June 11, 2025 • 29 mins
Where do we turn for truth in a world that constantly shifts its moral landscape? Pastor Timothy Mann tackles this pivotal question in his thought-provoking message on gender identity and Biblical authority.
Beginning with the cultural earthquake of Bruce Jenner's transformation to Caitlyn in 2015, Pastor Mann illustrates how rapidly transgender issues have moved from the periphery to the center of public discourse. This seismic shift forces Christians to grapple with profound questions that go far beyond gender alone: What is reality? What does it mean to be human? How do we know what's right and wrong?
At the heart of these questions lies the concept of worldview—those deep-seated beliefs that guide our decisions, whether we recognize them or not. Pastor Mann brilliantly dissects how we all seek three fundamental elements when making moral choices: a source of authority (who has the right to tell me what to do), knowledge (who knows what's best for me), and trustworthiness (who loves me and wants what's best for me).
The world increasingly answers these questions with "me, myself, and I." But as Pastor Mann points out, we've all made feeling-based decisions we later regretted. Self proves to be shaky ground for life's biggest questions. Instead, the biblical narrative offers a crucified Creator who not only has the authority to direct our lives but has demonstrated His trustworthiness through the ultimate sacrifice of love.
This message isn't just intellectual exercise—it's an invitation to place our trust in the One who created us, knows us completely, and loves us perfectly. When Scripture and self conflict, will you trust the God whose ways lead not to restriction but to what James calls "the perfect law of liberty"?
Join us next week as we continue our Divine Design series exploring God's blueprint for gender, sexuality, and marriage in a confused culture.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the Bible
teaching ministry of PastorTimothy Mann and Providence
Church, ormond Beach, florida.
Providence Church is a localassembly of followers of Jesus
Christ dedicated to helpingpeople become committed and
mature followers of Jesus Christ.
Today's message is from theDivine Design series on gender,
(00:23):
sexuality, marriage and theBible.
Now here's Pastor Tim Mann withtoday's message.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Amen.
Turn your Bibles to Genesis,chapter 1.
Then we'll go to the NewTestament, then back to the Old
Testament and then back to theNew Testament.
All right.
Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1.
The Bible says in the beginning, god created the heavens and
the earth.
Turn now to the Gospel of John.
(00:49):
John, chapter 3, verse 16.
John, chapter 3, verse 16.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten Son
that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have
everlasting life.
Go with me back in the oldTestament again, to the book of
(01:11):
Proverbs.
Proverbs, chapter three.
Proverbs, chapter three, versefive and six.
Proverbs three, five and six.
Trust in the Lord with all yourheart and lean not on your own
understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledgehim and he shall direct your
(01:31):
paths To the New Testament.
James, chapter 1.
James is toward the latter partof the New Testament after the
big book of Hebrews.
James, chapter 1, verse 25.
James, chapter one, verse 25,james, chapter one, verse 25,.
The Bible says but he who looksinto the perfect law of liberty
(01:57):
and continues in it and is nota forgetful hearer but a doer of
the work, this one will beblessed in what he does.
And we'll stop here thismorning, and all of these verses
I've read this morning areGod's word.
Let's pray one more time.
Father, in the name of Jesus,we come before you and we ask
(02:18):
for your help by the power ofthe Holy Spirit today, that you
will teach us and lead us as weconsider these issues that are
facing our culture today, thatare facing many of the families
in the life of Providence Church, the people we know, our
neighbors, our co-workers.
God, I pray you'll give usguidance and leadership.
(02:38):
Help us to understand and helpus, lord, to apply the truths
that we learn throughout thesemessages.
And may, lord, we not forget tospeak the truth, to speak the
gospel and to speak humbly asyour people.
Help me now by the power ofyour Spirit to be clear.
May there be no ambiguity, andI pray that, god, you will use
(03:01):
this time to make us, lord, moreconformed in the image of Jesus
and following your will.
It's in the wonderful name ofour Lord and Savior we pray and
all God's people said amen, amen, amen.
You might remember the firsttime that you heard that Bruce
(03:22):
Jenner didn't want to be Bruceanymore.
You might remember that it was2015, as a matter of fact, 2015,
when Jenner an Olympic champion, an American hero and a
stepfather to the famousKardashians, he was interviewed
by Diane Sawyer about hisexperience as a man who lived
(03:46):
with a deep secret Through muchof his life.
Although he was revered as amodel of athleticism and
masculinity, bruce Jennerbelieved he was really a woman.
He defined himself.
He defined himself astransgender.
Now, if you've seen any of theinterview and I have, I've
(04:08):
watched the entire interview Ifyou've seen any of the interview
, you see someone who isdesperately unable to find peace
, someone still seekingself-acceptance and attention,
despite possessing great wealthand great celebrity.
(04:29):
Fast forward a few months andBruce Jenner made a surprise
appearance on the front cover ofVanity Fair.
He was posing provocatively andcopying what you see on the
cover of magazines at thecheckout in the grocery store.
You know what I'm talking about.
