I’ve Come to Christ After Getting a Sex-Change. What Should I Do?

If someone has come to Christ after a sex change operation, what should they do? That's just one of the questions we'll be answering on today's edition of CORE Christianity. This is Bill Meyer, along with Pastor Adriel Sanchez, and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

And yes, we do get some challenging ones. Call us for the next 25 minutes or so with your question at 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-843-2673. As always, you can post your question on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts. You can actually watch Adriel in the studio right now live on YouTube and send us a message that way. And you can always email us your question at questionsatcorechristianity.com. First up today, let's go to Chris in Lebanon, Tennessee. Chris, what's your question for Pastor Adriel? Hi, can you hear me? Hey, I can hear you, Chris.

Thanks for giving us a call. Yeah, my question is, I have a 17-year-old daughter, and she's going to be 18 in October. And she's kind of getting into the modeling business, and I'm just wondering, is it okay for Christians to model?

Yeah, really practical question. And I guess part of it is, there isn't a simple answer, because I guess it would be, well, what kind of modeling is she doing? You know, there are different kinds of modeling.

And so I would say, yes, it can be okay, and then there are also instances in which I think it probably wouldn't be a very good thing. But I do know that the modeling world and industry can be a really difficult place to be in. And so I think for a Christian who is maybe getting into that world, and they have a clear conscience about the kind of modeling that they're doing. And just making sure that they're not getting into, not being sucked into the passions, if you will, of the flesh, and all the things that can sometimes be associated with that industry in particular. I think there's an over-emphasis on how we look, and maybe an under-emphasis on the important matters of the heart.

And so I don't know that there's a clear yes or no answer. I think you have to exercise biblical wisdom. I would say that there are instances where, yes, it's fine, and there are instances where I think you'd need to say maybe, no, it's not okay. And so, yeah, one passage of scripture that I think of is the encouragement that we see in 1 Peter 3, where in particular Peter is speaking to women, and he's talking about not just letting the adorning be external, the braiding of hair, the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear, but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. And that's something that isn't very valued in our society today, or certainly not in the modeling industry. And so I think as a Christian, if that's still your main focus, if you're growing in grace, drawing near to the Lord, and yet this is also something that you're able to do, and you enjoy doing, and maybe get a little bit of money on the side, and you can have a clear conscience before the Lord, then I would say it's fine.

But you as the Father here are going to have to help your daughter out and encourage her, and again, use biblical wisdom. Thank you for your question, Chris. Great question, Chris.

Thanks so much, and we appreciate so much you being a regular listener here at CORE Christianity. Adrian, weren't you featured in one of those acute pastors calendars one time, speaking of modeling? Yes, and it sold zero copies, Bill. No one, yeah. Your wife bought a few, right? Not even my wife.

It's crazy, Bill. No, I've never, and those of you who are watching live, you understand why. No, I never have. But this question, actually, it's one I've thought about because I have friends who are believers who have done modeling here and there, and they've wrestled through this question. And so I think, again, and I've already answered it, but we just have to exercise biblical wisdom.

A lot of times, it's not black and white, and that's one of the beautiful things I think about this broadcast is we're answering questions. Sometimes people want just a yes or no answer, but the reality is God gives us this whole category of wisdom in the Scriptures, and we have to use it as we think through some of these complex issues. Great counsel. This is CORE Christianity with Pastor Adrian Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life, 833-843-2673 is the number.

That's 833-THE-CORE. Give us a call right now for the next 20 minutes or so. We'll take your questions. Let's go to Don in Kansas City, Missouri. Don, what's your question for Pastor Adrian? Well, I'm a Christian, and I know I'm going to heaven.

It's a lot better alternative than what would be otherwise. But I can't imagine, I can't think of anything more boring than to go to heaven and spend my time singing songs and praising on my knees all day long. And I'm wondering, what am I missing? That's my question.

Yeah. Hey, Don, I know that there are a lot of people who feel the same way, who think, boy, you know, you think of those sort of cartoon images of heaven where people are floating around on the clouds playing the harp, and it's just nice and peaceful. That's not really exciting to me, you know. And so, but that's obviously, that's just not the biblical picture that we're given of heaven. Heaven is going to be filled with worship, but we're going to have an encounter of the Triune God and His kingdom in a way that causes everything that we know in this world, you know, this side of eternity to pale in comparison.

