What Does the Bible Say About Transgender?

The transgender movement has gained significant momentum in Western culture over the past decade. As Christians seek to navigate this complex issue with both truth and grace, it’s crucial to understand what the Bible teaches about gender, identity, and God’s design for humanity. This article will examine key biblical principles related to transgender identities and how Christians can respond with compassion while upholding biblical truth.

God’s Design for Gender

The Bible’s teaching on gender begins in the opening chapters of Genesis:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

This verse establishes several important truths:

1. God intentionally created humans as male and female.
2. Both sexes equally bear God’s image.
3. The binary of male and female is part of God’s good design for humanity.

Scripture consistently affirms the reality and significance of biological sex throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus himself reaffirmed God’s design, saying:

Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female?

Matthew 19:4 (ESV)

The Bible presents gender as a fixed, binary trait rooted in biology rather than a fluid social construct or psychological state. Our maleness or femaleness is a gift from God, not an arbitrary assignment or personal choice.

See also: Bible Verses about Gender

Biblical View of the Body

Unlike some ancient philosophies that viewed the physical body as evil or unimportant, Scripture teaches that our bodies are good creations of God. As the apostle Paul writes:

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

Our bodies, including our biological sex, are not incidental to our identity but an essential part of who God created us to be. The Bible calls us to honor God with our bodies rather than reshape them according to our desires.

Gender Distinctions in Scripture

While affirming the equal value and dignity of both sexes, the Bible also maintains distinctions between male and female. Scripture forbids blurring gender lines:

A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 22:5 (ESV)

The New Testament also speaks against men and women abandoning natural gender norms:

Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

1 Corinthians 11:14-15 (ESV)

While these verses address cultural expressions of gender, they demonstrate that Scripture upholds male-female distinctions as meaningful and God-ordained.

Identity in Christ

For Christians, our core identity is not rooted in our gender, sexuality, or any other characteristic, but in our relationship with Christ:

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:26-28 (ESV)

While this passage affirms that all people have equal standing before God regardless of gender, it does not negate the reality of biological sex. Rather, it teaches that our identity in Christ supersedes all other aspects of identity.

Sin and Brokenness

The Bible teaches that all of creation, including human sexuality and gender identity, has been impacted by sin and the Fall (Romans 8:20-22). This means we should expect to encounter brokenness, confusion, and distortion in every area of life—including gender and sexuality.

Gender dysphoria—distress over one’s biological sex—is one manifestation of living in a fallen world. Like other forms of suffering, it is not necessarily the result of personal sin but rather a symptom of broader cosmic brokenness. The Bible calls us to respond to all human brokenness with compassion while pointing people to the hope and healing found in Christ.

Biblical Response to Transgender Identities

While showing compassion to individuals experiencing gender dysphoria, Scripture does not affirm attempts to change one’s God-given sex. The Bible calls all people to accept their biological sex as a gift from God and to pursue holiness in how they express their gender.

For those struggling with gender identity issues, Scripture points to the renewal of our minds as the path forward:

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 12:2 (ESV)

Rather than modifying the body to match one’s perceived gender identity, the Bible calls us to align our thinking and identity with God’s revealed truth.

Hope and Transformation in Christ

While gender dysphoria is a complex issue that may not fully resolve in this life, Scripture offers hope for all types of brokenness through the gospel. The Bible testifies that Christ can transform lives and bring healing to every area:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

God’s design for humanity as male and female is good, but in a fallen world, living out that design can be painful and difficult for some. The gospel offers forgiveness, indwelling power through the Holy Spirit, and the promise of complete renewal when Christ returns.

Responding with Truth and Grace

As Christians engage with transgender individuals and ideology, we must hold firmly to biblical truth while responding with Christlike love and compassion. Here are some key principles:

1. Uphold the goodness of God’s design for gender and sexuality.
2. Recognize the reality of brokenness and suffering in a fallen world.
3. Show compassion to individuals experiencing gender dysphoria.
4. Point to identity in Christ as our core identity.
5. Offer the hope of the gospel and God’s transforming power.
6. Stand firm on biblical truth with gentleness and respect.
7. Support and walk alongside those struggling with gender identity issues.

By God’s grace, the church can be a place of truth, love and hope for all people navigating gender and identity in a confused world.

Conclusion

While the concept of transgender identity is relatively new, the Bible provides a clear framework for understanding gender as part of God’s good but fallen creation. Scripture consistently affirms the binary of male and female as God’s design while offering hope and transformation for all forms of brokenness through the gospel of Jesus Christ. As society increasingly embraces transgender identities, the church has an opportunity to uphold biblical truth with love and to point all people to the renewal found in Christ alone.