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A Field Guide on Gender and Sexuality
The world around us is rapidly changing. Rejection of the Bible’s teaching on what it means to be human has created widespread confusion about gender and sexuality. Many Christians now face questions that seem to pit love and truth against each other. Should we attend the LGBTQ weddings of our family members and friends? May we address people by their preferred pronouns? And are we unloving if we do not do what the culture demands?
God is not silent on these matters. His unchanging and authoritative Word provides the truth we need to face today’s challenges. Do we have the resolve to speak the truth in love amid the mounting pressure to compromise?
This field guide offers biblical answers to questions about gender, sexuality, and identity. Each answer seeks to help Christians stand firm in their convictions, navigate relationships with true compassion, and proclaim the liberating hope of the gospel.
God is not silent on these matters. His unchanging and authoritative Word provides the truth we need to face today’s challenges. Do we have the resolve to speak the truth in love amid the mounting pressure to compromise?
This field guide offers biblical answers to questions about gender, sexuality, and identity. Each answer seeks to help Christians stand firm in their convictions, navigate relationships with true compassion, and proclaim the liberating hope of the gospel.
120 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2024
22 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
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July 16, 2024
Biblical, practical, charitable, clear answers to many common questions on gender and sexuality. This short, helpful book is replete with Bible verses.
Notes
Being Human
When God created humans in His image, He gave command to be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over creation (Gen 1:26-28), which shows that aspects of image include having children and ruling over creation (under God), which requires minds, wills, and being relational. Language of guarding and keeping (Gen 2:15) is also used of priests (Num 1:53), showing that part of image is being religious (worshiping God). Fall damaged image, but didn't destroy it (Jas 3:9). The more we're conformed to Christ, the more we bear God's image (2 Cor 3:17-18).
Homosexuality and Transgenderism
Same-sex attraction is sin because the desire for sin is sin (Mt 5:27-30).
Homosexual activity is sin (Gen 1-2; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10).
Because God is sovereign and ordains all things (Eph 1:11), He ordains that some people will have same-sex attraction, but He doesn't give the desires and can't be blamed for them, because He doesn't tempt anyone (Jas 1:13). Sinful desires come from our own sinful hearts, not God (Jas 1:14). God allows us to have sinful desires so we can fight them by His Spirit, for our good and His glory (Rom 8:28).
Temptations, whether external or internal, are not in themselves sinful (e.g., recognizing that someone who isn't your spouse is attractive). We must immediately reject the temptation without desiring it. When we cross into desiring, it becomes sin.
Believers who experience gender dysphoria may continue to experience it at some level, but can still grow in Christlikeness, trust Spirit to mortify sinful desires, and fight those desires (Col 3:5).
Homosexuality is worse than many other sins because it's contrary to God's design in creation (Rom 1:18-27), unlike heterosexual sin (which is still evil). Some sins are worse than others (Lk 12:41-48; Jn 19:11).
Christians who experience same-sex attraction can expect desires to change as they grow in sanctification (2 Cor 3:18; Rom 8:13; Col 3:5), though change will happen at different rates in different people. Growth in grace doesn't guarantee that all Christians will eradicate all same-sex desires in this life.
Events and Associations
Christians may not attend gay weddings, because such weddings approve of sin, and Christians may not participate in unfruitful works of darkness (Eph 5:5-14). Attending a wedding signals your approval of the relationship. "Gay marriage" is a rejection of the natural order God has instituted, so we can't recognize such marriages or their ceremonies as legitimate. For the same reasons, Christians may not use their talents to celebrate the union (e.g., baking a wedding cake, arranging flowers, designing wedding invitations, etc.).
Christians may attend wedding of a believing man and unbelieving woman, because God gave marriage to all humans, not only believers (Gen 2:24).
Christians may not attend weddings of Christians and non-Christians, because God only permits Christians to marry other Christians (1 Cor 7:39).
Christians may attend wedding of a man and woman who cohabited prior to marriage, because although cohabitation was a sin, it's better for them to marry than continue in sin.
Christians may attend weddings of those who have been biblically divorced, but not of those who have been unbiblically divorced, as that marriage is illegitimate. If no determination has been made about whether the divorce was biblical, it's up to an individual's conscience whether to attend.
Christians shouldn't intentionally use pronouns that don't match a person's biological sex because to do so is lying. Out of love for God and others, we can't affirm a lie about how God has made humans.
Proper names are more arbitrary than sex-specific pronouns, so it's up to an individual's conscience whether to use proper names that appear inconsistent with a person's biological sex.
