Transgenderism is a false view of anthropology, based upon a series of premises contrary to reason and reliant upon distinctly religious ideas that happen to be false and should not be accepted as true, good, or beautiful. Its power as an ideological force—observable in its dramatic capture of the political debate in recent years—can, to some degree, be attributed to the religious nature of its presuppositions, which also demonstrates the importance of decisively rejecting its religious conclusions and proscriptions. But first, let us recap just a few of the quite astonishing consequences of this movement and the effects it has had on our society—all of which a mere decade ago would have been considered unthinkably absurd. 

In this secular age of ours, we like to presume that the religious spirit which has historically motivated civilisations and empires the world over has been snubbed out and replaced by the doctrine of science and rationalism. That our age is indeed a secular one and that the debates which concern our time have transcended primitive superstition are not conclusions that can justifiably be reached when one gives due attention to the true nature of the political and social quandaries vexing our society.
In March, Joe Biden declared Easter Sunday to be “Transgender Day of Visibility” in a move which outraged many and was received as an assault on the holiest day of the year. In one sense, this was of course deeply shocking. Yet it is not as shocking as one might initially presume and is actually somewhat consistent with the fact that transgenderism, as a political and ideological movement, is profoundly religious in its orientation, particularly in its contrast with Christianity. Amidst the noise about the death of God and the decline of faith, the political climate of the West has become charged with religious ideas and impulses masquerading under the supposed secularism of the social movements gripping our culture which, properly explored and unearthed, will aid us in better addressing this descent into heresy.
Transgenderism is a false view of anthropology, based upon a series of premises contrary to reason and reliant upon distinctly religious ideas that happen to be false and should not be accepted as true, good, or beautiful. Its power as an ideological force—observable in its dramatic capture of the political debate in recent years—can, to some degree, be attributed to the religious nature of its presuppositions, which also demonstrates the importance of decisively rejecting its religious conclusions and proscriptions. But first, let us recap just a few of the quite astonishing consequences of this movement and the effects it has had on our society—all of which a mere decade ago would have been considered unthinkably absurd.
Some doctors in the NHS are now referring to ‘human milk’ rather than breast milk and are arguing that milk produced by men who have taken hormones to induce lactation is just as beneficial to newborn children as that belonging to mothers. Medical bodies are deliberately removing terms like mother from maternity guidance or turning away men from giving blood unless they confirm that they are not pregnant. Whilst the primary impulse of the movement may have once been restricted to normalising adults identifying as the opposite sex, increasingly activists are turning their focus to so-called “transgender children.” In the U.S. specifically, there have been shocking examples of child mutilation—as in the case of detransitioner Chloe Cole who had a double mastectomy at the age of 15—and in Scotland certain politicians have recently argued that we ought to consider allowing eight-year-olds to legally change gender. The fervour with which this doctrine is being preached shows no signs of abating, particularly among the highly vocal activist base.
How, then, has it come to this? How has this profound shift in our frame-of-reference for understanding the human person occurred so dramatically and how has it had such a commanding influence upon our public institutions? It seems to me that we must pay attention to the fundamental religious presuppositions undergirding the ideology, specifically as it relates to its views on anthropology and the relationship between the soul and the body.
Anthropology has been a central aspect of religious thought for millennia and has been of essential importance for Christian theological reflection. The nature of mankind is specifically explored in the opening chapters of Genesis, where men and women are declared to be created in “the image and likeness of God”—a description ordinarily only applied to the king in surrounding Ancient Near Eastern cultures. The relationship between men and women is explored in these chapters and informs the doctrine of the Church which has celebrated and underscored the distinctiveness and complementarity of the sexes.
Over the last century or so, various social movements have sought to water down the distinctiveness of the sexes and propagate the view that men and women are essentially the same. This motivation undergirds the feminist movement. It was also the reasoning deployed to justify the legalisation and acceptance of same-sex marriage. It is likewise thought to lend support to transgenderism. After all, the more the distinctiveness of men and women is disputed, the easier it is to argue that a man can indeed become a woman and vice versa. The different duties, responsibilities, and expectations which were once thought proper to men and women respectively have been done away with to the point that it becomes easier to accept an opposing anthropological argument that seeks to diminish the complementarity of the sexes and makes it possible for transformation to occur.
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We are striving to be holy as He is holy. But, no one will be perfectly sanctified until glorification. If someone had to be perfect before they were to go and evangelize then Jesus would not have given the great commission to the disciples in the first place. See, God is glorified in using weak people. Why? Because He receives the glory. The people of the world do not need you to be perfect. They need you to tell them of the perfect Jesus. The one who was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 

