Season for the Reason: Transpirings and True Transforming

Note: This was written in response to a claim sometimes made in regards to choices about sexuality. If people see orthodontists to straighten crooked teeth and eye doctors to correct impaired vision, why should someone not also seek to have surgery to alter one's sexual identity on a physical level to match one's internal sense of sexual identity for those struggling with gender dysphoria?
      To be clear, as 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 says, "what have I to do with judging outsiders?" Everyone is free to do as they wish. Those outside of Christ will not consider themselves bound to The Bible and thus wouldn't be following it anyway. While of course I think they should, first I think they should get saved by Jesus as they won't be able to fully understand or adhere to His Word otherwise anyway. There is of course much more that could be said on this but this is my concise summary of some of what The Bible says on this. This is an attempt at a Biblical view of the subject and why I believe it's best to accept the sexual identity God has given us rather than fight it.
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    A trans person 18 and over is free to do as he or she wishes with his or her body, in regards to body modification via reassignment surgery.
   I don't think a child should be allowed to make such a life-altering decision as a child is still mentally developing and may have a change of feelings down the road.
   In regards to the common rejoinder mentioned earlier here, I would say this. God did not make anyone with bad vision or crooked teeth. When God saw His creation on the 6th. day, He said it was very good. (Genesis 1:26-31)
Ecclesiastes 7:29 says that God made man to be perfect but man has gone off in search of many schemes.
   When man sinned and rebelled against God, the whole was cursed with sin and subjected to futility, as Romans 8 explains. (See also Genesis 3.) This is when bad vision and crooked teeth and other ailments started cropping up. I believe this is also where proclivities toward forbidden sexual relations came up as well. (It's important to note here that being born with a particularity proclivity for a particular sin is of course beyond any person's control. Temptation itself is not sin; acting upon it is though.)
   For the other example, if God made someone a brunette, then that person is a brunette. Dying hair to make it blonde does not make that person a blonde. Eventually the dye wears off and the natural roots will grow back out.
   The same is true with transgenderism. A person can change outer and inner genitalia and hormone levels but this doesn't change who that person is ultimately. The chromosomes are still the same. Their identity doesn't change in God's eyes.
   That said, I don't think it's wrong to dye hair (though I have no desire to do so, particularly because I believe I should be happy with what God has given me in hair color. That is something God gives me. The moral weight of changing sex is quite different from changing hair color, as I don't think there is any for that.) Fixing bad vision and bad teeth is an attempt to temporarily address products of the fall that will one day permanently be fixed with a new body in Heaven for all those in Christ.
   The distinction with transgenderism is that God has forbidden sexual relations with the same sex. (Romans 1 is a particularly good passage for this but note also Jesus' words in Matthew 19.) A transgender person engaging in sexual relations with his or her birth sex after transition would thus be violating the command against homosexual relations.
   And in Deuteronomy 22:5, The Bible also forbids cross-dressing. Thus, it would follow that a transgender person wearing clothing of the opposite sex, even after having had transitional surgery, would still be violating this command.
   This is simply not God's design and trying to rebel against it simply continues to subject transgender people to futility. Note what God says in Romans 9:20-24. Does He not have the right as Creator to make His creation as He sees fit? The clay can't tell the potter that it doesn't like the design- the clay has no say in the matter.
   2 Corinthians 4:7 says we have this treasure- that each person made in God's image is- in jars of clay. The surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. Jesus says we can find rest for our souls in Him. (Matthew 11:28) Ultimately, He is the One we can and should take our dsyphorias in life to so we can have that rest in trusting our lives to the hands of our loving Creator.
     In the end, when we are saved through faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection, we'll find the restoration and satisfaction we desire through Him in Heaven. Until we get to Heaven, He helps us along the way here in the far country in dealing with these groanings. There is a day coming when all shall be well eternally and that's what I look forward to in the midst of this present suffering, knowing that the weight of glory coming far outweighs anything I go through here.

(For further reading, I found this article from "Christianity Today" extremely helpful and gracious in talking about and understanding a Christian response to this topic.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/july-august/understanding-transgender-gender-dysphoria.html )

Keturah, Wife-maid (Song)

Note: Here's an apologetics-based entry from the archives about a very well known Biblical patriarch and a part of his life that probably is not nearly as well known. And it is a point of contention some skeptics raise; this song addresses that and offers reasons to trust the Biblical account.
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Okay- and this next one dips back into some ‘70s Americana! There’s been an infomercial I’ve seen filled with classic songs from the classic and legendary song and storytellers of the ‘70s and I love listening to it just to see the vintage clips and listen to the music. And the subject of this song dips back in time as well to differentiate different word usages from different times- and it explains how when God wrote His Book- He didn’t make any errors! So venture down through this ditty and reacquaint yourselves with one of the lesser known folks in The Bible. (This was also sort of a belated birthday gift for a friend from Sunday School since her name inspired it.)