Christians must be friendly (good neighbors) to LGBT people (Lk 10:25-37; Gal 6:10), but we can't be friends in sense of having deep, enduring relationship grounded in common worldview, because in that sense we can only be friends with Christians (Eph 5:11; 2 Jn 1:2). Our interactions with non-Christians will be limited because we can't participate in or approve of unbiblical lifestyles (2 Cor 6:14; Eph 5:11). Jesus was known as a friend of sinners (Mt 11:19) because He didn't shun them and received them as disciples when they repented, but He never joined in or approved of sin.
Christians should disassociate from people who entice us to sin or are in other ways a spiritual danger. We don't need to withdraw from non-Christian world or cut off all relationships with non-Christians (1 Cor 5:9-10). When a professing Christian is impenitent, church must treat them as a non-Christian (1 Cor 5:9-13). This doesn't mean shunning or cutting off all contact (unless person is serious threat), but evangelizing and withdrawing privileges of church membership (weekly fellowship in worship, Lord's Supper). If person is a teacher and has committed grave sin or taught gross heresy, church should publicly rebuke and remove from position. If person repents, they should be restored to church fellowship (2 Cor 2:6-11), but not necessarily to teaching role. We should trust judgment of a gospel-preaching church about the state of another person's soul unless there's a compelling reason not to. If a church excommunicates a person, we don't necessarily need to cut off all contact, but must regard person as unbeliever to convert (Mt 18:17).
The Gospel and Love
True repentance doesn't necessarily mean that a Christian will never fall into the same sin again, but it does involve a genuine hatred for the sin and a resolve to turn from it, and walk in new obedience. The Christian battles indwelling sin, grieves it, and continually turns from it to God for forgiveness and strength.
If invited to someone's event, evaluate its meaning, and whether it celebrates person's 1) life or 2) lifestyle. Christians cannot attend events that approve of or celebrate sin or sinful lifestyle, or condemn what is righteous. This rules out an LGBT wedding or anniversary, but a non-sinful graduation, birthday, retirement may be acceptable. We must also consider how our interactions with LGBT people will affect weaker believers (Rom 14).
We must not put sinners in situations that make it easier for them to sin. We could invite a homosexual couple for dinner, but not allow them to share a bed in our home.
Notes
Being Human
When God created humans in His image, He gave command to be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over creation (Gen 1:26-28), which shows that aspects of image include having children and ruling over creation (under God), which requires minds, wills, and being relational. Language of guarding and keeping (Gen 2:15) is also used of priests (Num 1:53), showing that part of image is being religious (worshiping God). Fall damaged image, but didn't destroy it (Jas 3:9). The more we're conformed to Christ, the more we bear God's image (2 Cor 3:17-18).
Homosexuality and Transgenderism
Same-sex attraction is sin because the desire for sin is sin (Mt 5:27-30).
Homosexual activity is sin (Gen 1-2; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10).
Because God is sovereign and ordains all things (Eph 1:11), He ordains that some people will have same-sex attraction, but He doesn't give the desires and can't be blamed for them, because He doesn't tempt anyone (Jas 1:13). Sinful desires come from our own sinful hearts, not God (Jas 1:14). God allows us to have sinful desires so we can fight them by His Spirit, for our good and His glory (Rom 8:28).
Temptations, whether external or internal, are not in themselves sinful (e.g., recognizing that someone who isn't your spouse is attractive). We must immediately reject the temptation without desiring it. When we cross into desiring, it becomes sin.
Believers who experience gender dysphoria may continue to experience it at some level, but can still grow in Christlikeness, trust Spirit to mortify sinful desires, and fight those desires (Col 3:5).
Homosexuality is worse than many other sins because it's contrary to God's design in creation (Rom 1:18-27), unlike heterosexual sin (which is still evil). Some sins are worse than others (Lk 12:41-48; Jn 19:11).
Christians who experience same-sex attraction can expect desires to change as they grow in sanctification (2 Cor 3:18; Rom 8:13; Col 3:5), though change will happen at different rates in different people. Growth in grace doesn't guarantee that all Christians will eradicate all same-sex desires in this life.
Events and Associations
Christians may not attend gay weddings, because such weddings approve of sin, and Christians may not participate in unfruitful works of darkness (Eph 5:5-14). Attending a wedding signals your approval of the relationship. "Gay marriage" is a rejection of the natural order God has instituted, so we can't recognize such marriages or their ceremonies as legitimate. For the same reasons, Christians may not use their talents to celebrate the union (e.g., baking a wedding cake, arranging flowers, designing wedding invitations, etc.).
