“MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM”
Believe it or not, an “old rocker” has come forward to defend the traditional view of gender. This is very interesting because this rock star of the past used to be a source of “gender confusion” due to his name and the way he presented himself on stage. So, who is he? Of all people it’s none other than . . . ALICE COOPER! We knew him best for his 1972 hit, “School’s Out Forever.” [1] But, Alice Cooper is singing a different tune today. A few years ago in an interview with Pastor Greg Laurie, Cooper was asked if he was ashamed to publicly proclaim he’s a follower of Jesus Christ. He responded that he was not at all ashamed to tell the world he is a Christian. Cooper put it this way: “People talk about ‘Alice’ being a rebel [but] there was never more of a rebel than Jesus Christ. You want to talk about a rebel. He was the ultimate.” Cooper went on to tell how Christ had saved Him from being a cocaine addict. He said, “I knew that I had to come to a point where either I accepted Christ and started living that life, or if I died in this [sin], I was in a lot of trouble. And that’s what really motivated me.” [2] For decades now, Alice Cooper has been a devoted Christian and has been actively involved in a faith-based organization he founded back in 1995 called “Solid Rocker.” It’s a teen center that provides guidance and assistance to troubled teens—especially those battling drug issues. Cooper said, “We’re all Christian guys, and the Lord told us to do it. So we just obeyed. That’s all.” [3] So, what else is Alice Cooper dealing with today?
That’s where his stand on transgenderism comes into play. In an interview last month, Cooper made the following comments: “I find it wrong when you’ve got a six-year-old kid who has no idea. He just wants to play, and you’re confusing him telling him, ‘Yeah, you’re a boy, but you could be a girl if you want to be.’ I think that’s so confusing to a kid. It’s even confusing to a teenager. You’re still trying to find your identity, and yet here’s this thing going on, saying, ‘Yeah, but you can be anything you want. You can be a cat if you want to be.’ I mean, if you identify as a tree. . . And I’m going, ‘Come on! . . It’s so absurd, that it’s gone now past the point of absurdity.” Then he continued by adding: “[L]et somebody at least become sexually aware of who they are before they start thinking about if they’re a boy or a girl. A lot of times, I look at it this way, the logical way: If you have these [certain biological gender affirming body parts], you’re a boy. If you have [a different set of biological gender affirming body parts], you’re a girl.”[4] Yep—I would have to agree with Alice on all of that.
But, Vampyre Cosmetics, which had a lucrative business deal pending with Cooper, did not agree at all. This cosmetic company issued the following statement when severing ties with Cooper: “In light of recent statements by Alice Cooper we will no longer be doing a makeup collaboration. We stand with all members of the LGBTQIA+ community and believe everyone should have access to healthcare. All pre-order sales will be refunded.”[5] Now, I haven’t wanted to look like a “vampire” lately, so I am not familiar with Vampyre Cosmetics. But, there are a good many people in this country who take this same position on transgender matters. For example, if you asked Miley Cyrus, the former Disney star and “wannabe” singer and songwriter, she would tell you: “I didn’t want to be a boy. I kind of wanted to be nothing. I don’t relate to what people would say defines a girl or boy, and I think that’s what I had to understand: Being a girl isn’t what I hate, it’s the box that I get put into.”[6] Someone like Caitlyn Jenner (the former male Olympian athlete who declared himself female) would applaud people like Miley Cyrus for coming out of their “box.” In fact, Jenner has declared that he would do anything he could to “reshape the landscape of how transgender people are viewed and treated.”[7] And perhaps, he has.
So, how do we, as Christians, respond to Vampyre Cosmetics, Miley Cyrus, Caitlyn Jenner, and others who are so misguided? What does the Bible have to say about all this? Some might think that the Bible has nothing to say. They’d just shrug their shoulders and say, “I’m not interested in changing my gender so, it really doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.” But, it should matter to them. And, it should matter to you as well. Why? Well, it’s important for you to know the Christian view on these matters because people, both young and old alike, may ask you why it makes a difference. Your response should be that if it makes a difference to God, then it makes a difference to you too. So, you need to be equipped to give a good Christian response.