You Don’t Need to Be Perfect for God to Use You
Have you ever felt inadequate when sharing your faith? 
I was talking with a man a few years ago over coffee. The shop wasn’t very busy. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly roasted beans. As we sat talking about the Scriptures and evangelism he started to look concerned. The brother very sincerely and humbly told me, “Bryan, I don’t have all the Bible knowledge you have. I can’t answer all of their questions. And, my life certainly isn’t perfect.” I could sense his fear, anxiety, and hesitation. 
This man wanted to be perfect and have all of the perfect answers before sharing the gospel. But, that’s not how God likes to work. 
God Uses Imperfect People
God has an amazing track record of using imperfect people to spread His glory.. Actually, I think it is one of the ways God shows himself glorious.
God established His covenant with Abraham. The same Abraham given over to half truths. 
God made sure the covenant blessing went with scheming Jacob.
God used murderous Moses to lead His people.
God raised up David, the adulterer, to inherit the messianic promise.
God called disobedient Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh. 
God sent Paul, the one who had tried to destroy the church, to be the apostle to the gentiles. 
It’s the Message Not the Messenger
By the Spirit the Apostle Paul knew this. There were various groups of preachers who were going around trying to one up him. Paul could have been offended or competitive.
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The following selection of definitions start in eternity past, move to eternity future, and cover a basic pattern of salvation that is true for all those whom God has saved, is saving, and will save…they will serve you as you study the Scriptures and work out your salvation with fear and trembling, grace, and knowledge.

And those whom he predestined he also called,and those whom he called he also justified,and those whom he justified he also glorified.—Romans 8:30
Last Sunday I preached a sermon with lots of big but important words. In two verses (Romans 3:24–25), Paul uses justification, redemption, and propitiation to speak of the saving work of God in Christ’s death and resurrection. Tomorrow, I will add to that list a number of other big words as our men’s group discusses John Murray’s Redemption Accomplished and Applied. In Part 2 of his book, Murray outlines the order of salvation (ordo salutis) starting with regeneration and ending with glorification. Added to this list we could describe God’s eternal plans for salvation in things like predestination, election, and adoption.
All in all, there are a lot of -ion words that Christians (at least English speaking Christian) need to grasp in order to understand their salvation. To be clear, salvation does not depend upon knowing how it works. We can fly on a plane without understanding aerodynamics. Just the same, we can be saved by faith in Christ, without understanding everything about it. There are many, indeed all of us, who possess wrong ideas about salvation who are still saved. So great is God’s grace.
Nevertheless, for those who delight in God and his salvation, we are urged (Ps. 111:2), even commanded (Matt. 28:19), to grow in a knowledge of our salvation (2 Pet. 3:18). And to that end, I share the following selection of definitions that start in eternity past, move to eternity future, and cover a basic pattern of salvation that is true for all those whom God has saved, is saving, and will save. I hope they will serve you as you study the Scriptures and work out your salvation with fear and trembling, grace and knowledge.
Sources

Twelve Salvation Words
1. Salvation
A broad term referring to God’s activity on behalf of creation and especially humans in bringing all things to God’s intended goal. More specifically, salvation entails God’s deliverance of humans from the power and effects of sin and the Fall through the work of Jesus Christ so that creation in general and humans in particular can enjoy the fullness of life intended for what God has made.  (Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, 105)
The master theme of the Christian gospel is salvation. Salvation is a word-picture of wide application that expresses the idea of rescue from jeopardy and misery into a state of safety. (Concise Theology, 146)
(N.B. I would add that everything that follows in this list of terms is a part of salvation. While salvation is often thought and described synonymously with redemption, justification, or regeneration, salvation (theologically speaking) really is the umbrella term for all that the triune God does to save us. Moreover, this term must encompass the eternal grace of God and the work of God—past, present, and future. Anything short of that comprehensive view of salvation shrinks this glorious truth. Moreover, when we fail to consider the various “parts” of salvation, it may lead to a misunderstanding of the doctrine.)
2. Predestination and Election
Predestination is word often used to signify Gods foreordaining of all the events of world history, past, present, and future, and this usage is quite appropriate. In Scripture and mainstream theology, however, predestinaion means specifically God’s decision, made in eternity before the world and its inhabitants existed, regarding the final destiny of individual sinners. In fact, the New Testament uses the words predestination and election (the two are one), only of God’s choice of particular sinners for salvation and eternal life (Rom. 8:29; Eph. 1:4-5, 11). Many have pointed out, however, that Scripture also ascribes to God an advance decision about those who finally are not saved (Rom. 9:6-29; 1 Pet. 2:8; Jude 4), and so it has become usual in Protestant theology to define God’s predestination as including both his decision to save some from sin (election) and his decision to condemn the rest for their sin (reprobation), side by side. (Concise Theology, 38)
The verb elect means “to select, or choose out.” The biblical doctrine of election is that before creation God selected out of the human race, foreseen as fallen, those whom he would redeem, bring to faith, justify, and glorify in and through Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28-39; Eph. 1:3-14; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:9-10). This divine choice is an expression of free and sovereign grace, for it is unconstrained and unconditional, not merited by anything in those who are its subjects. God owes sinners no mercy of any kind, only condemnation; so it 1S a wonder, and matter for endless praise, that he should choose to save any of us; and doubly so when his choice involved the giving of his own Son to suffer as sin-bearer for the elect (Rom. 8:32). (Concise Theology, 149)
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