The magazine cover was an actof self-revelation.
(04:50):
He was signaling a transitionto fully identify as and live as
a woman.
The cover proclaimed and maybeyou remember this the cover
proclaimed call me Caitlyn.
The picture really is nowfamous.
This man, who had been marriedthree times and fathered six
(05:15):
children, was now a supercelebrity and cultural icon.
Again, caitlyn Jenner wascreated and the message to the
world was clear Men can justbecome women if they feel or
perceive themselves to be women,or vice versa, and the media
(05:39):
could not get enough.
You remember that?
The media could not get enough,and Jenner then starred in a
new reality TV show.
The question of beingtransgender has moved to the
front of culture at anincredibly fast pace.
It was a topic that barelyregistered on most people's
(06:03):
radars.
It was a topic that barelyregistered on most people's
radars just 10 years ago Now,and suddenly gender identity has
become the most fashionableso-called social justice issue
of our day.
I don't know about you, but Ithink 2015 now seems like eons
ago.
(06:23):
I don't know about you, but Ithink 2015 now seems like eons
ago.
Social media accounts offermultiple gender options for
members.
States like New York are finingcitizens who fail to use
preferred pronouns oftransgender citizens.
Teachers are reading firstgraders books in school that
(06:47):
promote transgenderism.
Transgender individuals are nowholding church denominational
leadership positions.
Transgender individuals areappointed to cabinet positions
in presidential administrations,and it's happened fast, so fast
.
There has to be answers toquestions like can a man become
(07:08):
a woman?
Can a woman become a man?
How and when should children beconfronted with the debates
about gender.
What are we to do with childrenand teenagers who are a member
of one biological sex but thinkand feel and maybe have been
(07:29):
convinced as though they wereborn in the wrong body?
What are we to say to someoneexperiencing these feelings and
desires?
Where do these feelings anddesires even come from?
Where do these feelings anddesires even come from?
No-transcript.
(07:55):
These ladies and gentlemen,these questions go deeper than
just simply what we understandby gender.
They go to what we understandby humanity who we are, how we
got here, what it means to be ahuman and what role, if any, God
plays in that.
We have to reach deep enough tounderstand what authority is,
(08:27):
how you understand what is trueand why the source of what you
believe is trustworthy.
I mean, do you really believewhat you believe is really real?
I'm going to say that again Doyou really believe what you
believe is really real?
(08:50):
That's a question that leads toother big questions, questions
like what is reality?
What is the nature of the worldaround us?
What is a human being?
What happens to a person atdeath?
(09:11):
Why is it possible to knowanything at all?
How do we know what is right?
How do we know what is right?
How do we know what is wrong?
And we all answer thesequestions.
You do know that, right?
We all answer these questions.
(09:33):
We may do it with great, agreat deal of angst and a great
deal of heart-searching, or wemay do it unconsciously, without
even realizing it, but we do it.
We answer these questions.
And these questions require usto evaluate our worldview.
They require us to unearth ourdeepest convictions about the
(09:59):
world, require us to unearth ourdeepest convictions about the
world, about our purpose andabout morality.
See a worldview.
If you don't know what aworldview is, I could give you a
long scholarly definition.
I've read several this week butlet me just make it clear this
way A worldview is the sum ofbeliefs that we hold at the
(10:19):
deepest level of our being.
That's really what it is.
It's the sum of beliefs that wehold at the deepest level of
our being, and that's eitherconsciously or unconsciously,
and it's usually about where theultimate meaning of reality is
found.
Every single person on thisplanet has a worldview, all of
(10:42):
us.
You don't have the luxury ofnot having a worldview.
You have a worldview, and ourworldview comes to the surface,
it shows itself, it pops up.
Our worldview comes to thesurface whenever we need to
decide how to live in some way.
That's when it shows itself,when we have to make a decision
(11:04):
about how to live in some way.
Ah, there's the worldviewguiding us.
I mean the question, and it's afair question how do you and I
work out what is right and whatis wrong in terms of our actions
and our beliefs, especiallywhen we're faced with big
(11:26):
decisions that we might only getone shot at making?
See, ultimately, in finding theanswer, you are looking for a
source of three things.
You're looking for a source ofauthority.
In other words, let me put itthis way who has the right to
(11:47):
tell me what to do?
You're looking for that.
Who has the right to tell mewhat to do?
The other thing you're lookingfor is knowledge.
Let me put it this way whoknows what's best for me?
Who knows what's best for me?
And then, the third thingyou're looking for is
trustworthiness.
Trustworthiness who loves meand wants what's best for me.
(12:12):
That's what we're interested in.
We're interested in who has theright to tell me what to do,
who knows what's best for me,and who loves me and actually
wants what's best for me.
And here's what I notice a lot.
I notice that if you find aperson, or if you find an
institution or you find a bookthat offers you those three,
(12:35):
that's usually where you'll turnto make decisions.
I can't tell you how many timesover the years I know pastor
Josh uh, you would agree withthis I've had church members
come into my office in everysingle church I've pastored and
they have a question.