Let’s start with a general proposition as stated by the Apostle John in one of his letters. John proclaims: 15 “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; 16 for all these worldly things, these evil desires—the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance—these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. 17 And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.” 1st John 2:15-17 (TLB) Commenting on these verses from 1st John, chapter 2, pastor and Christian author, James Garlow tells us: “Each of us struggles with sin and each of us experiences different temptations. Struggling with sex and gender identities, whether it’s gender-fluid, transgender, or homosexuality and same-sex attraction is a manifestation of sin like struggling with lust, pornography, and adultery. We were born into a world of sin.” [8] Yes—we were all born into a world of sin and, in our fallen state, all of us have the tendency to pursue worldly pleasures. That is true for homosexuals, transexuals and heterosexuals—and you and me as well. No one is exempt from the tendency to sin!
Again, what does God’s Word have to say about the matters of gender identity? Well, if you look for Facebook’s 61 so-called gender identities[9] in the Bible, you are not going to find them. Rather, the Bible, in the Book of Genesis, gets us straight on gender identities as part of the Creation narrative. This is what it reveals, in the very beginning: “God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM.” Genesis 1:27 (NLT2) This Old Testament truth was later reaffirmed by Jesus in the New Testament when He turned to the Pharisees and said: 4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures? They record that from the beginning ‘GOD MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.’ 5 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Matthew 19:4-6 (NLT2)
There you have it—there are only two gender groups. They are simply “MALE” and “FEMALE” and that’s it—nothing else is a legitimate gender classification as far as God is concerned. The temptation that some people may experience to cross gender lines is just another manifestation of the human tendency to sin. Where does God’s Word say that? Look to Deuteronomy 22:5—it’s quite clear in stating: “A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 22:5 (NLT2) A person who engages in such perverted activities to derive sexual pleasure is a transvestite.[10] The ultimate, most depraved transvestite is one who goes a step farther and exchanges their fleshly robe as a male for the fleshly robe of a female, or vice versa. Old Testament scholar Doug McIntosh explains: “The prohibitions against cross-dressing are not pointed at masquerade parties [nor ladies wearing slacks as part of women’s apparel], but at a larger issue—the loss of male and female roles in a healthy society. Israelites were to respect God’s design and not call their assigned sexuality into question by wearing inappropriate clothing. Moses knew that behavior provokes values just as values promote behavior. The Lord detests such behavior because it places a fog around distinctions that He constructed. God is against anything that blurs the lines between the sexes.”[11]
Isn’t it odd that people seem to think that transgender identity issues are something new—that nothing like this has ever confronted God’s people in the past. But, Solomon, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, was correct in stating: “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NLT2)[12] That statement was made over three thousand years ago. And yet, it directly applies to the transgender issues today. These so-called “modern” issues existed long ago among the pagan societies that challenged the ancient Israelites. For example, some Old Testament historians believe the Assyrians, the Hittites and the Canaanites deliberately blurred male-female gender identities as part of their pagan religious practices.[13] In this passage from Deuteronomy 22, God made it absolutely clear that He detests any such human behavior that crosses the line between the two genders of male and female.[14] So, this transgender sin, that plagued the depraved societies of the ancient past, has now taken root in our equally depraved society today. And for those Christians today who do not recognize it as a sin—they become part of the problem and not the solution—because the solution is to turn to God’s Word and heed its demands!