We just can't even begin to comprehend how glorious it's going to be. I don't know, you know, think about just looking at a beautiful sunset or a starry sky above, that kind of a thing. You know, sometimes it's just breathtaking. You think about the created world and how God has made it, all of the beauty, the colors, the smells. Heaven is going to be like that on steroids. I mean, just absolutely amazing.

We can't even begin to fathom it. And so no one has to worry about heaven being boring. We're going to be gathered around the throne of God who is incomprehensible, who cannot be contained.

We're going to be experiencing Him in a way that we'd never experienced Him here on earth. So, you know, I think we have to make sure that our vision of heaven, if you will, is shaped by what the Bible says and not by the sort of popular pictures that are put out there in media. And one other thing that I'll say to you, Don, is so heaven, you know, when we die, we're going to go to heaven. Our spirits are going to be in the presence of the Lord.

And that's referred to as the intermediate state. And it's called the intermediate state because we're also looking forward to more than just heaven. We're looking forward to the new creation, that is, the restoration of all things.

Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 8. We're going to receive resurrected bodies. We're going to exist on a new creation, perfect, without sin, without sickness. It's going to be the best thing ever. And so we can't even begin to express, I can't even begin to express how amazing that's going to be. And so you don't have to worry about being bored there in the presence of the living God.

It's going to be absolutely amazing. Thank you for your question. Beyond our comprehension as human beings, and that explains it right there, Adriel, so thank you. And thanks, Don, for your great question. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez.

We have a brand new resource we'd like to tell you about today. It's absolutely free, and it actually focuses on one of the most beautiful attributes of God. Yeah, the resource is called Ten Ways God Reveals Himself as Our Father. You know, when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught them by saying, you know, pray like this, Our Father in Heaven. And let me just think about that for a moment. The fact that we can address the God of the universe who made all things as Father.

There's intimacy there. There's a sense of his special care for his creation, in particular for his people. It's so important that we know this because many people have a view of God that is incorrect. You know, we think of God as cruel, harsh, if you will, or maybe as an abusive father, that kind of a thing.

Well, that's not what the scriptures teach. We need to understand God as Father, and so I hope that you'll get a hold of this resource, Ten Ways God Reveals Himself as Our Father. It's absolutely free, and you can download it by going to our website at corechristianity.com forward slash offers. That's corechristianity.com forward slash offers. Just look for Ten Ways God Reveals Himself as Our Father. By the way, you can call us for that resource or any one of our resources at 833-THE-CORE. Now, one of the ways you can ask Pastor Adriel a question is by emailing us, and the email address is questions at corechristianity.com.

Here's an email we received from one of our listeners named John. He says, I wrote to you a few months ago about having had a sex change operation, and you gave me hope in Christ. But now I read in 1 Corinthians 3 16-17 that our bodies are the temple of God, and to defile them is cause for destruction of the body. Does this mean that I will be destroyed body and soul? I've tried to live continuously for the Lord since being converted, but what does it matter if I live, pray, and obey the Lord, but I'm still going to hell? John, you are not in a hopeless situation. Satan wants to convince the people of God that they've done something, they've sinned in some way that will keep God from loving them.

You're just doomed. And if he can convince us of that, well then we'll never draw near to the Lord, we'll never go to church. What's the point, as you said in your email, John? When Paul writes what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 3 verses 16 and 17, he's talking about sexual immorality in the church in particular, and he says, Do you not know that you are God's temple, and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him, for God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Now I don't know when it was that you came to believe in Jesus, John, and receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, the truth of the gospel, but the reality is there are ways in which we have and do defile our bodies. It's not okay, and it seems to me like you recognize that now in hindsight, but are you cursed forever because of what you did to your body in the past? No, you turn to the Lord in faith and you say, God, have mercy upon me, and even these broken bodies that we have, oftentimes defiled even by us, God still pours his grace out on us and draws us near to himself, and so you are not hopeless. Brother, I would say live as the Lord made you, and draw near to him, and receive the grace that is for you, the grace of the Holy Spirit. Your body is still now, through faith in Jesus, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so live in light of that reality and follow the Lord and pursue holiness, be committed to him, to his word, to the local church, and know that his grace is for you, that you haven't sinned it away, but that the blood of Jesus is sufficient for you, even in light of the past. And so, John, may God be with you, and may God bless you and encourage you. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. It just seems like in today's culture we have so many challenging situations to deal with that we wouldn't have had to deal with even 20, 30 years ago.