They have a questionabledecision that they're about to
(12:56):
make, and they come and they askme what I think about it.
Bob, you've experienced this,probably, and what I found out
most of the time, many, manytimes, is they're not actually
looking for what I think aboutit, they're not actually looking
for what the Bible says aboutit.
They're actually looking forpermission, permission.
They want the green light, theywant the thumbs up, they want
(13:22):
to hear, yeah, that's exactlywhat you need to do, even though
they may have a question intheir mind about it.
And the truth is today, there'sa lot of options today for how
people will answer thosequestions.
Many answer those questions byappealing to their family, by
(13:48):
appealing to their politicalassociation, by appealing to
entertainment, or their friends,or their feelings, or their
religion, or a particularreligious leader which is not
always good, by the way science,or even some idol or hero they
have.
I mean, think of everydaychoices we make all the time.
(14:08):
Let's use a familiar example,at least to me, and that is how
do I decide whether to have icecream?
That's a familiar example to me.
How do I decide whether to haveice cream?
Well, number one, I couldchoose to listen to my feelings,
which are telling me almost onevery day it would be great to
(14:29):
taste ice cream, I would like it.
Or I could listen to my reasonI'm wanting to lose a few pounds
and shouldn't have any icecream.
Or I could place the basis formy decision maybe in the way my
parents brought me up, or eventhe pressure of culture today,
(14:52):
which says too much sugar is badfor me, so I will pass on
eating ice cream.
Or maybe it's even a religiousthing.
Maybe I'm fasting in aparticular season or holiday
based on my religion.
And my religion would say youcan't have it today because it's
(15:16):
not that time of year.
You got to fast today Becauseit's not that time of year.
You got to fast today.
And see, in that decision thereare a host of different sources
of authority that I couldchoose to listen to, Feelings,
reason, my family, tradition,culture, religion, and that's
(15:40):
just whether to eat ice cream,just that I mean.
Now, what does any of this haveto do with, you might be
thinking, pastor, what does anyof this have to do with
sexuality and gender issues?
Well, here it is.
Folks, if we differ in ouranswer to the source of
(16:02):
authority, to the source ofknowledge, to the source of
trust in our decision making,then we shouldn't be surprised
if we are miles apart once wereach our destination, our
decision on a particular issue,a particular belief or a
particular action.
If we differ, if we differ onthe source of authority, the
source of knowledge and thesource of trust.
There's been a crisis ofauthority building over the last
(16:26):
60 years, and it has reached acrescendo.
Abuse, scandal and rebellionhave been the order of the day
for the last several decades,and so where are we to look for
a trustworthy, knowledgeableauthority?
(16:48):
So the answer is me myself,myself.
I mean, it seems so obvious.
I mean, who has more right totell me how to live than me,
right?
Who knows me better than me?
Who can I trust to?
(17:09):
To?
Who can I trust more to wantwhat's best for me than me?
And it's shocking to me todaythat even many professing
christians think this way.
Many professing christiansthink exactly like this, and the
world system agrees with it.
The sexual revolution tells methat the highest goal is
(17:32):
self-fulfillment.
Through following my feelings,and relativism makes it possible
for me to pursue these goalswithout anyone being allowed to
say no, that's wrong.
Are you tracking with me?
So what do we do?
Well, we decide according toour reason or, more normally,
(17:57):
our feelings, or both.
I mean, think about how oftenyou hear others say, of a
decision or an opinion, I feellike, fill in the blank.
I feel like, or I think that,and maybe you catch yourself
(18:18):
saying this all the time too.
You catch yourself saying that,and maybe you catch yourself
saying this all the time too.
You catch yourself saying thatit's so much a part of the
prevailing culture that we don'thardly even notice it.
The problem is is that we'veall acted on our feelings in a
way that we later regretted.
Can I get a witness?
Or we can all.
(18:40):
When we think about it, whenwe're honest about it, we can
all point to moments when we didsomething that not only did not
improve or fulfill us, but itactually did the reverse.
We've all reasoned somethingout, acted on logic, something
(19:05):
out acted on logic, and thenfound out that what seemed so
reasonable wasn't.
So it turns out that self isnot such a good place to look
for authority, that self is notsuch a good place to look for
knowledge, that self is not sucha good place to look for
trustworthiness.
This message isn't going to beparticularly long this morning.
(19:25):
I'm going to get to the point,and the point is this the Bible
tells of a different story, forit gives a different script on
which to understand where tolook for perfect authority're to
look for perfect authority.
We're to look for perfectknowledge.
We're to look for perfecttrustworthiness.
(19:45):
The very first line of theBible is familiar to most, but
it is no less fundamental thanIn the beginning.
God created the heavens and theearth.
Ladies and gentlemen, thisworld has a creator, and what is
(20:05):
made belongs to its maker.
So the creator has authority,and what is made is best known
by its maker.
And so the creator hasknowledge is best known by its
maker, and so the creator hasknowledge.