Now, having said that, the Miley Cyruses and Caitlyn Jenners of the world will claim their biological genders that were assigned to them at birth were mistakes. Miley may claim that she is not “boxed-in” by either gender. She will insist upon being “fluid” in her sexual desires. She will claim that it is perfectly fine to make love to a woman one day and have sex with a man the next day. Caitlyn will allege that what he carries in his biological genes (as well as in his blue jeans) was a mistake. But, both Miley and Caitlyn couldn’t be more wrong. What Miley is doing is nothing less than manifesting sinful lust and perversion. Caitlyn Jenner was originally named “Bruce Jenner”—that wasn’t a mistake. A cursory physical exam would prove that he was born as a male and remains a male today. Wearing a dress and some lipstick can’t change that. Furthermore, both Miley’s and Caitlyn’s claims can be refuted by simply pointing out that God is perfect in all His ways and, thus, He does not make mistakes![15]
Why does God find such transgender behavior detestable? Well, engaging in transgender conduct is sinful because it “violates the principle of separation that God has built into the [His] created order.”[16] We can see this in God’s own name. Think of it in this way: When an artist paints a beautiful work of art, what does he do? An artist signs his name upon a painting to show it is an image he created. We, as human beings, are made in God’s image. As such, we are God’s crowning work of Creation. And so, God has written his name upon us as well. We can see this in God’s holy name as presented in the Hebrew language that shows us the sacred distinctiveness of being male or female. In Hebrew, the word for “man” is ʾîsh (אִישׁ), pronounced eesh.[17] One of the Hebrew letters that spell the word for “man” is the letter “yod.” The Hebrew word for “woman” is ʾishshâ (אִשָּׁה), pronounced ish-shaw’.[18] But the Hebrew word for “woman” does not have the letter “yod” in it. The Hebrew word for “woman” contains the letter “hey”—which is not found in the Hebrew word for “man.” The male of our human species has the distinctive letter “yod”, and the female has the unique letter “hey.” Together, the “yod” and the “hey” find their source in the most sacred pronunciation of God’s name—“Yahweh” (YHWH)—which is basically the name that comes from saying “yod” and “hey” together.[19] In our Old Testament translations, “Yahweh” usually appears as “LORD” (in all caps). For example, in Genesis 2:4, when it proclaims, “The LORD God made the earth and the heavens”—the actual Hebrew is Yahweh.[20] The fact that God lends the component parts of His Name to our human identities as either “male” or “female” is His way of signing His name upon humanity as His creative work. This is exactly why a marriage must be exclusively between a man and a woman. You see, two men joined together cannot bear the image of God—their union is an abomination to Him.[21] Likewise, the marriage of two women is a detestable thing in the eyes of God.[22] Only the union of a male and female match with God’s intended plan as reinforced in His own Holy Name—Yahweh.[23]
So, whether it is the pursuit of the transgender movement or any other aspect of the LGBTQIA+ (alphabet soup) agenda, any blurring or crossing-over between the male-female distinctives amounts to dishonoring God’s name—which is a terrible sin. This is where we stand as Bible-believing Christians who live to honor God, and not to desecrate His creative plan.
Now, having said all this, I want you to understand that gender dysphoria is real for the person experiencing it. In other words, these transgender temptations are powerful for those who are genuinely affected by them. They are no less real than a drug addict’s addiction, an alcoholic’s craving for liquor, or the porn addict’s lust for pornography. Just as all of us deal with the sins of anger, greed, unclean lips, heterosexual lusts, and a host of other worldly desires, so too do people who are dealing with sexual identity problems. And so, we are called to show them compassion and love. We must remember that Jesus said: 31 “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Luke 5:31-32 (NLT2) Notice that Jesus is looking for those “who know they are sinners.”
There is a corollary to this that comes from the Apostle Paul. Speaking of Jesus and His commandments, Paul asked the following about those who simply do not know Jesus Christ: “How can they call to Him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the MESSAGE? And how can they hear if the MESSAGE is not proclaimed?” Romans 10:14 (TEV) There are many people who do not understand the sinful natural of transgenderism simply because they have never truly heard God’s Word on the subject. And as John, chapter 1, teaches: Jesus is the Word made flesh.[24] So, we need to answer Paul’s question by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with a world that lives in darkness because it doesn’t know about the Light.[25] Jesus is telling us that the Church must be a hospital for sinners, not a country club for those who consider themselves to be saints. Many are infected with the deadly disease of transgender sin, but do not even know it. So, let that thought be our starting point in dealing with, not only the transgender issue, but the issue of sin in general. If Jesus came for the sick, and if He commands us to, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15,NLT2), then what kind of “physicians” is He requiring us to be? First of all, Jesus wants us to be truthful physicians. What kind of doctor would you be if a deadly disease had stricken a friend, but you failed to offer the only medicine that could cure them? Instead of compassionately explaining to them the nature of their sickness and giving them this miracle cure, what if you told them that they were just fine and not to worry about it—“Hey, just continue to do whatever makes you happy.” The medical board would revoke your license. Your callous and untruthful attitude might even be considered so reckless and uncaring as to be criminal. No one would do something so awful to anyone else. That’s true for Christians in witnessing to someone suffering from the spiritually deadly disease of sin. You can’t be faithful to Christ by telling them everything is just fine.
