As God’s redeemed and covenant people, the children of Israel were not
just a unique but also a distinct people. And they must live as such. They
were called to influence the nations surrounding them and not vice-versa. The
commandments and instructions God gave them should facilitate them to be His
unique people and effective witnesses to the nations. Being the all-knowing
God, He would not spare even the minutest detail to help them be such.
To
achieve God’s mandate for them, the children of Israel had to acknowledge one
fundamental truth: whether one was a male or a female, God had made each of
them as each should be. Hence, every child of God, male or female, must accept
his or her gender and hold it sacredly. Each of them must then live and behave
as each had been made to be. So it was in that light that Deuteronomy 22:5
forbade crossed dressing. A woman was not to wear a man’s clothing nor a man, a
woman’s clothing. God would not allow them to be confused about their
respective genders.
Firstly,
to cross-dress would be a violation of common decency. It violates the natural
image of the man or the woman God had made one to be. It is suggesting that God
could have made a mistake on one’s gender. Secondly, cross-dressing was a
common practice in pagan worship. The sexes of pagan deities were often
mystical. Devotees seeking to please a particular deity would come attired like
that deity. If it was a goddess, they would come dressed like a female or
vice-versa. Besides, the priest would dress as a female to minister to their
goddess. God would not allow His people to emulate them. Thirdly,
cross-dressing could open the way for deception and debauchery which to God
were abominations.
The
Bible is clear that God has made us who we are, yes even our gender. Genesis
1:27 puts it this way, “God created man in His own image, in the
image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.” As people who
believe in God and the Bible as His Word, we can be sure that He has made us
who we are, including our gender. Therefore we must live to honor the person
that God has made us to be and not to try to be otherwise. This is fundamental
if we are to live as the person God has made us to be. Like the people of
Israel were called to be witnesses to the nations surrounding them, we are
called to be His effective witnesses in the fallen world. We will find it hard
to be effective witnesses when we are even confused about our gender. Let
us live according to whom God has made us. We should not be ashamed of who God
has made us. Don’t languish in trying to be the person God did not make us to
be. Rather be the flourishing person we are made to be. Our Heavenly
Father knows best!
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