And since I am part of thecreation and since I am alive
within creation, the creator,god, has the right to tell me
(20:28):
what to do, and he has the.
He has the knowledge.
He has the knowledge necessaryalways to understand what I
should do, what is best for meand what is best for the world.
Hey, there's a creator and he isall-powerful, he is all-knowing
and he is all-wise, but alone.
(20:51):
That does not mean that he isgood.
So the question is, why shouldyou and I trust our creator to
tell us what is really best forus?
It's because of what he hasdone for his world, for God so
(21:12):
loved the world that he created.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten son
that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have
everlasting life.
There's a look.
There's a creator who can betrusted to want what is truly
(21:32):
best for you.
He wants what's?
He wants your best, so muchthat he came in the person of
his son, jesus, and he died foryou to pay the debt of your sin.
See, the bible tells of acrucified creator.
God loves you much more thanyour mama does.
(21:52):
God loves you much more thanyour daddy does.
God loves you much more thanyour spouse.
God loves you much more thanyour daddy does.
God loves you much more thanyour spouse.
God loves you much more thanyour children.
God loves you much more thanthat person you love.
God loves you much more thanyou love you.
God loves you and you can trusthim.
(22:14):
So, that said, a passage such asProverbs 3, 5, and 6, that's
not only a command which it is,by the way.
It's not good advice.
It's a command, but it's also apromise.
Proverbs 3, 5, and 6 says Trustin the Lord with all your heart
(22:38):
.
Do not lean on your ownunderstanding.
Well, that takes self out ofthe picture again.
Trust in the Lord with all yourheart.
Do not lean on your ownunderstanding.
In all your ways, acknowledgehim and he shall direct your
paths.
See, a crucified creator is Godwho has the authority to tell us
(23:01):
what to do.
He has the wisdom to knowwhat's best for us, and who has
proved that he can be trusted totell us what is best for us.
And so the Bible reveals to usa God, a creator, who has the
authority to demand yourobedience, but he not only has
the authority to demand yourobedience, but he not only has
the authority to demand yourobedience.
(23:21):
He has the character thatdeserves your respect, that
deserves your worship.
This God really does knowwhat's best for me and he really
does know what's best for you.
He has provided for mysalvation in the death and the
(23:42):
burial and the resurrection ofJesus, the Christ.
And so when the creator, god,who has authority, who has
knowledge and who hastrustworthiness, tells us to do
something, that something isactually what gives us liberty,
because its source is thecrucified creator, who has
(24:05):
proven that he knows and wantswhat's best for us.
Look at James 1.25.
It says but he who looks intothe perfect law of liberty
that's this and continues in it,and is not a forgetful hearer
(24:30):
but a doer of the work, this onewill be blessed in what he does
, will be blessed in what hedoes.
So when we say to ourselves or,as preachers, we say to others
you should obey God, what wemean is we want what God
(24:52):
deserves, which is yourobedience, which is your
obedience, and we want what isbest for you, which is your
obedience.
That's what that means.
This is why, look, this is whyBible-believing Christians hold
views or believe things that goagainst what might come to us
(25:15):
naturally or instinctively.
What might come to us naturallyor instinctively.
See, jesus' followers have founda better source for authority.
Jesus' followers have found abetter source for knowledge and
trust than our own reason, thanour own feelings or our own
traditions or our ownassumptions.
You know, I think becausethat's the way I've always
(25:39):
thought, or that's the way we'vealways thought, or it's just
wrong, isn't it?
Those are no better answersthan because that's the way I
feel, or how can something thatfeels so right be wrong?
It's crucial, listen to me,it's imperative.
(26:02):
In truth, it's a matter of lifeand death.
It's crucial, especially whenself and Scripture disagree.
It's crucial to know why we arethinking and deciding what we
are thinking.
Or, to put it another way, it'scrucial to know what's our
source of authority, what's oursource of knowledge, what's our
source of trust.
(26:22):
That is the Basis for thatdecision or that opinion.
And this holds true For allissues In our life, every single
issue, but particularly thosethat are most controversial,
(26:43):
including issues of sexualmorality and the discussion
about transgender identity.
I mean, after all, when all thenoise is stripped away, what is
driving our culture's ideasabout sexuality and gender and
these issues, when all the noiseis stripped away.
(27:04):
Well, fundamentally, I believethe biggest issue that drives a
wedge between an increasinglysecularized culture and the
genuine Christian worldview andwhat drives an issue between
individuals who place themselvesin those camps, there is the
(27:27):
question of where we locateauthority, knowledge and
trustworthiness.
That's the issue.
Knowledge and trustworthiness.
That's the issue.
See, the biblical Christiananswer Is to locate authority,
locate knowledge and locatetrust when it can find a firm,
stable, fulfilling foundation,and that is in the crucified
(27:49):
creator and his word.
Now, he may not always agreewith our feelings, he may not
always agree with our reason, hemay not always agree with our
reason, but I'm telling you thismorning he can be trusted and
he knows what he's talking aboutand he has the right to tell us
how to live and his words aregood to listen to and to obey.
