Rosemont Baptist Church

Addendum To Rosemont’s Doctrinal Guide
And Statement Of Beliefs
As It Pertains To Transgenderism In Our Current Culture

July 13, 2016

All persons are created in God’s image and are made to glorify Him (Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 43:7).  God’s design was the creation of two distinct and complementary sexes, male and female (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6) which designate the fundamental distinction that God has embedded in the very biology of the human race.  Distinctions in masculine and feminine roles as ordained by God are part of the created order and should find expression in every human heart (Genesis 2:18, 21–24; 1 Corinthians 11:7–9; Ephesians 5:22–33; 1 Timothy 2:12–14).  The Fall of man into sin and God’s subsequent curse have introduced brokenness and futility into God’s good creation (Genesis 3:1–24; Romans 8:20).[1]

Any departure from God’s created order is open rebellion against God (Romans 1:18-32).  All sexual behavior is to be contained within the marriage of one man to one woman[2]. Men are to act and appear as men, and women are to act and appear as women (Deut. 22:5). Those who lead children otherwise face a grievous sin (Matthew 18:6).  “Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation.”[3]  We affirm God’s good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one’s self-perception—a perception which is often influenced by fallen human nature in ways contrary to God’s design (Ephesians 4:17–18).[4]

Therefore, we believe that all attempts at sex reassignment are wrong and sinful in the eyes of God.  We will only recognize the birth sex of any person and will maintain the privacy and separation between the sexes in issues such as bathrooms, changing facilities, and sleeping arrangements in all church functions and facilities.  Rosemont will not perform any sort of marriage/commitment ceremony involving a transgender person or sanction or approve of any marriage of the same sex or polygamous relationships.  We will oppose steadfastly all efforts by any governing official or body to validate transgender identity and same sex and polygamous marriages as morally praiseworthy (Isaiah 5:20).[5]

We grieve the reality of human fallenness which can result in such biological manifestations as intersexuality or psychological manifestations as gender identity confusion and point all to the hope of the redemption of our bodies in Christ (Romans 8:23).  We will not turn away any person with any sort of gender identity issues and we invite all to trust in Christ and to experience renewal in the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Timothy 1:15–16).[6] 

Adopted by the Church in business meeting on July 13, 2016

The following are helpful in understanding the biblical stand on this issue of Gender Identity.

The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. 
http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp  
Note Article III, Man and Article XVIII, The Family

Southern Baptist Resolution on Transgender Identity adopted in Baltimore 2014.  http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/2250/on-transgender-identity

Internet Articles from Christian sources (as reviewed on July 14, 2016):

http://www.gotquestions.org/transsexualism-gender-identity-disorder.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/cross-dressing-transvestism.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/born-wrong-gender.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/homosexuality-Bible.html