The Bible on Sex & Gender

By Kirk L. Zehnder

THE BIBLE ON SEX & GENDER was written to explore why this issue is misunderstood by so many and to take an honest look at the Biblical record to see if there are clear teachings that will help us clear up these misunderstandings.

This book is not written to attack those with a different view. Rather it was written to explain what the Bible teaches and illustrate why Bible-believing Christians hold a traditional viewpoint on sex and gender.

I pray this short work will help begin a dialogue and help the reader understand what the Bible teaches. Then, with this understanding, the reader will be equipped to understand and share these truths, in love, with others.

BONUS: Each chapter ends with DISCUSSION QUESTIONS! Use this as a study guide with your family, Sunday School class, classroom, or church group. This would also be a great resource for Home Schooling.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kirk L. Zehnder
• Release date: Jun 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224141852

Kirk L. Zehnder

Kirk L. Zehnder served as the founding pastor of The Fellowship at Weatherford, a Foursquare Church in Weatherford, Texas. Pastor Kirk has been involved in both business and pastoral ministry for over 40 years. Kirk founded Resurrection Christian Outreach at the very beginning of his ministry to be a support ministry to help churches and individuals reach their full potential in Jesus Christ!If you are interested in other resources from this ministry, or if you would like to secure a speaking engagement, please email us at: [e-mail] write to us at:Resurrection Christian Outreach2248 Addison Ave.Clermont, FL 34711

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THE BIBLE ON SEX & GENDER

Kirk L. Zehnder

Copyright ©2024

Kirk L. Zehnder

Resurrection Christian Outreach

Local Church Dynamics

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or article.

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Emboldening and underlining within scripture quotations are the author’s emphasis.

To inquire about speaking engagements with the author or to submit comments or questions, please send your inquiries to:

[e-mail].

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE: My Purpose in Writing This Book

INTRODUCTION: Changing Viewpoints

CHAPTER 1: Genesis on Sex & Gender

CHAPTER 2: Jesus on Sex & Gender

CHAPTER 3: Paul on Sex & Gender

CHAPTER 4: The Effects of Sin on Sex & Gender

CHAPTER 5: Pathway Back to a Biblical Understanding

ADDENDUM: A Heart Check for Believers

CITATIONS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE:

MY PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS BOOK

I was born in 1955 when life was much simpler. I grew up understanding that there were only two genders, male and female. Since then, the world has changed beyond what I could have imagined. The current debate on sex and gender has caused me to take a fresh look at the Bible and explore what the Scriptures have to say about this subject.

I do not approach this subject from a medical or psychological perspective. These are not my areas of expertise. I approach this subject solely from a Biblical perspective. My purpose in writing this book is as follows.

First, it is to explore what the Bible teaches about the subject.

Second, it is to help the reader understand the teachings of the Bible, equipping them to give a thoughtful and informed answer to anyone who asks why they hold a traditional view of sex and gender.

I am not writing this book to attack those who hold different views. My hope is that this short work will begin a dialogue and create an interest in discovering what the Bible teaches. My call as a follower of Jesus Christ is to speak the truth in love and give an answer to anyone who asks about my faith and hope in Christ.

…Worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it (1 Peter 3:15).

God has created each person in His image. God’s creation is filled with purpose and design. I pray this book will help affirm God’s purpose and design, bringing understanding to the current debate on sex and gender.

Kirk L. Zehnder

Founder: Resurrection Christian Outreach

Director: Local Church Dynamics

INTRODUCTION

Changing Viewpoints

The understanding of sex and gender is a subject that is rapidly changing. In my short lifetime, I have seen the number of proposed genders grow from 2 to 4, to 8, to 16 (Becker, 2022), and now some claim there are 72 or more genders (Shaziya Allaraka M.D., 2022).

And, if that was not confusing enough, now there is a growing number of gender pronouns we are expected to memorize and use when we address individuals who identify as one of these different genders.

The University of Wisconsin's webpage lists a total of 45 gender pronouns that they suggest using and even offers a sample writing tool where you can practice using these different pronouns (Wisconsin, 2024).

It is easy to understand why so many find this subject difficult to pin down and understand. Sex and gender in our current culture is a moving target!

Changing Terminology

One effective way to understand how our culture has changed is to compare how the English language has changed over the years. When I do this, I use Webster’s English Dictionary from 1828 and a current dictionary.

In 1828 the Bible was still a major influence in the culture. Many definitions in the 1828 volume were illustrated by citing Biblical quotations. Here is how Noah Webster defined gender in this edition.

Gender:(Webster, 1828)

- "Properly, kind; sort.

- A sex, male or female. Hence,

- In grammar a difference in words to express distinction of sex; usually a difference of terminations, yet in the progress of language, other words having no relation to one sex or the other, came to have genders assigned to them by custom words expressing males are said to be of the masculine gender; those expressing females, of the feminine gender, and in some languages, words expressing things having no sex, are of the neuter or neither gender."

In Webster’s 1828 English Dictionary, there were two recognized genders. The term neuter was given to anything that did not have a gender. The two defined genders were male and female.

Fast forward to the Oxford English Dictionary, 2024. We see a profound change in the definition of gender. It no longer refers to the two sexes, male and female. It can now include a range of gender identities defined by each person and not tied to their biological sex.

Gender:(Oxford, 2024)

- Either of the two sexes (male and female), especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. The term is also used more broadly to denote a range of identities that do not correspond to established ideas of male and female.

The only thing that everyone can agree on when discussing the issue of sex and gender is that it is a moving target. The definition I read today may not be the definition I may read tomorrow. This makes it even more disconcerting when politicians and educators propose teaching this ever-changing construct to small children in our elementary schools.

Fortunately, the Bible comes to speak an unchanging message of hope and clarity on this subject, as it does to all the issues of life. In the following chapters, we will explore the teachings of Genesis, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul as we