The Truth In Print Vol
14 Issue 7, Aug. 2008
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
The Transgender Thing
By Bob Lovelace
The bible contains an abundance of
information applicable to the direction that our society is going as regards
sexual immoralities or perversion. One immorality perhaps considered less
publicized than others is the “transgender” thing. Perhaps I should
be more specific and say “transsexual” thing, i.e. the desire to
live and be accepted as a member of the sex opposite to that of their own birth. Such often alter their bodies and physical
appearance in order to present themselves according to this desire.
In
the New Testament alone there are several lists of the works of the flesh that
will keep one out of the kingdom of Christ. You may read a few of them in
this brief article.
Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
When
Paul said at the end of the list that those who do “such things” or
“such like” one understands the enormity of a complete list of the
works of the flesh, and that other lists are indeed helpful as well in knowing
what is sinful and must not be practiced. For example in Romans chapter one you
have many verses that describe those God gave up because of their refusal of
His knowledge and will. And again, Paul gave I Cor. 6:9-18 that lists several
immoralities and admonishes towards proper use of one’s body.
Those involved in the transgender thing often consider themselves grouped with
homosexuals, transsexuals, bisexuals, gay and lesbians, etc. They see
themselves united in a common cause of enlightening society, seeking social
justice, fighting hatred against themselves and
pushing for acceptance i.e. being considered descent and normal.
At times, and increasingly so, such are
pushing for religious acceptance with churches. Some denominational churches in
communities are accepting those in perverted relationships and this is wrong.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (KJV)
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators
of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners,
or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man
that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner;
with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are
within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth.
Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God.
If you are a member of the church and you
think that some of our churches haven’t had to deal with some of these
you are wrong. From time to time you will even find some who desire to practice
perversions pushing for acceptance in the church of Christ.
The question of accepting a transsexual has
even presented itself at times. Should someone have completed the so called
transition process then they would have to repent (cf. I Cor. 6:11, Rev. 16:9).
If not completed then repentance requires that one reverse the process as far
as is possible.
Some of these perversions contain the
desire to act and dress “effeminate”. Read I
Cor. 6:9 above to identify such as not acceptable to local church fellowship.
The Gospel gives a local church the right to disfellowship
or not accept anyone who continues in sin (I Cor.
5:1-13). When I read definitions of the word for some reason I think of Liberache and the ways he used to dress and present
himself. To me, though young then, there was always something degenerate there.
Today transvestites are often trying to win beauty contests. Do they somehow
think they are going to be as popular as Liberache?
The parading they do in public is disgusting and they aren’t the beauties
they think they are!
Being effeminate is nothing new, it is
just that they have available today science that can assist and take it to a
further extent than in the past centuries. Such things have had their issues in
days gone by (cf. De. 22:5). This kind of thing was viewed as effeminacy in man
and impudence in woman. Women today who try to look and dress like men are most
often lesbians (cf. Rom. 1:24-27).
In talking
to other Christians about such degeneracy some points of wisdom worth sharing
have been gleaned:
1. If married imagine what one puts their mate through
unless their mate is just as degenerate as they are.
2. Consider the conjugal obligation in I Cor. 7:1-3 for
the married. One does not have the right to take away their ability to perform!
3. A little sarcasm might help: This is not what Jesus
meant when he said there are some who make themselves eunuchs for the
kingdom’s sake.
4. It’s been said this is
not like losing one’s hair. Losing your hair is quite a contrast to
butchering the human body to get a cheap imitation or look alike of the other
sex.
5. How much more perverted can one get than to push their
mate into being attracted to effeminacy?
6. In Jeremiah 44:19 women were proud they followed their
husbands in immoralities. If the mate is not bothered by it then they too are
perverted!
7. Some wives might not know where to go, or what
they’d do, thus rather than stopping it they go along out of fear of
being set out on the street with no income (cf. Matt. 6:33).
8. Beware! What they will do is go and be with those
“others” they are wanting to be like (cf.
Rom. 13:14).
9. Don’t be shy about telling one you know who is
seeking perversion that you will withdraw from them (cf. 2 Th. 3:14; Eph.
5:11).
10. Isn’t it interesting that in Eph. 5:29 just
before the man’s “headship” (Eph. 5:30) the matter of proper
conduct involves caring for one’s physical body?
11. In marriage a man leaves his
father and mother and cleaves to his wife (Matt. 19:3). Who gave him a right to
change that thus forcing his wife to cleave to one who thinks he’s a she?
Or reverse this — so that now he can cleave to one who thinks she’s
a he? God forbid.