(28:17):
I don't know what the prevailingquestions of your life are
right now.
Maybe in your heart you areliving far from God.
Maybe in your practice you areliving far from God.
Maybe you are trying tostraddle the fence and have one
foot in the world and one footwith the Lord.
Maybe you're caught up insomething that you don't know if
(28:40):
you can walk away from.
Maybe you have burdens anddecisions to make and you don't
know what to do.
I want to remind you thismorning that the Creator,
almighty God, has all authority,he is all-knowing and you can
(29:02):
absolutely trust Him.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Join us next week, at this same time, on this same
station, for Part 3 in theDivine Design series on Gender,
sexuality, marriage and theBible.
For more information onProvidence, church service times
, bible, fellowship groups, kidsprograms and more, go online to
theprovidencechurchorg.
Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the Bible
teaching ministry of PastorTimothy Mann and Providence
Church, ormond Beach, florida.
Providence Church is a localassembly of followers of Jesus
Christ dedicated to helpingpeople become committed and
mature followers of Jesus Christ.
Today's message is from theDivine Design series on gender,
(00:23):
sexuality, marriage and theBible.
Now here's Pastor Tim Mann withtoday's message.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Amen.
Turn your Bibles to Genesis,chapter 1.
Then we'll go to the NewTestament, then back to the Old
Testament and then back to theNew Testament.
All right.
Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1.
The Bible says in the beginning, god created the heavens and
the earth.
Turn now to the Gospel of John.
(00:49):
John, chapter 3, verse 16.
John, chapter 3, verse 16.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten Son
that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have
everlasting life.
Go with me back in the oldTestament again, to the book of
(01:11):
Proverbs.
Proverbs, chapter three.
Proverbs, chapter three, versefive and six.
Proverbs three, five and six.
Trust in the Lord with all yourheart and lean not on your own
understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledgehim and he shall direct your
(01:31):
paths To the New Testament.
James, chapter 1.
James is toward the latter partof the New Testament after the
big book of Hebrews.
James, chapter 1, verse 25.
James, chapter one, verse 25,james, chapter one, verse 25,.
The Bible says but he who looksinto the perfect law of liberty
(01:57):
and continues in it and is nota forgetful hearer but a doer of
the work, this one will beblessed in what he does.
And we'll stop here thismorning, and all of these verses
I've read this morning areGod's word.
Let's pray one more time.
Father, in the name of Jesus,we come before you and we ask
(02:18):
for your help by the power ofthe Holy Spirit today, that you
will teach us and lead us as weconsider these issues that are
facing our culture today, thatare facing many of the families
in the life of Providence Church, the people we know, our
neighbors, our co-workers.
God, I pray you'll give usguidance and leadership.
(02:38):
Help us to understand and helpus, lord, to apply the truths
that we learn throughout thesemessages.
And may, lord, we not forget tospeak the truth, to speak the
gospel and to speak humbly asyour people.
Help me now by the power ofyour Spirit to be clear.
May there be no ambiguity, andI pray that, god, you will use
(03:01):
this time to make us, lord, moreconformed in the image of Jesus
and following your will.
It's in the wonderful name ofour Lord and Savior we pray and
all God's people said amen, amen, amen.
You might remember the firsttime that you heard that Bruce
(03:22):
Jenner didn't want to be Bruceanymore.
You might remember that it was2015, as a matter of fact, 2015,
when Jenner an Olympic champion, an American hero and a
stepfather to the famousKardashians, he was interviewed
by Diane Sawyer about hisexperience as a man who lived
(03:46):
with a deep secret Through muchof his life.
Although he was revered as amodel of athleticism and
masculinity, bruce Jennerbelieved he was really a woman.
He defined himself.
He defined himself astransgender.
Now, if you've seen any of theinterview and I have, I've
(04:08):
watched the entire interview Ifyou've seen any of the interview
, you see someone who isdesperately unable to find peace
, someone still seekingself-acceptance and attention,
despite possessing great wealthand great celebrity.
(04:29):
Fast forward a few months andBruce Jenner made a surprise
appearance on the front cover ofVanity Fair.
He was posing provocatively andcopying what you see on the
cover of magazines at thecheckout in the grocery store.
You know what I'm talking about.
The magazine cover was an actof self-revelation.
(04:50):
He was signaling a transitionto fully identify as and live as
a woman.
The cover proclaimed and maybeyou remember this the cover
proclaimed call me Caitlyn.
The picture really is nowfamous.
This man, who had been marriedthree times and fathered six
(05:15):
children, was now a supercelebrity and cultural icon.
Again, caitlyn Jenner wascreated and the message to the
world was clear Men can justbecome women if they feel or
perceive themselves to be women,or vice versa, and the media
(05:39):
could not get enough.
You remember that?
The media could not get enough,and Jenner then starred in a
new reality TV show.
The question of beingtransgender has moved to the
front of culture at anincredibly fast pace.
It was a topic that barelyregistered on most people's
(06:03):
radars.