Christians may attend wedding of a believing man and unbelieving woman, because God gave marriage to all humans, not only believers (Gen 2:24).
Christians may not attend weddings of Christians and non-Christians, because God only permits Christians to marry other Christians (1 Cor 7:39).
Christians may attend wedding of a man and woman who cohabited prior to marriage, because although cohabitation was a sin, it's better for them to marry than continue in sin.
Christians may attend weddings of those who have been biblically divorced, but not of those who have been unbiblically divorced, as that marriage is illegitimate. If no determination has been made about whether the divorce was biblical, it's up to an individual's conscience whether to attend.
Christians shouldn't intentionally use pronouns that don't match a person's biological sex because to do so is lying. Out of love for God and others, we can't affirm a lie about how God has made humans.
Proper names are more arbitrary than sex-specific pronouns, so it's up to an individual's conscience whether to use proper names that appear inconsistent with a person's biological sex.
Christians must be friendly (good neighbors) to LGBT people (Lk 10:25-37; Gal 6:10), but we can't be friends in sense of having deep, enduring relationship grounded in common worldview, because in that sense we can only be friends with Christians (Eph 5:11; 2 Jn 1:2). Our interactions with non-Christians will be limited because we can't participate in or approve of unbiblical lifestyles (2 Cor 6:14; Eph 5:11). Jesus was known as a friend of sinners (Mt 11:19) because He didn't shun them and received them as disciples when they repented, but He never joined in or approved of sin.
Christians should disassociate from people who entice us to sin or are in other ways a spiritual danger. We don't need to withdraw from non-Christian world or cut off all relationships with non-Christians (1 Cor 5:9-10). When a professing Christian is impenitent, church must treat them as a non-Christian (1 Cor 5:9-13). This doesn't mean shunning or cutting off all contact (unless person is serious threat), but evangelizing and withdrawing privileges of church membership (weekly fellowship in worship, Lord's Supper). If person is a teacher and has committed grave sin or taught gross heresy, church should publicly rebuke and remove from position. If person repents, they should be restored to church fellowship (2 Cor 2:6-11), but not necessarily to teaching role. We should trust judgment of a gospel-preaching church about the state of another person's soul unless there's a compelling reason not to. If a church excommunicates a person, we don't necessarily need to cut off all contact, but must regard person as unbeliever to convert (Mt 18:17).
The Gospel and Love
True repentance doesn't necessarily mean that a Christian will never fall into the same sin again, but it does involve a genuine hatred for the sin and a resolve to turn from it, and walk in new obedience. The Christian battles indwelling sin, grieves it, and continually turns from it to God for forgiveness and strength.
If invited to someone's event, evaluate its meaning, and whether it celebrates person's 1) life or 2) lifestyle. Christians cannot attend events that approve of or celebrate sin or sinful lifestyle, or condemn what is righteous. This rules out an LGBT wedding or anniversary, but a non-sinful graduation, birthday, retirement may be acceptable. We must also consider how our interactions with LGBT people will affect weaker believers (Rom 14).
We must not put sinners in situations that make it easier for them to sin. We could invite a homosexual couple for dinner, but not allow them to share a bed in our home.
June 25, 2024
I read this in essentially one sitting.
Clear, consice, and helpful. Just a good little booklet to hand out to anyone looking for a flyover of Biblical teachings and applications on gender and sexuality.
Clear, consice, and helpful. Just a good little booklet to hand out to anyone looking for a flyover of Biblical teachings and applications on gender and sexuality.
July 19, 2024
Small book, but full of straightforward information with Biblical support for a honest, clear understanding of gender and sexuality. It also contains answers to common questions to help the reader walk through this important cultural issue.
December 28, 2024
A helpful, short read on the subject. It includes a few key points I hadn’t previously considered, a handful of great reference quotes, and serves as an easy resource to revisit for a quick reference.
November 26, 2024
Helpful and practical little book
June 12, 2024
This new resource from Ligonier Ministries offers biblical answers to questions about gender, sexuality, and identity. Each answer seeks to help Christians stand firm in their convictions, navigate relationships with true compassion, and proclaim the liberating hope of the gospel. If you have been to a Ligonier Ministries conference, the book is set up similar to one of the “Question and Answer” sessions from the conference. I’ve heard some of these questions asked and answered over the past few years.
