The world, especially western culture, is drowning in gender confusion. What is a REAL man or REAL woman? How would you teach that to a child or anyone searching for an answer? God defines REAL men and women, not the world. 

The consistent message from the world is there is no real difference between men and women, except for some body parts. The desire to neutralize or even eliminate the gender distinctions and differences God has hardwired into human beings (Gen. 1:26–27) is blatant and constant.

Worse yet, now a person can “identify” with a gender. Truth, hormones, and physiology do not matter as long as I decide what gender I am. What foolishness!

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27

Biological Confusion

The confusion is obviously a work of Satan to distort God’s creation. It’s effective because lies are sold through what appears as good. The lies ride on the back of truth and good values. It is like mixing poison with a healthy meal. Satan easily deceives us if we do not have the only firm foundation, God’s Word.

Most of the world's messages ride on the back of tolerance, acceptance, and diversity. You are intolerant if you do not allow leadership in the church for women, divorced ministers, or anyone practicing lifestyles that are clearly stated as sinful. 

Archbishop Chaput eloquently stated the problem:

“Evil preaches tolerance until it is dominant. Then it tries to silence good.”

Because of the confusion, the secular culture shapes the Church more than God’s Word.

God's Definitions

Culture cannot correctly define REAL men and women because it refuses to consider God’s definitions. Of course, the world says God’s definitions are “too confining” and not tolerant of other views. True, just like I prefer to stick with the rather narrow definition of gravity and its reality. Gravity does not tolerate different definitions, even if I want to define it according to my opinion or feelings.

Changing the definitions of real men and women does not have immediate consequences like not believing in gravity. The sudden stop of my body when hitting the ground after jumping from a four-story building is very real. It doesn't matter if I define it differently or not. 

So, without the immediate consequences, the false definitions of real men and women stay with us. Even when exposed as wrong, the world explains the consequences away with other lies and confusion.

Inadequate definitions provide fertile soil for chaos and confusion. They promote speculation, guesses, and theories about REAL men and women. Those definitions often come from subjective feelings, desires, or wishes rather than clear facts.

And Satan wants the confusion because he opposes all that God is. He especially hates God’s image being displayed in men and women. Confusion about gender distorts the image of God (Separate and Belonging or Powerful and Relational, see God's Design for Excellent Relationships and The Foundation of Our Design). Satan does not want us to understand the clarity of God's image built into men and women. And it makes them distinctly different.

Distorting the Designs

The world uses characters like James Bond to distort the powerful design of man. He uses his powerful design against men and women. He displays his power over women through his sexual prowess, but that is nothing more than being a womanizer. God wants the powerful design of man to be constructive or protective, not destructive! Or, the world understates the powerful design and demands that men be more sensitive, caring, and in touch with their “feminine” side.

The world also distorts the relational design of women. It is exaggerated in the form of being sexy, alluring, and seductive. It takes a woman's excellent relational qualities and beauty and distorts them to be destructive rather than supportive. The porn industry understands the power of distorting the design of a woman. 

Or, a woman is told she is to be “busting the glass ceiling” and stop devaluing themselves by staying home and wiping snotty noses. It is also interesting to see how the world blends the relational and the powerful in most fictional heroines. The distortion becomes something like Wonder Woman, who is not only sexy and alluring but can pummel and plunder all of the bad guys – better than a man.

One view of the feminist movement says that it does not promote femininity; instead, it promotes a “better man.” That idea certainly would be pleasing to Satan because it continues the distortion of a woman’s design.

It is time to stop operating with opinion and theory and accept the facts. God defines REAL men and women.

PURSUING THEIR BEST - Freedom in Relationships