That’s why it’s important to know what the Bible has to say about the many social issues that confront us today. We want to take God’s position on these issues and not give in to the secular and godless positions of the world. But, we must be careful to do this in a loving way. We are not to be judgmental or condemning, “for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and He will apply to you the same rules you apply to others.” Matthew 7:2 (TEV) As the Apostle Peter taught us, “If anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.” 1st Peter 3:15 (TLB)
If you know Jesus Christ this morning, then it’s time to take up your cross and follow Him. And as Alice Cooper can tell us—there will be a cost to pay. But, like I said earlier, Alice is singing a very different song today. It’s not “School’s Out Forever” anymore. Rather, it the “church is open forevermore”—open to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who are not even conscious of the darkness in which they live! But, if you don’t know Jesus today, then now is the time to come into His Light. If you are a sinner, don’t feel like you’re alone. We are all in this hospital called the “Church” together, seeking the healing hand of the Good Physician, Jesus Christ!
Let us pray.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
September 10, 2023
©2023 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, et al., “Schools Out,” producer Bob Ezrin, Warner Bros. (released April 26, 1972).
[2] Michael Foust, “Rocker Alice Cooper: Jesus Saved Me from Cocaine, Sin,” ChristianHeadlines.com (May 23, 2019).
[3] Ibid.
[4] Michael Foust, “Alice Cooper Loses Business Deal for Saying It’s 'Wrong' to Push Transgenderism on Kids,” https://www.christianheadlines.com/ ChristianHeadlines.com, (August 30, 2023).
[5] Ibid.
[6] Garlow, James L. Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today’s Tough Issues. Salem Books: Washington D.C. p. 89 (2016).
[7] Ibid, p. 90.
[8] Ibid, p. 92-93.
[9] Madalina Dinita, “How to Change Gender on Facebook,” https://www.technipages.com/(March 10, 2022).
[10] William MacDonald pointed out in his commentary: “Men were not to wear women's clothing, or vice versa. God hates transvestism.” MacDonald, William. 1995. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[11] Anders, Max and Doug McIntosh. Holman Old Testament Commentary—Deuteronomy. Nashville, TN: Broadman Holman, 2002. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
[12] Or, see the English Standard Version: “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 (ESV)
[13] John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas. Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament, Deuteronomy, database WORDsearch (2015), page 194. See: Rydelnik, Michael A., and Michael Vanlaningham, eds. 2014. The Moody Bible Commentary. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
[14] The MacArthur Study Bible, Deuteronomy 22:5; NIV Study Bible, Deuteronomy 22:5; Holman Old Testament Commentary, Deuteronomy 22:5, p. 261.
[15] Matthew 5:48 “Your heavenly Father is perfect.” (ESV), Deuteronomy 32:4a “He [God] is the Rock. His work is perfect.” (TLB)
[16] Howard, Jeremy Royal, ed. 2010. HCSB Study Bible: God’s Word for Life. B&H.
[17] Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary (Hebrew Strong’s Number 376).
[18] Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary (Hebrew Strong’s Number 802).
[19] Garlow, James L. Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today’s Tough Issues. Salem Books: Washington D.C. p. 66 (2016).
[20] Dictionary of the Old Testament Pentateuch: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship.
[21] Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.” (NASB)
[22] Romans 1:26-32 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. 28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. . . 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. (NLT2)
[23] Garlow, James L. Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today’s Tough Issues. Salem Books: Washington D.C. p. 89 (2016).
[24] John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NIV)
[25] [Like Paul, we are called,] “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Jesus Christ].” Acts 26:18 (ESV)
