When You Wonder WhySample

Human Identity and Sexuality

The creation story in Genesis shines a light on the intentionality of God when he created humans. Genesis 1 indicates that humanity was made as male and female and that God created both on purpose. In Genesis 2, we learn that God created Eve in response to Adam’s loneliness in lacking a life partner. God created men and women to be complementary to one another. The chapter also indicates that both genders are made in the image of God. The God-given design for complementary relationships between males and females was meaningful companionship.

Flip to Genesis 3, and you’ll notice that sexuality is one of the first things impacted by the fall—immediately after eating the forbidden fruit. The initial shame in realizing they were naked was an attack on their intimacy with each other and with God, as they hid the sexual parts of themselves and felt unclean. Ever since, humans have struggled to reconnect sexuality and intimacy.

Gender is an important part of how we were created, bringing with it responsibilities and limitations that are physically and biologically rooted. Women have the biological capability to bear children, but women who don’t have children are no less feminine, and men who are small in stature or no less masculine than extreme weightlifters. Masculinity and femininity are biologically determined limits that we live within, but we have great freedom to exercise our God-given gifts within those boundaries.

The Bible teaches that our gender and our sexuality are important parts of who we are and how God made us, but these aspects are only part of our identities. They are not unimportant, but they are also not the best way to define and group ourselves. As we cultivate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, these become the identity out of which our gender behavior and sexual practices flow.