I mean, it's just, it is stunning sometimes, isn't it, Adriel? Yeah, and this is why we need to continually, well, as I said earlier, exercise wisdom and apply the truth of Scripture as much as possible to the issues that are going on all around us and the questions that people are asking. This is why it's so important for us to be rooted in the Word, frankly. Make sure that you're studying the Bible, reading the Bible for yourself, day by day, because that's how we're shaped in wisdom.

And that's what this program is all about. We also have our wonderful book, Core Christianity, by our founder, Dr. Michael Horton. You can find out more about that book at our website, corechristianity.com.

Well, let's go to Justin in Springfield, Missouri. Justin, what's your question for Pastor Adriel? I was just wanting to get your thoughts on what the Old Testament says about the age of becoming a man. I know in the book of Numbers it talks about the census taking place of men of 20 years of age and older, and there's a lot of people that I talk with that don't believe that, you know, the Old Testament is all that relevant, they like to pick and choose different things to go off of. And so I was just curious on your thoughts on that.

Yeah. Boy, that's a great question. You know, and different cultures have kind of put the age of adulthood in different places. I mean, obviously at that time, too, you think of people going to war and wanting, you know, someone to be of proper age to go and fight.

And so I think, you know, culturally, that's sort of something that's been defined in different ways. I don't know that there is an age of accountability that's given to us in scripture, per se. A lot of times people are looking for, you know, what's the cutoff age where I'm really responsible for my behavior, for my actions. But the Bible doesn't, I think, speak to that very clearly. One thing that the Bible does say very clearly is that each of us, even from a very young age, can apprehend the gospel by the grace of the Holy Spirit. And so I think rather than thinking, you know, well, how long does an individual have before they're really accountable before God, I think we should teach one another, encourage one another in the scriptures, and pray that the grace of the gospel would penetrate into the minds and hearts of the young people around us, of our children. And that can happen, again, as I said, at a very young age. One of the things that's so beautiful in the gospels, and I say this oftentimes, is some of the people who recognize Jesus better than anyone else were the children. The religious leaders missed it, they didn't understand what he had come to do, but you have the kids at the temple crying out, Hosanna, Hosanna, save now, recognizing him as the king who's going to sit on David's throne.

And so we really don't want to minimize or just sort of undermine the work of God, if you will, by discounting how the Lord moves in the young around us. And so thank you for your question, Justin, and I appreciate you giving us a call. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez.

We have Rachel on the line from Springfield, Illinois. Rachel, what's your question for Adriel? My question is regarding the COVID vaccine. As a believer, I understand that people are watching my actions and my reactions, and I've always been able to easily, pretty easily, submit to authority, the governing authorities, my bosses, etc. But with this issue, I feel just a check in my spirit, honestly, about getting it. But if it's a requirement of my employer, I just don't know how to navigate it, like if it's a hill I should die on or not. Rachel, this is a question we've been getting a lot lately, and I've been getting personally, just as a pastor, questions that people bring to me in my own church.

And so you're not the only one who feels this way. Now, of course, I'm not an epidemiologist. I wasn't there in the lab when they were making the vaccines.

We're all trying to use the information that's in front of us to make the best decision possible. What I can say is sometimes people will think, well, is this a moral issue? Is the vaccine the mark of the beast? We've actually gotten that question on several occasions here at Core Christianity. And I can say definitively, as someone who is trained in the scriptures and who studies the Bible, that no, the COVID vaccine is not the mark of the beast. But when people hear those kinds of things and they treat it as a moral issue, it does become very difficult. And they start to struggle with, well, should I do this?

Should I not do this? You really have to consult doctors and people who know more about the vaccine and the sort of risk associated. I think everybody recognizes that there is a risk associated with taking a vaccine.

There's also a risk associated with not taking a vaccine. I can just speak from my own experience. I have a close friend, Rachel, who I shared this the other day on the broadcast, who's a chaplain in Los Angeles and a pastor serving the people of God so faithfully and also serving those who are sick and dying in the hospital. And he told me, he said, look, you hear all sorts of stuff out there in the news and in the media. I'll tell you, he said, 100 percent of the people that I'm seeing in the hospital who are really sick right now, some of them dying, have died, are all people who have not been vaccinated. And it's just absolutely tragic.

