Not Proud

God has prescribed a manner in which He desires for His people to walk; spelled out in His Word,
and He calls us to a life of purity, reflecting His plan. 1st Thessalonians 4 says:
1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;
2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality...

In a sense this is Paul's "last word" in this first book to the church at Thessalonica.  He challenges the people to do what they've been taught and to abstain from behaviors that the Bible cautions against. We are not to seek to redefine the concepts that He has defined for us in His Word.  If we compromise His principles, then we run the risk of living a life that is contrary to His heart for us. Even though the world may not accept the teachings of the Word and render those of us who do accept them as intolerant, God wants us to be intent on living according to His ways.

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God created you in a certain way to live in a certain manner.  He determined your design and your biological gender, and He wants you to know Christ and live according to His ways.  1st Corinthians
6 warns about getting caught up in forms of sexuality that do not reflect His standards:
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

The BBC website has released a story about what has been referred to as the world's "first transgender doll," which of course has attracted attention. The site states, "Thousands of tweets about the product unveiled by the Tonner Doll Company have been posted since it was announced that the doll would make its first appearance at this week's New York Toy Fair."

The story says that the doll is "modelled on a teenage activist who was born a boy, but lives as a female. Jazz Jennings shot to fame when she was interviewed about her gender dysphoria by US TV presenter Barbara Walters."

Gender dysphoria?  So, how is that defined?  The American College of Pediatricians states on its website, in a piece updated last month:

Gender dysphoria (GD), formerly listed as Gender Identity Disorder (GID), is a recognized mental disorder in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-V)...The psychodynamic and social learning theories of GD/GID have never been disproved.

The first of many points about so-called "gender identity" on the website is this:

Human sexuality is an objective biological binary trait: “XY” and “XX” are genetic markers of male and female, respectively – not genetic markers of a disorder. The norm for human design is to be conceived either male or female. Human sexuality is binary by design with the obvious purpose being the reproduction and flourishing of our species. This principle is self-evident.

So, here is a toy company that is glorifying what has been considered to be a "disorder."  The model for the doll, Jazz Jennings, is quoted by the BBC website as saying, though:

As for Jazz's reaction to the doll, she wrote: "I love her. A portion of my proceeds will be donated to help trans youth who are struggling.

"I hope that it can place transgender people in a positive light by showing that we are just like all other people.

"Of course it is still just a regular girl doll because that's exactly what I am: a regular girl!"

Well, except for that element called "biology."  He was born as a male, and even though he may like to do girl things or even "identifies" as a girl, biology, God's design, actually says otherwise.  It's interesting how the so-called progressives like to trumpet "science" when dealing with things such as origins or climate change, but when human biology comes into question, "identity" or "feelings" rule the day.

Jazz apparently wants to be "just like all other people," but he's not!!  And, the LGBTQ community doesn't want to be considered that way - they want to be treated differently and in some cases, in a superior manner.  Equality is not the goal here.

But, those who struggle with their innate gender, not "assigned" by the doctor who delivered them, or those who have an issue with same-sex attraction, there is help.  That is a great talking point from this commentary today - when we struggle with an area of sin, there is forgiveness and victory.  I believe that through the application of the word and the power of the Spirit, released through prayer - individual and intercessory, we can see God do a might internal work.  If we are suffering from a medical malady, there is strength and the possibility of healing.  If we are experiencing a particularly dark time in our lives, there is hope to keep going.

But, we have to be willing to allow God to work in our hearts.  Sometimes, stubbornness or self-reliance will get in the way and we block the flow of God's Spirit to transform us.  There are those who, out of pride, will hold on to that sin and even choose to be identified by it.  But, God wants our identity to be in Him.  He has designed us and desire for us to be re-created, regenerated through the presence of Christ.

We also recognize that we have the opportunity to be compassionate to those who are struggling. Jesus welcomes all who want to come to Him; but in His love, He doesn't leave people in the same state in which they came.   So, we can respond to those struggling with sin - which, incidentally, is all of us - with the love of Christ.