In today’s culture, mankind is a complex concoction of chemical processes—mankind is an evolved animal species that has reached the top of the food chain. Today’s understanding of man is utterly hopeless and confused. If we arose from evolution, we are not distinct from animals. We live by pure instinct. Morality is a social construct, not an absolute certainty. Jean Paul Sartre (a famous postmodernist), described himself this way,

It was true, I had always realized it—I hadn’t any “right” to exist at all. I had appeared by chance, I existed like a stone, a plant, a microbe. I could feel nothing to myself but an inconsequential buzzing. I was thinking … that here we are eating and drinking, to preserve our precious existence, and that there’s nothing, nothing, absolutely no reason for existing.

But that can’t be so… Sartre cannot be correct. When I hear beautiful music, I feel. When I see an artistic masterpiece, I feel. When I witness an egregious injustice, I feel. When I hear a heartwarming story, I feel. Why do we as humans have emotions and moral sensibilities? Surely it cannot be because there’s no reason or purpose for existence. No, humanity has a distinct purpose. I believe God made us in his image.

According to Genesis 1:27, God made both the male and female gender in his image. One area where today’s culture is confused is regards the transgender bathroom controversies. We see this evidenced in the LGBTQ movement and Bruce Jenner’s transformation to normalize gender confusion and transitions. What is this about? Ultimately, we are witnessing the cultural grandchild of the sexual revolution of the 1960s. The 60s witnessed a sexual morality consistent with humanity not created but evolved. Since then, sexual norms have been constantly changing and consistently under attack—to the point now where the attack is now on one’s given gender. If gender is a “choice,” not a part of the created design, then man is not made in God’s image. I believe the consequences of this point of view are breathtakingly dangerous:

• Man does not have inherent dignity or worth. We are worth no more than animals.
• Man does not have inherent morality. If gender is a product of choice and not an absolute biological certainty, then everything is a product of choice without absolute standards.
• Man does not have cultural security. The laws of our land, if they follow the biblical intent of civil law, should protect the innocent and those that cannot defend themselves. This gender confusion and shifting standards create a scenario where protection of the innocent is not guaranteed by the expected standards.

What are we to do about this progression? First, as Christians we must take our stand on biblical truth and recognize that gender is part of God’s design. As such, we should acknowledge the inherent dignity afforded to every human being as a result of being made in God’s image. Second, we must be willing to become the vocal minority in a culture that is decidedly rejecting biblical norms. We must not relegate the biblical affirmations regarding human dignity and gender to silence and solitude.

Being made male and female in God’s image indicates that God made us for relationship and interdependence upon one another. Ultimately, God made us for relationship with him. Some in today’s culture have made gender the issue at which to attack God’s design. As his followers, we must be willing to address culture on this issue because relationship with God is at stake.