God gave us a gender (male or female); sin broke our bodies (including our sense of gender); Jesus’ body was broken to give us hope; and all Christians are called to love one another, even if the temptations we face are unique.
Now what? While specialized counseling or support groups have their place, the church of Jesus doesn’t require special groups for transgender people (or adulterers or porn addicts or the anxious or the proud or any type of sin). We just need to do life together. We need to talk about what feels so good to us but isn’t good according to God. We need to share the grace of Jesus with one another. We need to pray for the Spirit to give us the self-control we need to do the will of God. Paul encourages us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). There’s no need to rank burdens or feel embarrassed by the temptation that I face and you don’t. Instead, we love each other well when we fix one another’s eyes on Jesus—his grace, his faithfulness.
Recently, a Christian from our church confessed her gender identity struggles to her small group Bible study. How did they react? With love. They embraced her, encouraged her, and prayed for her. They treated her like any other Christian—someone who faces daily temptation but whose identity is secure because of the blood of Jesus.
That’s how we carry each other’s burdens. That’s how we love people the way Jesus first loved us.
