I am not a social commentator, I’m a Christian. I have no desire to be a social commentator, but I’ve found myself commenting on things in the news lately. The world we live in is a dark place, and it’s going to get worse and for those that are Christians we will find ourselves being more and more marginalized as society continues to degenerate.
I can remember Bruce Jenner as a great Olympic athlete, and not only an athlete, but a gold medalist in one of the toughest events in the Olympics, the decathlon. His commitment to achieve this level of “success” must have been hard to imagine.
And now he’s a she… at least in his mind. If you were to run into him somewhere you might think he’s a she also, but appearances can be misleading. As a Christian I’m a seller of truth. I only want to deal in truth, and my calling is to tell others about the truth.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. – Genesis 1:1
This is true. This is what God did.
Then God said, “Let Us, make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the seas, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:26-27
God created man in His own image, and gave man an eternal soul. Man is valuable to God, as he is an image bearer of the Creator. Of all the creatures on the earth, man has been created with a soul that will live forever. Bruce Jenner was created a man, and an image bearer of God, but what happened that caused a man to think he should be a woman? Isn’t that a legitimate question to ask ourselves?
Well, if you are a Christian, you should know the answer. But do you really know the answer, from the source of truth, and will you be prepared to have a conversation with someone when asked about it? Are you prepared to give an answer for the hope that lies within you?
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. – Genesis 6:5
There is a great battle that rages, and all of mankind seeks some meaning to life. Most seek some form of meaning through happiness. They believe they are called to happiness, and they even “deserve” to be happy. I would imagine, Bruce Jenner thinks becoming a woman will make him happy. Mankind seeks fulfillment through consumption. They desire to consume the joys of the earth whether that be entertainment, vacations, sex, or a bigger home. Man is always seeking the next big thing.
Man seeks to numb his pain, or consume through the use of some form of medication. He drinks himself into a state of no feeling. He brags about how much he enjoys strong drink and his prowess as an addict.
He doesn’t realize his problem is sin. He doesn’t realize there is joy in Christ, and God is in none of his thoughts, so he tries to rationalize his life, and he rejects the very God that created him in His image. He continues to reject the grace of God, and does all sorts of abominable things all the while declaring his own goodness. In the depraved mind of Bruce Jenner, he thinks he is doing the right thing and it’s proof that he doesn’t know the truth.
He doesn’t know that the truth could set him free…
He doesn’t know that when the Son sets him free, he is free indeed…
He doesn’t know that he will face God’s wrath unless he turns from his wicked ways…
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. – Romans 1:24-25
Bruce Jenner, has been given up by God, and he has dishonored his body, and the Creator that created him. He has believed the lies that his sin will make him happy, and will offer a fulfilling life. He has served the created being, primarily himself. He doesn’t want to hear about it, because he believes he’s done the right thing. His mind and his heart are darkened. He has fully rejected the goodness of God.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting… – Romans 1:28
The King James Version says a “reprobate mind” which is a word used of metal that is cast away. It is unfit for use, unproved. It is a mind that has been so corrupted by sin, that it no longer thinks properly. The conscience has been so seared and hardened that it has lost its grip on reality.
The problem with God’s word, for most, is they won’t or can’t discern the truth from the lie. This is not difficult to understand, but it’s difficult to accept for those that don’t cherish the truth. This is an offense, and stumbling block to understanding Christianity. I expect this article will be an offense to many.
In the classic work “The Pilgrim’s Progress” on his journey to the Celestial City, Christian must face the trials of Vanity Fair. That place where sin and temptation run mostly unrestrained. The word vanity connotes a smug or egotistical complacency joined with emptiness, futility and a touch of frivolity. It’s not ironic that the magazine we most associate with this title has Jenner on its cover. The wisest man to ever live, told us that it is all vanity and not to be pursued (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). He told us how worthless of an endeavor it really is. All will face the temptations of the Vanity Fair, and in Bunyan’s allegory, those that prove to be true Christians will face great trials and persecution over their desire for truth, but will strand firm in the face of adversity.
If you are a Christian or you profess to be a Christian, you must be prepared to stand for the truth. How you react to this and the countless other acts of depravity that will come, determine whether you are truly in the Lord. Make no mistake, this will be the line that divides the pretenders from the true believers. If you believe you are somehow being progressive in your thinking or supportive of this lifestyle you are deceiving yourself, and you risk death. You risk the same death and judgment that awaits Bruce Jenner, lest he turn from his sin and live.
who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. – Romans 1:32
Will you stand on truth or crumble under the weight of popular opinion? Will you be hated and persecuted for righteousness sake? Jesus said you must, or you’re not. A great dividing line is forming, and which side of it will you stand? Will you fear those that can kill your body, or fear Him that can kill your body and soul?
Jesus Christ came to this earth and fulfilled the law of God, that you and I have no hope of ever fulfilling. He suffered a brutal death on the cross, suffered the wrath of God that sinners can be declared righteous. That is the good news. We are all without hope unless we turn to Christ for the salvation that He freely offers, that stands true for me, it stands true for you, and it stands true for Bruce Jenner.
