By Dannah Gresh, founder of True Girl
Read: Romans 1:18-32
“Then God said, “let us make man in our image, in our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26,27)
The other day I was playing with my Facebook account and was shocked to discover fifty-six gender options. They include “transgender,” (for those who feel their gender is different than their sex organs would suggest) “gender fluid,” (in case you like to go both ways) “male to female/mtf” (meaning a sex change is in the making), and you can add a suggestion if you can’t find one of the fifty-six that fit your preference. Please don’t write to Facebook and complain. My point is not for us to boycott anyone, but to raise an awareness in you that your child is growing up in a world that does not embrace the roles of male and female. And there will be a lot of pressure for him or her to embrace tolerance for all gender preferences. Unless, of course, your preference is to stick with God created: male and female. This must be bathed in prayer, mom.
Take another look at Genesis 1:26,27 again.
“Then God said, “let us make man in our image, in our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
There are so many God-like qualities that humanity possesses. Why doesn’t God mention the traits of being intelligent or worshipful or creative when he says we were created in his image? Why doesn’t he commend our language proficiency or our ability to compose sonnets? Apparently these are not the things that make us most like a representation of God. It is our maleness and our femaleness that makes us like Him. This places authentic humanity and sexuality in the context of male and female distinctiveness. Our ability to look like him mandates that we embrace those differences, not erase them.
The book of Romans teaches us much concerning this issue. Disregarding God's definitions for manhood and womanhood is a rebellious refusal to glorify him and an attempt to hide who he is and whose we are.
Pastor John Piper puts it this way:
God’s divine nature is revealed in the physical, material universe. So much so that verse 20 says, “So they are without excuse” when they “exchange the glory of God for the glory of the creature” (verse 23), or when they “exchange the truth about God for a lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator.” (verse 25).
Paul is saying that the material, physical universe reveals God’s true nature, and his design for humans to worship him.
Then Paul draws the parallel with human sexuality. Just as physical nature reveals the truth about God, so physical nature reveals truth about sexual identity. Whom we should worship is not left to our preferences, and who we are sexually is not left to our preferences. Both are dictated by God’s revelation in nature.
The parallel Paul is making is this: On the one hand, cosmology is designed by God to reveal truth about God’s identity (as powerful and divine); on the other hand, biology (anatomy) is designed by God to reveal truth about our identity (as male and female). This truth is so plain, Paul says, that we are “without excuse” if we don’t see it and agree with it.
In Romans, the apostle Paul also begs for us to lay down our own plans for our bodies, and to make them daily, living, breathing sacrifices to our purpose of glorifying God. This includes how we work, live, give, spend and even who we have sex with no matter what gender “preference” might be tempting to us. Those verses read:
“I appeal to you therefore...by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12: 1,2)
Why did God make you a woman?
Because you were created to contribute to humanity’s purpose of glorifying and enjoying God, and God chose for you to do that as a woman. You illuminate who God is when you embrace the role of womanhood because it is in male and female distinctions that we are the image of God. There will be times when this is a sacrifice for you. And there will be times when it will be a sacrifice for your daughter, as well.
Will you give of yourself (as Christ did), renew your mind, and become a discerning woman of God so that your body may be a beautiful living sacrifice? Will you teach your children to do the same in this challenging world?
Prayer For Our Children Based On Romans 1:18-32; 12:1,2:
Lord, I lift my children, (insert names) , up to you and ask you to protect their maleness and femaleness. I believe that maleness and femaleness reflect Who you are. Help me and my children to lay my life down as a sacrifice and be living sacrifices that glorify you in all manner. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