It was a topic that barelyregistered on most people's
radars just 10 years ago Now,and suddenly gender identity has
become the most fashionableso-called social justice issue
of our day.
I don't know about you, but Ithink 2015 now seems like eons
ago.
(06:23):
I don't know about you, but Ithink 2015 now seems like eons
ago.
Social media accounts offermultiple gender options for
members.
States like New York are finingcitizens who fail to use
preferred pronouns oftransgender citizens.
Teachers are reading firstgraders books in school that
(06:47):
promote transgenderism.
Transgender individuals are nowholding church denominational
leadership positions.
Transgender individuals areappointed to cabinet positions
in presidential administrations,and it's happened fast, so fast
.
There has to be answers toquestions like can a man become
(07:08):
a woman?
Can a woman become a man?
How and when should children beconfronted with the debates
about gender.
What are we to do with childrenand teenagers who are a member
of one biological sex but thinkand feel and maybe have been
(07:29):
convinced as though they wereborn in the wrong body?
What are we to say to someoneexperiencing these feelings and
desires?
Where do these feelings anddesires even come from?
Where do these feelings anddesires even come from?
No-transcript.
(07:55):
These ladies and gentlemen,these questions go deeper than
just simply what we understandby gender.
They go to what we understandby humanity who we are, how we
got here, what it means to be ahuman and what role, if any, God
plays in that.
We have to reach deep enough tounderstand what authority is,
(08:27):
how you understand what is trueand why the source of what you
believe is trustworthy.
I mean, do you really believewhat you believe is really real?
I'm going to say that again Doyou really believe what you
believe is really real?
(08:50):
That's a question that leads toother big questions, questions
like what is reality?
What is the nature of the worldaround us?
What is a human being?
What happens to a person atdeath?
(09:11):
Why is it possible to knowanything at all?
How do we know what is right?
How do we know what is right?
How do we know what is wrong?
And we all answer thesequestions.
You do know that, right?
We all answer these questions.
(09:33):
We may do it with great, agreat deal of angst and a great
deal of heart-searching, or wemay do it unconsciously, without
even realizing it, but we do it.
We answer these questions.
And these questions require usto evaluate our worldview.
They require us to unearth ourdeepest convictions about the
(09:59):
world, require us to unearth ourdeepest convictions about the
world, about our purpose andabout morality.
See a worldview.
If you don't know what aworldview is, I could give you a
long scholarly definition.
I've read several this week butlet me just make it clear this
way A worldview is the sum ofbeliefs that we hold at the
(10:19):
deepest level of our being.
That's really what it is.
It's the sum of beliefs that wehold at the deepest level of
our being, and that's eitherconsciously or unconsciously,
and it's usually about where theultimate meaning of reality is
found.
Every single person on thisplanet has a worldview, all of
(10:42):
us.
You don't have the luxury ofnot having a worldview.
You have a worldview, and ourworldview comes to the surface,
it shows itself, it pops up.
Our worldview comes to thesurface whenever we need to
decide how to live in some way.
That's when it shows itself,when we have to make a decision
(11:04):
about how to live in some way.
Ah, there's the worldviewguiding us.
I mean the question, and it's afair question how do you and I
work out what is right and whatis wrong in terms of our actions
and our beliefs, especiallywhen we're faced with big
(11:26):
decisions that we might only getone shot at making?
See, ultimately, in finding theanswer, you are looking for a
source of three things.
You're looking for a source ofauthority.
In other words, let me put itthis way who has the right to
(11:47):
tell me what to do?
You're looking for that.
Who has the right to tell mewhat to do?
The other thing you're lookingfor is knowledge.
Let me put it this way whoknows what's best for me?
Who knows what's best for me?
And then, the third thingyou're looking for is
trustworthiness.
Trustworthiness who loves meand wants what's best for me.
(12:12):
That's what we're interested in.
We're interested in who has theright to tell me what to do,
who knows what's best for me,and who loves me and actually
wants what's best for me.
And here's what I notice a lot.
I notice that if you find aperson, or if you find an
institution or you find a bookthat offers you those three,
(12:35):
that's usually where you'll turnto make decisions.
I can't tell you how many timesover the years I know pastor
Josh uh, you would agree withthis I've had church members
come into my office in everysingle church I've pastored and
they have a question.
They have a questionabledecision that they're about to
(12:56):
make, and they come and they askme what I think about it.
Bob, you've experienced this,probably, and what I found out
most of the time, many, manytimes, is they're not actually
looking for what I think aboutit, they're not actually looking
for what the Bible says aboutit.
They're actually looking forpermission, permission.
They want the green light, theywant the thumbs up, they want
(13:22):
to hear, yeah, that's exactlywhat you need to do, even though
they may have a question intheir mind about it.
And the truth is today, there'sa lot of options today for how
people will answer thosequestions.
Many answer those questions byappealing to their family, by
(13:48):
appealing to their politicalassociation, by appealing to
entertainment, or their friends,or their feelings, or their
religion, or a particularreligious leader which is not
always good, by the way science,or even some idol or hero they
have.
