Consider groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and many other cults that use the Bible to justify their unbiblical positions. Or the many Christians (and professing Christians) who try to justify positions they personally want to hold to—such as gay “marriage,” flat-earth theories, that we supposedly shouldn’t judge anyone, etc. How can this be?
Well, in a way, people can use the Bible to justify any position they want. It happens all the time. They do this by taking verses out of context, quoting only part of a verse, claiming that the meaning only applied in a past culture, and so on.
It really comes down to how one views Scripture. If the Bible really is God’s Word and is infallible and inerrant, then we must let it speak to us in context, considering the type of literature being used (e.g., the book of Psalms is written in poetic language, but Genesis is a historical narrative), the rules and mechanics of the original language, etc. As I say, we need to use the grammatical-historical interpretive method.
I bring this up because the governor of Kentucky (Andy Beshear) recently used the Bible to supposedly justify his position on supporting transgender surgeries and hormone treatment for minors who claim to be transgender: “That’s my faith. Most of the decisions I make are based on that golden rule that says we love our neighbor as ourself. And that parable of the good Samaritan that says everyone is our neighbor. And so when I’ve taken actions like vetoing the nastiest piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation that ever came through my state . . . I said my faith teaches me that all children are children of God. And I didn’t want people picking on those kids.”
This governor supports transgenderism, the LGBTQ movement as a whole, abortion, and so on. His worldview is not biblical at all.
Beshear’s argument ignores the Bible’s teaching while trying to use Christian language to persuade people. Encouraging and enabling children to ignore their biology, adopting a sinful identity that only leads to harm, is not loving or kind. It’s destructive to individuals and society.
We and other Christians in Louisville, Kentucky, have taken the governor to task over his claim that he uses verses about loving others as a basis for vetoing legislation that bans transgender procedures for minors. If the governor truly loved people (including children), he would be doing all he could to stop the murder of children in their mothers’ wombs and to outlaw these harmful transgender procedures and “treatments.”
Now, Answers in Genesis has been dealing biblically with the LGBTQ issue for a long time in Kentucky. As part of that, we recently opened the beautiful Radiance exhibit, which is based on God’s clear Word understood correctly. As our Creation Museum website says, “Radiance features stunning displays that challenge guests to consider their identity in light of the Bible. Special effects and dramatic lighting illustrate both the turmoil and darkness that exist when someone has rejected their biblical identity and, conversely, the beauty that’s revealed when someone turns to the truth. At the heart of this exhibit is a desire to see everyone, particularly young people, understand the truth regarding their identity—that they are made in the image of God [and created either male or female]—and to help equip family and friends of those struggling, so they can help their loved ones through these emotionally charged crises.”
We hope that this exhibit will help many discover their true identity rooted in Christ and find the peace and freedom that can only come from our good God.