The field guide is arranged in the four main sections:
• Being Human
• Homosexuality and Transgenderism
• Events and Associations
• The Gospel and Love
Each section is comprised of questions and answers related to the that particular section. Saturated with Scripture, the book is short enough to read in one afternoon. It is priced such that you can purchase extra copies to give to others.
Among the subjects addressed in this field guide are being made in the image of God, sex, identity, gender, same-sex attraction, attending an LGBTQ wedding, internal and external temptations, gender dysphoria, pronouns, matter of conscience, friendship, disassociation, compassion, sharing the gospel with LGBTQ people and more.
Here are five helpful quotes from each of the four sections of the book:
Being Human
• Sex is the God-created means by which a man and a woman who are joined together in a covenant marriage bond can produce offspring and enjoy exclusive relational and physical intimacy together. There is also another important purpose for sex. God made sex for the husband and wife to enjoy one another and to fulfill within the marriage covenant the relational and sexual longings with which He created them (see Gen. 2:23). This dual purpose of sex highlights the goodness of God’s design and helps us identify erroneous views and mishandlings of the gift of sex.
• When humans use sex in a wrongful manner, it displeases God and undermines the purposes for which He created sex.
• With respect to our gender, we do not choose; God does, because He created us.
• Biological sex is an objective truth revealed by God. To reject the truth about how God has made us is to reject the wisdom and goodness of God, and therefore, it is to reject God Himself.
• History, biology, Scripture, and common sense tell us that there are only two sexes and that one’s sex cannot be changed.
Homosexuality and Transgenderism
• Romans 1:26–27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 tell us that same-sex sexual acts are wicked and will incur the eternal judgment of God if a person never turns from them and trusts in Christ alone for salvation.
• Gender dysphoria relates to desires and feelings that people experience but do not necessarily act on, while transgenderism culminates in actions and behaviors that a person takes to depart from or reject his or her biological sex.
• Christians should not use terms such as “gay Christian” to describe themselves because doing so bears false witness to Christ and His work.
• Homosexual sin is more scandalous than other sins because it is a departure from God’s creational design and standards for sex. While homosexual sin is a severe sin, it is not the unforgivable sin (Luke 12:10).
• Christians who experience same-sex attraction need encouragement from other brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when their unnatural attractions don’t die easily.
Events and Associations
• Christians cannot attend a gay wedding or celebrate the marriage by using their talents to celebrate the union.
• A Christian should not intentionally use a person’s preferred pronouns if those pronouns clearly do not reflect the person’s biological sex.
• It is the purview of the church to determine whether someone is the innocent party in a divorce. If the church judges that someone is the innocent party, that person is free to remarry, and a Christian may freely attend the wedding. If the church has determined that the person is not innocent, then the Christian should not attend the wedding, as it is illegitimate and should not go forward.
• Christians must exercise wisdom and discernment when people request to be addressed by a proper name that may appear inconsistent with their biological sex.
• Pronouns are sex-specific, so to intentionally use pronouns that plainly do not reflect the biological sex of the individual requires adopting a view of mankind that is antithetical to the Bible’s view of mankind.
The Gospel and Love
• When people call us judgmental or bigoted because we hold to Christian truth, we should not be surprised.
• Christians will face opposition when they explain the Bible’s teachings on gender and sexuality.
• We ought to make clear that in declaring the truth of God, we are not merely stating our personal opinion.
• We can and should point to Scripture and indicate that we are merely repeating what God the Creator says to us.
• We should make clear that we hold to these things not because they are our ideas but because God has revealed them.
The field guide is arranged in the four main sections:
• Being Human
• Homosexuality and Transgenderism
• Events and Associations
• The Gospel and Love
Each section is comprised of questions and answers related to the that particular section. Saturated with Scripture, the book is short enough to read in one afternoon. It is priced such that you can purchase extra copies to give to others.
Among the subjects addressed in this field guide are being made in the image of God, sex, identity, gender, same-sex attraction, attending an LGBTQ wedding, internal and external temptations, gender dysphoria, pronouns, matter of conscience, friendship, disassociation, compassion, sharing the gospel with LGBTQ people and more.
Here are five helpful quotes from each of the four sections of the book:
Being Human
• Sex is the God-created means by which a man and a woman who are joined together in a covenant marriage bond can produce offspring and enjoy exclusive relational and physical intimacy together. There is also another important purpose for sex. God made sex for the husband and wife to enjoy one another and to fulfill within the marriage covenant the relational and sexual longings with which He created them (see Gen. 2:23). This dual purpose of sex highlights the goodness of God’s design and helps us identify erroneous views and mishandlings of the gift of sex.