I mean, think of everydaychoices we make all the time.
(14:08):
Let's use a familiar example,at least to me, and that is how
do I decide whether to have icecream?
That's a familiar example to me.
How do I decide whether to haveice cream?
Well, number one, I couldchoose to listen to my feelings,
which are telling me almost onevery day it would be great to
(14:29):
taste ice cream, I would like it.
Or I could listen to my reasonI'm wanting to lose a few pounds
and shouldn't have any icecream.
Or I could place the basis formy decision maybe in the way my
parents brought me up, or eventhe pressure of culture today,
(14:52):
which says too much sugar is badfor me, so I will pass on
eating ice cream.
Or maybe it's even a religiousthing.
Maybe I'm fasting in aparticular season or holiday
based on my religion.
And my religion would say youcan't have it today because it's
(15:16):
not that time of year.
You got to fast today Becauseit's not that time of year.
You got to fast today.
And see, in that decision thereare a host of different sources
of authority that I couldchoose to listen to, Feelings,
reason, my family, tradition,culture, religion, and that's
(15:40):
just whether to eat ice cream,just that I mean.
Now, what does any of this haveto do with, you might be
thinking, pastor, what does anyof this have to do with
sexuality and gender issues?
Well, here it is.
Folks, if we differ in ouranswer to the source of
(16:02):
authority, to the source ofknowledge, to the source of
trust in our decision making,then we shouldn't be surprised
if we are miles apart once wereach our destination, our
decision on a particular issue,a particular belief or a
particular action.
If we differ, if we differ onthe source of authority, the
source of knowledge and thesource of trust.
There's been a crisis ofauthority building over the last
(16:26):
60 years, and it has reached acrescendo.
Abuse, scandal and rebellionhave been the order of the day
for the last several decades,and so where are we to look for
a trustworthy, knowledgeableauthority?
(16:48):
So the answer is me myself,myself.
I mean, it seems so obvious.
I mean, who has more right totell me how to live than me,
right?
Who knows me better than me?
Who can I trust to?
(17:09):
To?
Who can I trust more to wantwhat's best for me than me?
And it's shocking to me todaythat even many professing
christians think this way.
Many professing christiansthink exactly like this, and the
world system agrees with it.
The sexual revolution tells methat the highest goal is
(17:32):
self-fulfillment.
Through following my feelings,and relativism makes it possible
for me to pursue these goalswithout anyone being allowed to
say no, that's wrong.
Are you tracking with me?
So what do we do?
Well, we decide according toour reason or, more normally,
(17:57):
our feelings, or both.
I mean, think about how oftenyou hear others say, of a
decision or an opinion, I feellike, fill in the blank.
I feel like, or I think that,and maybe you catch yourself
(18:18):
saying this all the time too.
You catch yourself saying that,and maybe you catch yourself
saying this all the time too.
You catch yourself saying thatit's so much a part of the
prevailing culture that we don'thardly even notice it.
The problem is is that we'veall acted on our feelings in a
way that we later regretted.
Can I get a witness?
Or we can all.
(18:40):
When we think about it, whenwe're honest about it, we can
all point to moments when we didsomething that not only did not
improve or fulfill us, but itactually did the reverse.
We've all reasoned somethingout, acted on logic, something
(19:05):
out acted on logic, and thenfound out that what seemed so
reasonable wasn't.
So it turns out that self isnot such a good place to look
for authority, that self is notsuch a good place to look for
knowledge, that self is not sucha good place to look for
trustworthiness.
This message isn't going to beparticularly long this morning.
(19:25):
I'm going to get to the point,and the point is this the Bible
tells of a different story, forit gives a different script on
which to understand where tolook for perfect authority're to
look for perfect authority.
We're to look for perfectknowledge.
We're to look for perfecttrustworthiness.
(19:45):
The very first line of theBible is familiar to most, but
it is no less fundamental thanIn the beginning.
God created the heavens and theearth.
Ladies and gentlemen, thisworld has a creator, and what is
(20:05):
made belongs to its maker.
So the creator has authority,and what is made is best known
by its maker.
And so the creator hasknowledge is best known by its
maker, and so the creator hasknowledge.
And since I am part of thecreation and since I am alive
within creation, the creator,god, has the right to tell me
(20:28):
what to do, and he has the.
He has the knowledge.
He has the knowledge necessaryalways to understand what I
should do, what is best for meand what is best for the world.
Hey, there's a creator and he isall-powerful, he is all-knowing
and he is all-wise, but alone.
(20:51):
That does not mean that he isgood.
So the question is, why shouldyou and I trust our creator to
tell us what is really best forus?
It's because of what he hasdone for his world, for God so
(21:12):
loved the world that he created.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten son
that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have
everlasting life.
There's a look.
There's a creator who can betrusted to want what is truly
(21:32):
best for you.
He wants what's?
He wants your best, so muchthat he came in the person of
his son, jesus, and he died foryou to pay the debt of your sin.
See, the bible tells of acrucified creator.