“Keturah, Wife-maid”
copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/25/2011
(parody of “Ventura Highway” by America
)
(Genesis 24:67, Genesis 25:1-11, 1 Chronicles 1:28-34, Isaiah 40:8, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
(I’m gonna recommend a good Bible commentary like Matthew Henry’s for this one too. ;-) Check this site- http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=6&article=804)

You remember Abraham
Walking down the aisle
Married so long ago to Sarah, so
Some people say records don’t look good, you know
If you care to know

Keturah wifey- Genesis line
25:1 ponder
But writes- 1 Chronicles- concubine
1:32, you know

‘Cause the meaning is throwing humans here
Who make claims surrounding, “Who’s right here?”
Seems they’re trying for error
And they say, “Your Scripture’s in error, in error!”

Did di di di dit…………………..

Wishin’ it’d all fall apart
Debating to throw God away
Sorry boy, but you can’t win- the Truth remains
In time maybe Abe remarries
Changed her name
There’s no problem- just the same
Keturah’s wife and Abe’s concubine
In the days of (the) fathers
The words are different than king times
So she was both, you know

But to Sarah, well Kitty’s no compare
Abe still gave gifts for her kids right there
Eastbound riding postal mail
Allegations listed, au contraire- God won’t err!

Did di di di dit……………………..

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Don't Let The Sun Go Down Angry (Song)

Note: This is an entry from the archives that I started thinking on again recently after hearing the original song again. Since the singer, Sir Elton John, recently had a successful biographical movie ("Rocketman") come to theatres, it seemed like a good time to bring this one to the light of day again. Of course, it's all about dealing with things in the light of day- and not letting anger linger into the night but instead dealing with it while it's still called today. Don't let the sun go down angry- but let The Son shine on you and cleanse you of unrighteousness.
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Okay! And now for a serious one and one of my favourite ones! This one was actually largely inspired from a Sunday sermon that I heard when I wrote this. The title was just there and just perfect for one of the Bible verses I heard almost verbatim! And it’s from yet another favorite ‘70s song- though the pianist continues to make hits today of course.
But this song is all about ending each day on the right note and not letting the sun go down angry- but rather, making peace.
(Note: In an effort to be poetic and because it just seemed to fit the rhyme scheme of the song best, this song is actually sung from the point of view of anger personified.)


“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down Angry”
Copyright by Nathan Ludwick 8/4/2011
(parody of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John)
(Ephesians 4:26-32, Ephesians 5:8, Proverbs 19:11, Proverbs 29:11, Ecclesiastes 7:8-9, Romans 12:19, James 1:19-21, Colossians 3:7-9, 1 Corinthians 13, Hebrews 3:13)

I can’t light no more of your darkness
Read the Scriptures- Ephesians 5:8- stay in the light
You’re growing tired and time instills abhorring
Satan’s there on the ladder of your life

Your hate enslaves yourself to falling
You seek vengeance- it changed your peace to strife
If you’d just read Ephesians 26 verse (in)
Chapter 4 and left me binded by The Christ

Chorus:
Don’t let the sun go down angry (Don’t let the sun)
You only hurt yourself and all while someone else is free
Christ disallows a fragment of your life to writhe and seethe
But choosing your sulking is like the sun going down on me

Eleventh line- oh, it’s right- Proverbs 29 [two nine]
Fools seethe full brunt but see the wise conceal
Go on, discard me hon’ because it grieves Spirit of God
Now these cuts you have- they need God’s Love (to) help them heal

(Repeat Chorus twice)
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  For now, keep redeeming the time for the days are evil- but don’t get angry and complain and don’t curse out your brothers while blessing Christ’s name. Rather, keep showing the love of Christ to everyone each day and make the most of every day that God has given us for His glory.
May His face shine upon you and give you peace. God bless. :-)

Truth Springs Free (Glory Days) (song)

Note: This is an entry from the archives that I thought was appropriate with the new Mister Rogers movie out now, who is one of my modern Christian heroes! :-) This song pays tribute to a few of the saints who have gone before me that I can't wait to meet in glory days in Heaven!
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This one is my probably my third or fourth favorite from the boss of ‘80s rock. And it’s all about a number of my Christian heroes that have inspired me (although there are many others I could list than the song lists- like Rich Mullins, Keith Green, St. Francis of Assisi, Larry Norman, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Jim Elliot, my parents and family and friends and tons others. :-))
       But since I mentioned Mister Rogers earlier many times on this blog and I’ve espoused on something that was close on his heart (which you can read more about in “The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers” by Amy Hollingsworth- seriously, get it. I cry on certain passages in that book- so good!)- I definitely wanted to present this song of Christian heroes of the faith. I would have liked to known them, oh, but I was just distant- their candles burned out only for millions to begin. :-)) But we’ll meet in Heaven- and what a day- a glorious day- that will be!

