few differences are noted. Women, not men, bear children (Gen. 3:16). Women are referred to as “the weaker vessel” (I Pet. 3:7). This weakness refers to her physical body. It has nothing to do with her mental capabilities. In addition, women are commanded to “guide the house” (I Tim. 5:14) and to be “keepers at home” (Tit. 2:5). Men, on the other hand, have been given the position of “head” over their houses (Eph. 5:25). Too, men are the ones who are primarily responsible for providing for their families (Gen. 3:19; I Tim. 5:8). In the church, the men are also to take the lead. The Bible condemns the woman’s “usurping authority over the man” (I Cor. 14:34-35; I Tim. 2:12-14).
In God’s holy Word, there are two sexes, men and women. Men have their designated positions in society. Women have their designated positions in society. The two sexes are commanded to maintain their distinctive natures. In Deuteronomy 22:5, we read: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” Maintaining the distinction between a man and a woman is also seen in the I Corinthians 11:3-12.
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither if the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
These distinctions are not intended to make one better than the other. The distinctions put order into society and enable institutions to work with harmony instead of chaos.
In addition to maintaining their natural features, the Bible also condemns the sexual union between individuals of the same sex (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:26-27). In Romans 1, Paul plainly tells us that homosexual and lesbian unions conflict with that which is natural and God-given. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”
Since God created two sexes, male and female, it is not surprising that when one studies the subject of biology, the differences between the two are clearly manifested in many ways. Some of the differences are easily seen: the amount of hair on the body, the size of the muscles, the shape of the body, the tone of the voice, and body features such as breasts versus chests. It is telling that the only way these visible signs can be changed is if a person either takes medications or has surgical procedures or is involved in a combination of the two to change his/her body type.
The following chart also notes some of the biological differences between males and females.
MEN CHARACTERISITC FEMALES
XY Chromosomes XX
Testes Sexual organs Ovaries
Testosterone Hormones Oestrogen
Stronger Physical strength Weaker
Left-sided Brain function Left-side & Right-sided
Physical aggression Anger Verbal aggression
Larger Heart size Smaller by 1/3
Shorter Lifespan Longer
These eight areas are a short-list of differences. Several websites can be found that reveal the differences in much more detail. These, however, are enough to prove that men and women are clearly different from a biological standpoint.
Until recently sex and gender were considered one and the same. If an individual were born as a male, he called himself a man. If an individual were born as a female, she called herself a woman. The truth is that 99% of the population of the world continues to be “gender typical.” Men believe that they are men and function as such. Women believe they are women and function as such. However, there is an element of society that is attempting to discredit the teachings of God’s Word and throw biology to the wind. This group of individuals has wealth, media support, and political clout on their side. It is attempting to make something that is atypical typical. It is trying to turn something that is a disorder into something that is natural. There will be more in our next article.