God loves you much more thanyour mama does.
(21:52):
God loves you much more thanyour daddy does.
God loves you much more thanyour spouse.
God loves you much more thanyour daddy does.
God loves you much more thanyour spouse.
God loves you much more thanyour children.
God loves you much more thanthat person you love.
God loves you much more thanyou love you.
God loves you and you can trusthim.
(22:14):
So, that said, a passage such asProverbs 3, 5, and 6, that's
not only a command which it is,by the way.
It's not good advice.
It's a command, but it's also apromise.
Proverbs 3, 5, and 6 says Trustin the Lord with all your heart
(22:38):
.
Do not lean on your ownunderstanding.
Well, that takes self out ofthe picture again.
Trust in the Lord with all yourheart.
Do not lean on your ownunderstanding.
In all your ways, acknowledgehim and he shall direct your
paths.
See, a crucified creator is Godwho has the authority to tell us
(23:01):
what to do.
He has the wisdom to knowwhat's best for us, and who has
proved that he can be trusted totell us what is best for us.
And so the Bible reveals to usa God, a creator, who has the
authority to demand yourobedience, but he not only has
the authority to demand yourobedience, but he not only has
the authority to demand yourobedience.
(23:21):
He has the character thatdeserves your respect, that
deserves your worship.
This God really does knowwhat's best for me and he really
does know what's best for you.
He has provided for mysalvation in the death and the
(23:42):
burial and the resurrection ofJesus, the Christ.
And so when the creator, god,who has authority, who has
knowledge and who hastrustworthiness, tells us to do
something, that something isactually what gives us liberty,
because its source is thecrucified creator, who has
(24:05):
proven that he knows and wantswhat's best for us.
Look at James 1.25.
It says but he who looks intothe perfect law of liberty
that's this and continues in it,and is not a forgetful hearer
(24:30):
but a doer of the work, this onewill be blessed in what he does
, will be blessed in what hedoes.
So when we say to ourselves or,as preachers, we say to others
you should obey God, what wemean is we want what God
(24:52):
deserves, which is yourobedience, which is your
obedience, and we want what isbest for you, which is your
obedience.
That's what that means.
This is why, look, this is whyBible-believing Christians hold
views or believe things that goagainst what might come to us
(25:15):
naturally or instinctively.
What might come to us naturallyor instinctively.
See, jesus' followers have founda better source for authority.
Jesus' followers have found abetter source for knowledge and
trust than our own reason, thanour own feelings or our own
traditions or our ownassumptions.
You know, I think becausethat's the way I've always
(25:39):
thought, or that's the way we'vealways thought, or it's just
wrong, isn't it?
Those are no better answersthan because that's the way I
feel, or how can something thatfeels so right be wrong?
It's crucial, listen to me,it's imperative.
(26:02):
In truth, it's a matter of lifeand death.
It's crucial, especially whenself and Scripture disagree.
It's crucial to know why we arethinking and deciding what we
are thinking.
Or, to put it another way, it'scrucial to know what's our
source of authority, what's oursource of knowledge, what's our
source of trust.
(26:22):
That is the Basis for thatdecision or that opinion.
And this holds true For allissues In our life, every single
issue, but particularly thosethat are most controversial,
(26:43):
including issues of sexualmorality and the discussion
about transgender identity.
I mean, after all, when all thenoise is stripped away, what is
driving our culture's ideasabout sexuality and gender and
these issues, when all the noiseis stripped away.
(27:04):
Well, fundamentally, I believethe biggest issue that drives a
wedge between an increasinglysecularized culture and the
genuine Christian worldview andwhat drives an issue between
individuals who place themselvesin those camps, there is the
(27:27):
question of where we locateauthority, knowledge and
trustworthiness.
That's the issue.
Knowledge and trustworthiness.
That's the issue.
See, the biblical Christiananswer Is to locate authority,
locate knowledge and locatetrust when it can find a firm,
stable, fulfilling foundation,and that is in the crucified
(27:49):
creator and his word.
Now, he may not always agreewith our feelings, he may not
always agree with our reason, hemay not always agree with our
reason, but I'm telling you thismorning he can be trusted and
he knows what he's talking aboutand he has the right to tell us
how to live and his words aregood to listen to and to obey.
(28:17):
I don't know what the prevailingquestions of your life are
right now.
Maybe in your heart you areliving far from God.
Maybe in your practice you areliving far from God.
Maybe you are trying tostraddle the fence and have one
foot in the world and one footwith the Lord.
Maybe you're caught up insomething that you don't know if
(28:40):
you can walk away from.
Maybe you have burdens anddecisions to make and you don't
know what to do.
I want to remind you thismorning that the Creator,
almighty God, has all authority,he is all-knowing and you can
(29:02):
absolutely trust Him.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Join us next week, at this same time, on this same
station, for Part 3 in theDivine Design series on Gender,
sexuality, marriage and theBible.
For more information onProvidence, church service times
, bible, fellowship groups, kidsprograms and more, go online to
theprovidencechurchorg.
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