Body and Soul – Serving Transgenders In Your Church (Part Four)

Grace Thoughts

Body and Soul – Serving Transgenders In Your Church (Part Four)

A transgender person visits your church. You have what I pray will be a friendly and fruitful discussion with them about spiritual matters. Let’s say that it appears to you, and to your pastor and elders, that this ‘trans’ person is saved. The trans person then asks about church membership. They may also ask about “serving” in the church, and even church “leadership.” How do you respond? How do your pastors and elders respond? Does your church and/or denomination have a position on the involvement of ‘trans’ people in the “assembly of saints?”

The answers to all of these questions can be found in the Bible, but we’ve already seen how many members of the LGBTQIA+ community interpret portions of the Bible differently than Christians who they call “traditional.” So, is there an answer that will please everyone?

Pleasing God

The answer is simple – do what pleases God. But what if Christians differ on what pleases God? They shouldn’t if they are “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). That means “handling the Word of God correctly.” It means studying the text of the Bible in context. It means knowing the meanings of the original languages of the Bible (e.g. Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). You don’t have to be a language expert to learn about the original meanings of words. You can find Greek-English and Hebrew-English books and online helps. We will include some of those in the “Resource” section in the last part of this series.

The answer is simple, but I would never claim that the process of getting to the answers of tough questions are simple or easy. Here’s a complete sentence Paul wrote – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Notice the words diligent, approved, worker, and ashamed, that lead up to the phrase “rightly dividing the word of truth.” None of those words offer any hope of finding an easy answer to many of the tough questions of living as a Christian. The context of the text makes that pretty clear –

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:1-10

Did you see it?

be strong
endure hardship
good soldier
engaged in warfare
competes according to the rules
hardworking farmer
suffer as an evildoer
endure all things

Does that look like a ‘walk in the park’? A ‘day at the beach’? A ‘stroll in the moonlight’? I don’t think so. What I read Paul telling Timothy, prior to telling him about “rightly dividing the word of truth,” is that serving God is going to be difficult. Paul suffered greatly for preaching the Gospel, debating with pagans and Jews, and establishing Christian churches across the Roman Empire.

Paul was days or weeks from dying a martyr’s death when he wrote 2 Timothy, so he wanted to remind Timothy of what he would face after Paul died. Timothy would also have to “be strong.” He would also have to be a “good soldier.” He would also be “engaged in warfare.” He would also work “hard” like a farmer. He would also “suffer” as an evildoer in the eyes of people he was trying to reach with the Gospel. He would also have to “endure all things.”

So, what does this have to do with ‘trans’ people in your church and “pleasing” God? Here are more insights from Paul’s writings that may help you understand what’s at stake –

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:9-14

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-9

The Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be changed – not even a little bit. Even though Christians have to suffer for the Gospel, our responsibility is to be “bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.” It’s our job to speak the truth in love “not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” No Christian should try to make the Gospel look different than it really is by using “flattering words,” or a “cloak for covetousness.”

Answering Questions

Answering questions about church membership, service, and leadership for transgenders must be according to what pleases God, not what pleases people. There are billions of people, so pleasing all of them is impossible. However, there is only One God. Pleasing Him is possible.

First, let me ask you an obvious question. What pleases God? What pleases God about a person who wants church membership? What pleases God about a person who wants to serve in the church? What pleases God about a person who wants to lead in the church? Everything you want to know to answer those questions is found in the Bible. Everything. Nothing is left out. God has told us everything we need to know.

So, back to serving transgenders in your church. What are the biblical requirements for church membership? What are the biblical requirements for church service? What are the biblical requirements for church leadership?

Begin by reading and studying the Gospels. Next, read and study the Book of Acts. Then, read and study the letters of the apostles. Finally, read and study the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the seven churches in Asia. Once you’ve read and studied the New Testament, you will be able to answer my questions.

Keep foremost in your thoughts that our primary purpose as God’s people is to love and serve Him. It is as we love and serve God that we can best love and serve our neighbor. That includes transgenders and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community. To serve our neighbors in ways that are contrary to God’s Word is not how we please God. God must be first in our hearts and minds.

But, you say, transgenderism is a very touchy subject these days. What if people don’t like how I answer their questions? What if I have to suffer some personal loss for holding a particular view that’s unpopular?

If you know what the Bible teaches about a particular subject and people hate you for it, the answer is straightforward – endure. Here’s what Jesus said –

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22

I want to remind you of that because the answers you and your church give to questions about transgenderism may cause you to be hated for Christ’s sake. Why do I say that? Because church membership, service, and leadership do not allow for sexual immorality.

Whoa! Why would I bring up sexual immorality in the context of serving transgenders in church? Because that’s a line we must not cross, and according to the clear teaching of Christ and His apostles transgenderism crosses that line. It’s not my line. It’s God’s line and He said not to cross it. I realize many in the LGBTQIA+ community will disagree with me even though they have no foundation upon which to stand.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:24-32

The best thing we can do for ‘trans’ people in our churches who are saved is to teach them what God says about sexual purity and the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To withhold that vital information from someone who believes in Christ and is in the LGBTQIA+ community is to do a great disservice to them, Christ, and His Church. It is also unloving. Loving people means telling them the truth.

Read Romans 1. Read 1 Corinthians chapters 5 and 6. Read 1 Corinthians 10. Read 1 Thessalonians 4. Read Jude 1. What do you see? God’s warnings about sexual immorality.

… as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 1:7

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:6-11

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 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? 1 Corinthians 6:18-19

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 1 Corinthians 5:11

Those are just some of the words Christ’s apostles, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote to church “members.” What do you think God will expect of His people who serve and lead the church? Do you think God’s standards will be the same? or even higher? I know the answer because I’ve read it in God’s Word. God expects those who serve and lead the members of a church to be an example of holiness.

A bishop then must be blameless .. he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given too much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:2, 7-13

For a bishop must be blameless … a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict … To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:7, 8-9, 15-16

Next Time

I will conclude this series in the next part by sharing some reference materials (e.g. articles, books, videos) that may help you as you seek to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

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Body and Soul – Serving Transgenders In Your Church (Part Four)