“Truth Springs Free (Glory Days)”
by Nathan Ludwick copyright 6/25/2011
(parody of “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen)
(Hebrews 11, John 13:35, Hebrews 12:1-4,1 Corinthians 15:51-58, John 3:16-17)

I had a friend-Was a good next door neighbor
Back in pre-school
He would show that Jesus loves you
Make you look to your true worth
Saw him embody Christ- Mister Fred Rogers
I was watching him; he was walking out
13:35 in John- Francis (of) Assisi
Gospel he kept preaching without words

Chorus:
Glory Days- (in) the sweet by and by
Glory days- well, we’ll meet on a golden shoreline
Glory days, glory days

Well, there’s a girl that stood up for God
Cassie, you did good- gun took ya (to) Heaven
Columbine- I cry- Rachel Scott- sigh!
God has those two kids and their steadfast witness lives on
There was a woman- Corrie Ten Boom- yup yup
She hid the Jews from Germans- wow!
Jesus got her out Nazi camps of genocide
She went- Chinese people smiling
She was a tramp for The Lord now

(Repeat Chorus)

(Now, I) think ‘bout going up to go dwell with Christ
And I’m going to meet Paul and Eric Liddell
And I hope ‘till I get Home I won’t just sit ‘round thinking about it
But do God’s clear will
Yeah, just sitting back waiting for The Rapture
Belittles all The Savior’s love while lives slip away
In Hebrews 11, list of
Godly warriors in

Hall of Faith
Yeah, (in) the sweet by and by
Glory days- well, we’ll meet on a golden shoreline
Glory days, glory days
I’ll be there praising Christ
Glory days- in the twinkling of an eye
Glory days, glory days!

(Background vocals)
(How ‘bout this? It’s alright! Ooh yeah!
For all time! With Christ! Come on up! Oh yeah!
Get real life in Christ! Ooh yeah! Oh yeah!
All right! All right! Come on up! Ohh!
Woohoo! Uh huh! Woohoo! Oh yeah! Woohoo! Ooh! Woohoo! Oh!
All right- Joy! Keeps up rocking now!
Keep on going! ‘Cause we’ll be Home now!
Bring us Home! Yeah! Bring us Home! Oohh! Hold on! All right!
Yeah!
[We’re in Christ! (Woo!) x5]
-With Christ! Let’s Go!)
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Stuff Christian Culture Likes- and Stuff Christian Culture Needs to Repent From

I find it so sad to read through posts on the "Stuff Christian Culture Likes" Facebook page and see how so many people have been hurt by the Christian church and the Christianese culture that some people fall into that often does not really reflect the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can't say I always agree with all the criticism leveled, but I can certainly admit there is validity to many of the points made and it's something all Christians and churches should consider. Whether you agree with everything or not, if you're a follower of Jesus, you should listen to what people have to say and take it to heart because there are many places the church so often fails and needs to address.
     It is some of these things that make the world see Christians as hypocrites and the church as an abusive manipulator rather than the loving solace it is supposed to be- a safe harbour for all people. It is a place where sinful people who have been transformed by the amazing grace of Jesus- demonstrated through His death and Resurrection to pay for all sins and save all who put faith in Him and follow Him- can congregate and help each other and not tear each other down. (see Ephesians 4:29 and 1 Corinthians 14:26. Use your spiritual gifts to build each other up and help them pursue holiness. Yes, there is a place to lovingly and humbly confront Christian brothers and sisters about sin in their lives- Jesus spoke about that in Matthew 18:17. But He also said that we better get the plank out of our eye before we try to help get the speck out of our brother's eye. [see Matthew 7:1-6])
      And above all- while speaking The Truth in Love (Ephesians 4:15), we must Love undergird all we do. "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good." (Romans 12:9) (Genuine love is reiterated in 2 Corinthians 6:6 and 8:8 too) "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:10) 1 Corinthians 8:1 says that love builds up. As 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, "Let all that you do be done in love." Galatians 5:13 says that through love we should serve one another. And as 1 Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." I'm glad that God has covered me with His love and removed and forgiven my multitude of sins. As Jesus said- Freely you have received; freely give.
      When people don't see this, they can quickly become calloused with hardened hearts due to their hurts. It's easier to protect your heart than let it get broken again. I don't know the spiritual background of everyone on this site, so I'm not saying this about anyone in particular.
But I have found it to be an interesting linguistic observation that it's only one space away between an atheist and a theist. And the only way to make that space in their heart so it can be open to trusting God is through the Holy Spirit working- and He works through His children who seek to live out His love. So it's like Pete Townshend said, with a slight modification- Let Christ's Love open the door to your heart!
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxryzVVxFHI