Our Beliefs & Position Concerning Transgenderism
There is much confusion in the world today when it comes to gender and sexuality. Although many avoid the subject or have chosen the route of political correctness, the Bible is clear. We unashamedly believe and rejoice in Biblical truth. Times change, cultures change, people change, and the world changes, but God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His word endures forever (Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6; Isaiah 40:8).
Here at Boquete Bible Fellowship, we believe the Bible’s teaching of full complementarity between men and women. Because God created us in His image, we believe that men and women are both equally people, they are to be treated with equal honor and dignity, and they are deserving of equal respect (Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1-2).
Nevertheless, equality in these regards does not mean sameness or interchangeability between the two distinct, God-ordained sexes. Men and women are different, each possessing unique and distinct roles and callings in the home, in the Church, and in all of life. None of this is rooted in historical customs, societal norms, or cultural expectations, but are rooted in God’s good design for manhood and womanhood (Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:1-2, 7; 1 Timothy 2:11-14).
The fact that God created us male and female matters. In recent years, society at large has pushed a so-called “transgenderism” ideology that essentially teaches we can choose what sex we want to be and change this at any time. It also teaches that people must use politically correct pronouns (he, she, it, they, etc.) to accurately refer to a person in the way that they choose to “identify.”
We believe this is wrong on all fronts. God alone determines whether we are male or female, and this becomes an irreversible reality at the moment of conception. God has planned and written our sex into virtually every part of our being. He reveals this internally in our DNA in nearly every cell in our body (XY chromosomes for male, XX chromosomes for female), and He manifests this outwardly in our sexual organs (Psalm 139:13-16; Matthew 19:4).
As such, whether a person is male or female is clearly observable at birth and is irrevocable. Surgeries may be undergone, and mutilations performed, but a man will always be a man, and a woman will always be a woman, according to God’s ordination. Therefore, we conclude in the strongest terms possible that the entire idea of “transgenderism” is a lie.
We believe it is sinful and wrong:
- To deny the good designs of God in gender and sexuality.
- To attempt to change the sex He has given us.
- To “identify” as something contrary to what we are, according to God’s revelation.
- To affirm another person in this error by using politically correct pronouns contrary to what is true.
We do not nor will we affirm transgenderism. Rather, we hold fast to Biblical truth, impart Biblical truth to others, and seek the Lord’s glory in it all.
We do realize that there is great confusion today and there are many who struggle with this. Fortunately, God has not been silent on this issue. Our desire is to help by allowing God Himself to teach, speak, and counsel individuals from His Word to joyfully embrace what He has done in making them male or female.
God does not make mistakes, and while we all have sinful tendencies that we must wrestle with to overcome, the will of God is that we do exactly that: wrestle with those tendencies and overcome them, by His grace, not embrace them. We dare not embrace rebellion against God, or that which mocks Him, or is an abomination to Him (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:5-6, 9-10; Romans 6:13, 8:13, 13:14; 1 Corinthians 9:27).
We also realize that there are very rare, yet heartbreaking realities of sexual deformities and abnormalities. The depths of our position are beyond the scope of this paper, but we would counsel a DNA test to best determine how God has actually created this person, and then to the best of our ability, raise, live with, and treat this person in accordance with that revealed gender. In other words, we are not imposing our will and desires, but discerning God’s will and desires, and then joyfully submitting to it.
Ultimately, transgenderism is not merely a battle for what is male and female, but a battle for what is true, and right, and real. As believers, we affirm that there are only two sexes – male and female, created in the image of God – and we oppose the lies of transgenderism.
Lastly with regards to sexuality, the Word of God clearly teaches that sexual relations are to happen only between one man/husband and one women/wife in marriage, with no exceptions (Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2, 9; Matthew 5:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
The Bible does not condone homosexuality, same-sex marriage, or transgenderism, and we believe that the most loving thing we can do is to clearly communicate these truths from the Word of God. He is good, and His ways are best, and therefore, we can take Him at His Word and trust Him with His good designs for our sexuality and gender (Jeremiah 17:7, 9; Isaiah 26:4, 55:8-9; Psalm 25:8, 34:8,139:14, 145:17; Proverbs 3:5).
For more information, please see the following sermons in our archive:
October 8, 2023 – Gender & Sexuality
October 15, 2023 – Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: The Problem (Part 1)
October 22, 2023 – Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: The Design (Part 2)
December 3, 2023 – Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: Roles in Marriage (Part 3)
December 10, 2023 – Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: Roles in the Church (Part 4)