First ‘Church’ for ‘Transgenders’ Opens in Pakistan
https://christiannews.net/2020/11/30/first-church-for-transgenders-opens-in-pakistan/
KARACHI, Pakistan — The first “church” for transgenders has opened in Pakistan in order to provide a place of belonging for those whose lifestyles are not affirmed in biblically orthodox church settings. The Church of Pakistan will not support the gathering, citing that there are “theological issues” with transgenderism.
The “First Church for Eunuchs” is led by female “pastor” Ghazala Shafique, who outlined to the Associated Press that she chose the name, in part, because in the Bible eunuchs are accepted by God. In South Asia, eunuch is also reportedly a term used to refer to men who identify as women.
However, according to Bible commentaries, the term eunuch pertains not to crossdressers but to men who remain single and do not take a wife, whether because of physical circumstances or their personal desire to devote themselves fully to the service of the kingdom of God.
“There are some whom God by nature hath made unfit for marriage. There are others whom men (wickedly) make unfit for it, that they may gratify their own jealousy,” English theologian Matthew Poole once expounded on Matthew 19:12.
“And there are some who have made themselves eunuchs, not castrating themselves (that is wickedness), but abstaining from marriage and yet living chastely (having mortified their lusts and brought under their body) that they might be less encumbered with the cares of the world, and be more free for the work of the ministry, or be able more to give up themselves to a holy life and spiritual conversation.”
According to the Associated Press, men who identify as women are often mocked in Pakistan. The few who profess to be Christians are allegedly told to sit in the back of the Church assembly or not to present themselves as ladies.
One transgender, identifed in the report only as Arsoo, said that he had difficulty finding a sure place to sit while attending a church where the men are on one side and the women are on the other. Arsoo stated that he was told by the women to sit with the men, and the men told him to sit with the women.
found myself in such a confusing situation,” he told the outlet.
The First Church for Eunuchs is held outside of Shafique’s home, and video footage posted online shows males who identify as females — among others, including children — in attendance as those gathered sing and play instruments.
A sign behind the podium also uses the term “khwaja siras,” which is Urdu verbiage for “transgender” and is considered more polite or politically correct than the sometimes used “hijra.”
Shafique says that she wants the Church of Pakistan denomination to provide official recognition, but those efforts have been rejected.
“I asked the bishop of the Church of Pakistan. He said, ‘Oh, there are some theological issues,’” she outlined. “I am still waiting to hear what are those theological issues which cannot be resolved when they are accepted in the Bible.”
THE GOSPEL
As previously reported, while some view transgenderism and gender confusion as a medical condition, Christians believe the matter is also, at its root, a spiritual issue and a result of mankind’s fallen state.
The Bible teaches that all are born with the Adamic sin nature, having various inherent feelings and inclinations that are contrary to the law of God, and being utterly incapable of changing by themselves.
It is why Jesus came: to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Scripture outlines that Jesus came to be the propitiation for men’s sins (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10), a doctrine in Christianity known as substitutionary atonement, and to save men from the wrath of God for their violations against His law (Romans 4:25, Romans 5:9, Romans 5:16), a doctrine known as justification.
The Bible also teaches about regeneration, as in addition to sparing guilty men from eternal punishment, Christ sent his Holy Spirit to make those who would repent and believe the gospel new creatures in the here and now, with new desires and an ability to do what is pleasing in the sight of God by His indwelling and empowerment (Ezekiel 11:19, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5).
Jesus said that men must be born again, and have their very nature transformed by the Spirit from being in Adam to being in Christ, or they cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-8).
Ezekiel 36:26-27 states of this inner rebirth, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments and do them.”