Seek the LORD while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. – Isaiah 55:6-7
Kevin
Uncommon Faith 
With all the praise for this poor man, it’s nice to see someone stand up for the truth–without judgement and without hate, but with the truth intact. He’s being idolized for his sin, which certainly can’t be a good thing. It’s always nice to see that I’m not alone There are other people out there bold enough to stand up for the truth. Thank you for that. 🙂
Thank you for the comments. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said “In order to save men’s souls, we must tell them a great deal of disagreeable truth.” To love someone, means we tell them when they are wrong. I pray the Lord will be glorified.
Amen. Unfortunately it’s not easy in this world, but at least we have God on our side. When people hate me for my beliefs, I remember that Jesus offended nearly everyone He spoke to–and He still loved. Let us stand strong together with God at our side. 🙂
You are absolutely right… Leonard Ravenhill said, “if Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would have never been crucified.”
Thank you for the comments, and by the way I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen over on your site. Keep up the God glorifying work.
It is the last beatitude, to be hated and persecuted for Jesus’ sake. Let us stand and take the heat below while receiving the blessing from above.
Amen, brother… It sure is, and it’s so easy to forget in this society, that the worst persecution we face is someone telling us not to judge…
John 8:7 and as they continued to ask him, he stood up to them, let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
Matthew 7:1-2 judge not that you may not be judged. For the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
Hi Courtney, thank you for joining the conversation and for the beautiful words of the Lord Jesus Christ. I think it’s important to complete the thoughts on these passages, and not just pull out something to try and make a point. When we don’t take Scripture in it’s full context, then we are twisting Scripture, and Satan is the one that does that, so we don’t want to be like him.
John 8:11 …”Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Jesus freely forgives those that sin, and Bruce Jenner is not above forgiveness, but he must repent of his sin, and turn from it. Place his trust in Christ that he might inherit eternal life, then he will go and sin no more.
Matthew 7:5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
If I was living as Bruce Jenner is living and then I wrote this post, I would be a hypocrite. I would need to remove the plank from my own eye. But I’m not and in love I desire for him to see the error of his way. So Jesus says to remove the speck, not to ignore it.
Bruce Jenner is an abomination before God and unless he turns from his sin, he will suffer the eternal punishment of God. If a young child was standing on the railroad tracks and a train was coming toward him, wouldn’t the most loving thing be to yell at the top of our lungs for that child to get off the tracks?
Jesus said this also in Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. verse 23 And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Jenner is practicing lawlessness, and anyone that lives in habitual sin will be cast out of his presence into hell no matter what they think about themselves unless they show the fruit of a converted life, which means living obediently to the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Although I do not agree with the profound media attention “Caitlyn” Jenner is receiving, I don’t it’s because he/she is “rejecting the goodness of God” by making this decision. Clearly there is some prevalent gender identity issue at hand, and maybe even mental disorders, but I don’t believe he/she made this choice because of spite towards God. But what do I know, I’m not even religious anyways… Just my two cents.
Hello, I really appreciate your comments and I understand why you would think that way.
I also think it’s important to understand that my writing and thinking it shaped by my Christian and Biblical Worldview. Yours is shaped by your worldview, which by your own admission is not Christian.
So it’s a huge question to ask you who is right? And even more important to ask the question can truth be known?
The Bible tells us that it is God’s revealed word to mankind and tells us everything we need to know about God and how to have salvation through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
It also tells us that all of mankind is under the wrath of God and we are all guilty before a Holy God, whose standard is absolute perfection. Since I doubt you would say that you are perfect you must know that God will judge us all by His moral perfection and perfect standard He has written on your heart and in His word.
You can get a glimpse into this through the law of the Ten Commandments. If you’ve ever told a lie, stolen anything, used God’s name as a swear word, then you stand guilty before Him. The punishment He has prescribed for guilty sinners like you and I is a place called hell.
But because God is loving and merciful, He sent His Son to live on this earth and keep the law that you and I can’t keep. He suffered as a guilty criminal on the cross to bear the punishment of sin that those that place their trust in Him can be saved from that punishment of hell and live eternally with God in heaven.
Upon death, all men will be judged by God and either found guilty or innocent. Innocence comes only by Christ’s work on the cross, not by our own righteous acts. We are not good enough, nor can be good enough to stand before God.
So I hope you will consider if you died tonight and stood before God how would you answer him for your life. I urge you to repent (which means have a change of mind, leading to a change of life), turning from your sin, and place your faith in the work of Jesus Christ.
That is the only hope you have, I have and Bruce Jenner has of eternal life. That is the message of God’s good news, that guilty sinners can be set free and our problem is we think we are not that bad. But in comparison to Jesus Christ and to the holiness of God, we are far worse than we can imagine.
I hope you’ll consider this today.