Gender and the Church- pt. 1

It is undeniable that in 2024, one of the key issues in our society is gender. Gender is absolutely central to our world and it is becoming an increasing point of division between the Church and the world. The good news is that the Bible talks a great deal about Gender. Over the next four parts of this series, we are going to explore first what a man and woman are, then, what scripture says about the unique roles for men and women in the world and then, how gender differences impact God’s Church.

To begin, we first find mention of gender in creation. We read about creation in Genesis 1 and 2. Genesis 1:27 is our first mention of the creation of men and women. We read “So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.”

This verse sets the stage for the rest of this conversation. Male and female are created in the image of God. This idea is sometimes referred to as Imago Dei. It is a core argument in the sanctity of life also, but that is a conversation for another day. The basic impact is important in this conversation about gender. God has given men and women implicit importance just by creating them! Our identity as humans lies not in our gender, but instead in the fact that we are created by God!

Identity is really the center of this topic. Gender is a way that people seek to define themselves and it is used as a form of identity. So, when we talk about gender confusion in the world, whether in a transgender situation, or in a topic like this, we need to understand that issues arise when we define ourselves by anything other than what God says about us.

As Christians, we know that God has made us in his image and that although we sin and fall short of God’s righteousness, there is hope for us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Over the next few articles, we will endeavor to understand more of what God’s design for gender means within God’s Church. There are many other topics about gender that we will cover at a later time, such as what the Bible says about transgenderism and the LGBTQIA+ movement.

For now, let me leave you with an initial emphasis. Different is not bad. God has made men and women uniquely different as we see in Genesis 2, but the basis of their creation is that both men and women are made in the image of God. This basic reality should encourage our hearts and fill us with great joy! Ultimately, we are not defined based off of our gender, but rather off of how God has made us!