And I pray for him. We need to be praying for people that are working in the medical field. And we have to also be careful. We're getting so much information in social media and on the news and whatnot, and not all of it is helpful.

And so that's why I think finding someone that you trust, maybe a medical professional that you trust, where you can have this kind of conversation and become informed and then make a decision from there with a clear conscience. And so, yeah, Rachel, do you want to follow up at all? Because I know this is a complex issue and you might have more to say. Sure. I mean, I guess my question would be, what about like coming under the authority in your life, you know, because regardless of what a doctor tells me, the authority that's over me particularly, or even our government, right, if it becomes a requirement, I guess for all Americans, at what point, you know, do you bend or break? That's a great question.

Yeah. And you referenced Romans 13 already. And so one thing that's very clear from Romans 13 is, you know, the governing authorities are legitimate authorities.

They're called to do justice, to do the right thing. And we are called to submit to authority. And when we're called to not submit to authority, when it's incumbent upon us to reject the authorities above us is when they call us to do something contrary to God's word. And so if the governing officials ever said, Adriel, you can't preach that Jesus is God, I would say, well, you know, I have to obey God rather than man, because God is the highest authority. But typically, you know, when governing authorities call us to do something, maybe that is not a moral issue.

They're saying you have to drive at this speed limit or something like that. Well, generally, that's when Christians submit. Now, I recognize that this is a more complex issue.

And it seems to me like people are still free to not get the vaccine, there just might be certain repercussions. As you said, you know, that employers might say, well, you can't work here anymore. And that's what makes this such a complex thing. But I think we have to not submit when we're called to do something contrary to God's word. If it's not contrary to God's word, if it's not a moral issue, then generally, we're called to be submissive to governing officials. And that's really hard.

I mean, I know what I'm saying right now is not very popular. It's not an easy thing, especially, you know, for many of us, it goes against sort of, you know, what we perceive to be what it means to be an American, you know, that liberty that we have. I think that's what's being challenged for a lot of people right now. And it's difficult, sister. I want to pray for you right now that God would give you wisdom and fill you with grace and obviously, you know, hope that there are no negative repercussions for you, because we want the best for you. And so let's pray for Rachel and honestly, for everybody who's wrestling through this right now. Gracious Father, Lord, you see your people right now who are wrestling through very difficult decisions and who want to make the best decision for themselves, for their families, for their neighbors.

Lord, you know how difficult these things are. I pray for your grace to be poured out on Rachel. I pray that you would keep her safe, that you would provide for all of her needs and for all those, Lord God, who are wrestling through these things. Would you help us, Lord, with the grace of your spirit to make the best decisions that are put before us and to honor you, Lord, in all that we do?

And I know that that's what Rachel wants to do. And so, Lord, would you be with her and bless her? I ask in Jesus' name.

Amen. You know, I'll just say, because there's so much, Bill, with this question in particular, you know, what is the relationship between the church and broader government and just that question of when do we not obey, Romans 13 really is a great place to go. And I have a professor in seminary who wrote a book sort of addressing a lot of these kinds of questions. And in that book, he says the government is a legitimate institution, you know, given to us from the Lord. It's a common institution, meaning, you know, it doesn't administer the grace of God. They're not called to preach the gospel. That's what the church does, the kingdom of God on earth.

It's also provisional. The governments of this world come and go. And we know that. We see God raise up leaders and then bring them down. And the same thing happens with kingdoms. The only kingdom that's going to last forever is the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. And these governments are also accountable for the decisions that they make. They're going to stand before God one day and have to give an account for how they ruled people, whether it was just or unjust. And so we fall back on those realities and we seek to live our lives in submission first and foremost to God and to make decisions that are going to be good for us, for our own health and for the health of the people around us.

So such a complex thing. And I know that there's a lot of debate and argumentation about this topic in particular, but brothers and sisters, let's seek by the grace of the Holy Spirit with the charity that Christ gives us to love one another and to be rooted in God's word and let that guide us as we make these decisions. Thanks for listening to Core Christianity. To request your copy of today's special offer, visit us at CoreChristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833-The-Core. When you contact us, please let us know how you've been encouraged by this program. And be sure to join us next time as we explore the truth of God's word together. Thank you.