What Does the Bible Say About Being Transgender?
The gospel offers hope—not in redefining ourselves according to personal feelings, but in being renewed according to God’s truth. In Christ, believers are being restored to reflect God’s image as He intended. This means embracing our biological sex as part of our redeemed identity and trusting God’s wisdom in how He made us.
6. The Eternal Perspective on Gender
The Bible teaches that God’s creation order will be fully restored in the new heavens and new earth. Passages like Revelation 21:3–5 speak of a time when all brokenness will be healed. This includes the confusion and pain that may accompany gender identity struggles in this life.
The male–female design given in creation is not temporary or culturally bound—it is part of God’s eternal purpose for humanity. For the believer, hope rests in the promise that God will one day make all things new, bringing perfect harmony between our bodies, our identities, and His design.
7. Addressing Modern Arguments
Some claim the Bible does not speak against being transgender because it does not mention the term. While technically true, this argument overlooks the broader biblical framework. The absence of a modern label does not mean Scripture is silent—it speaks through creation design, gender distinctions, and moral boundaries that apply across time and culture.
Others suggest that because the Bible is not a scientific or medical text, it cannot address issues like gender identity disorder. While the Bible is not a biology textbook, it is God’s authoritative word on what it means to be human. Its teachings on creation, the body, and identity are foundational for understanding any medical or psychological questions.
8. How Christians Should Respond
In engaging with the topic of transgender identity, Christians should hold two commitments together:
Faithfulness to truth – Upholding God’s design for gender as revealed in Scripture.
Faithfulness in love – Extending compassion and friendship to those who disagree or struggle.
This means avoiding both harsh condemnation and permissive affirmation. Instead, Christians should invite others to explore the deeper question: “Who does God say I am?” In the end, the goal is not merely conformity to a gender category but transformation into Christlikeness.
9. The Cost and Reward of Following God’s Design
For someone who identifies as transgender, following Christ’s call to live according to biological sex may involve real sacrifice—social rejection, loss of relationships, or ongoing struggles with self-perception. Yet the Bible consistently teaches that obedience to God leads to life (Deuteronomy 30:19–20).
Jesus promises that those who lose their lives for His sake will find them (Matthew 16:25). This includes surrendering personal identity to God’s design. In Christ, believers receive not only forgiveness but a new identity that will be perfected in the age to come.
10. Conclusion: Truth and Grace Together
The Bible presents gender as a good gift from God, intentionally given at creation. While the modern concept of transgender identity conflicts with this design, Scripture calls us to respond with both conviction and compassion. God’s design is not arbitrary—it is for our good, reflecting His wisdom and love.
For those in Christ, hope is not found in self-reinvention but in new creation. The gospel invites everyone—whatever their struggles—to find identity, healing, and eternal purpose in the One who made us male and female.
Bible Verses About Gender and God’s Design
Genesis 1:27 – “Male and female he created them.”
Genesis 2:22–24 – “The rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman…”
Deuteronomy 22:5 – “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment…”
Psalm 139:13–14 – “You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”
Matthew 19:4–6 – “He who created them from the beginning made them male and female.”
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 – “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…”
1 Corinthians 11:11–12 – “In the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.”
Ephesians 4:24 – “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God…”
Colossians 3:10 – “Put on the new self… after the image of its creator.”
Revelation 21:5 – “Behold, I am making all things new.”