• When humans use sex in a wrongful manner, it displeases God and undermines the purposes for which He created sex.
• With respect to our gender, we do not choose; God does, because He created us.
• Biological sex is an objective truth revealed by God. To reject the truth about how God has made us is to reject the wisdom and goodness of God, and therefore, it is to reject God Himself.
• History, biology, Scripture, and common sense tell us that there are only two sexes and that one’s sex cannot be changed.
Homosexuality and Transgenderism
• Romans 1:26–27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 tell us that same-sex sexual acts are wicked and will incur the eternal judgment of God if a person never turns from them and trusts in Christ alone for salvation.
• Gender dysphoria relates to desires and feelings that people experience but do not necessarily act on, while transgenderism culminates in actions and behaviors that a person takes to depart from or reject his or her biological sex.
• Christians should not use terms such as “gay Christian” to describe themselves because doing so bears false witness to Christ and His work.
• Homosexual sin is more scandalous than other sins because it is a departure from God’s creational design and standards for sex. While homosexual sin is a severe sin, it is not the unforgivable sin (Luke 12:10).
• Christians who experience same-sex attraction need encouragement from other brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when their unnatural attractions don’t die easily.
Events and Associations
• Christians cannot attend a gay wedding or celebrate the marriage by using their talents to celebrate the union.
• A Christian should not intentionally use a person’s preferred pronouns if those pronouns clearly do not reflect the person’s biological sex.
• It is the purview of the church to determine whether someone is the innocent party in a divorce. If the church judges that someone is the innocent party, that person is free to remarry, and a Christian may freely attend the wedding. If the church has determined that the person is not innocent, then the Christian should not attend the wedding, as it is illegitimate and should not go forward.
• Christians must exercise wisdom and discernment when people request to be addressed by a proper name that may appear inconsistent with their biological sex.
• Pronouns are sex-specific, so to intentionally use pronouns that plainly do not reflect the biological sex of the individual requires adopting a view of mankind that is antithetical to the Bible’s view of mankind.
The Gospel and Love
• When people call us judgmental or bigoted because we hold to Christian truth, we should not be surprised.
• Christians will face opposition when they explain the Bible’s teachings on gender and sexuality.
• We ought to make clear that in declaring the truth of God, we are not merely stating our personal opinion.
• We can and should point to Scripture and indicate that we are merely repeating what God the Creator says to us.
• We should make clear that we hold to these things not because they are our ideas but because God has revealed them.
July 24, 2024
This is a concise read that provides answers to major questions on the topics of gender and sexuality. It presents the biblical perspective clearly and challenges the reader to consider God's design for men and women and how we can lovingly present the truth. The Q&A format is also very easy to read.
January 16, 2025
Scripture-based Guide
Concise, direct, relevant and truthful. This guide clearly presents an understanding of today's culture that advocates tolerance regarding personal choice in gender and sexuality. God's Word is the foundation upon which this work is based that shows God's majestic design for man and woman.
Concise, direct, relevant and truthful. This guide clearly presents an understanding of today's culture that advocates tolerance regarding personal choice in gender and sexuality. God's Word is the foundation upon which this work is based that shows God's majestic design for man and woman.
August 6, 2024
This is a great, little book about the issues of gender and sexuality. The book is formatted in a question and answer format. The questions are relevant. The answers are direct and biblical. This is a helpful resource, and one that I intend to use as a teaching aid with men in my church.
September 24, 2024
A straightforward biblical perspective on gender and sexuality from a trusted source. Appreciated the brevity.
October 3, 2024
Helpful little book.
November 26, 2024
Awesome, so helpful.
June 11, 2025
A very clear and concise look at what is a biblical view on sexuality.
August 11, 2025
R.C. Sproul's discipleship organization provides concise, conservative answers to forty-two questions concerning gender, sexuality, transgenderism, the gospel, and love.
August 9, 2024
A quick read, answering a number of questions related to gender and sexuality with clarity and biblical faithfulness. This is a good resource and will serve Christians well.
December 31, 2025
excellent!
Very good biblical perspective. Short and concise. Good resource for the church in dealing with this subject. Perfect for the new and mature believers!
Very good biblical perspective. Short and concise. Good resource for the church in dealing with this subject. Perfect for the new and mature believers!
November 29, 2024
really good information!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews