Focus on the Family’s Values
Focus on the Family is dedicated to defending the inherent honor, dignity, value and equality of the two sexes as created in God’s image – intentionally male and female – each bringing unique and complementary qualities to sexuality and relationships.
Each of the two sexes is a glorious gift from God. Our sexuality is meant to be offered back to Him either in complementary unity with the opposite sex in the context of marriage for procreation and mutual delight or in celibacy for undivided devotion to Christ.
Not only do male and female together reflect the image of God, but their coming together in a marriage relationship to bring forth new life is used in Scripture as the deepest and most intimate analogy of God’s relationship with His people. Throughout both Testaments, God and His people are portrayed as husband and wife or as a groom and bride. The creation account found in Genesis lays out this gender-based, matrimonial picture and sets the stage for the final, eternal union of God and His people – of Christ and His bride – described in Revelation.
God created humans male and female, and that matters. In recent years, a revisionist transgender theology has been put forth in some theological circles that violates God’s clearly articulated and intentional design for the two sexes. This distorts His image and His plan for sexuality, marriage, family and the just and proper ordering of society.
Focus on the Family’s Position
- We affirm God’s design for the two sexes – male and female – and marriage between one man and one woman as the place God established for sexual love to occur.
- We disagree with revisionist gay and transgender theologies as contradictory to foundational Christian doctrine and the Judeo-Christian sexual ethic.
- We oppose the ordination of “transgender” and “transsexual” individuals into the clergy and the celebration of “transgenderism” as one of God’s gifts.
- The church must continue to proclaim the truth of God’s intentional design for marriage and sexuality: The two sexes, male and female, are created in His image; and marriage is the union of one man and one woman. The modern “transgender” movement is systematically working to dismantle the reality of two sexes – male and female – as the Bible and the world have always known this to be. If the transgender lobby succeeds, there will be striking consequences for individuals, marriage, family, children and society at large.
- While God’s intent for sexuality and gender is being turned upside down, we must remember that those who struggle with their gender identity have lived lives of great pain, confusion and rejection. And, just as Jesus went out of his way to reach the outcasts of society, we’re called to humbly share His love embodied in the Gospel, to lift them up in prayer and to allow the Holy Spirit to bring about conviction, healing and transformation.
- We affirm the Christian view that to be human is to be holistically united as body and spirit. Scripture teaches that even in heaven believers will have gloriously redeemed physical bodies. In contrast, transgender revisionists hold to the pagan view that the body is a container that the spirit is poured into. They erroneously conclude that either God has mistakenly put an opposite-sex spirit into the wrong body or that the body is not the real person – that only the spirit is real. As Christians, we believe that God can heal these disconnected, gnostic views and bring restoration and wholeness – where body, soul and spirit are in unity.
- There has been a growing trend of parents raising their children without designating them male or female. A similar trend encourages parents of children who might not fit into typical social expressions of masculinity or femininity to raise them as the opposite sex. Instead, we encourage parents to lovingly help their children to embrace their bodily sexual reality. Christian parents can raise daughters who grow up to accept and enjoy their femininity, knowing deep down that being a girl is a good gift from God. Likewise, Christian families can raise sons to grow up to be healthy men who embrace their masculinity and see it as a good gift from God.
- God calls us to proclaim the truth and beauty of His design and the redemption of sexual brokenness in our lives and culture through Jesus Christ. Like everyone else, “transgendered” individuals are desperately in need of God’s truth and deserve to know the love and compassion of Christ as shown through His people.
For further information and help:
When Transgenderism Enters Your World – Series with free downloadable resource
Transgenderism: Blurring The Lines – Series of articles
Transgender Resources – All Focus on the Family resources related to this issue
