Human Nature is Under Assault. Here's Why it Matters.

The Battle for Human Identity: Male and Female in God’s Design

At this moment in history, the very idea of what it means to be human is under attack. The once universally understood reality that humans are created as male and female in the image of God is now being questioned and even rejected.

From the first chapter of Genesis, we see that creation unfolds in a pattern—light and darkness, land and water, sun and moon. But when God creates humanity on the sixth day, something changes. He pauses, speaks to Himself, and says:

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)

Unlike the rest of creation, humans are made in God's image. And, critically, they are created male and female. This distinction is not an accident or a social construct—it is fundamental to our identity.

But what does it mean to be made in God’s image? And why does it matter?

The Biblical Foundation of Human Identity

1. Being Human Means Bearing God’s Image

When Genesis describes the creation of humanity, there’s a shift in language. “Let us make man in our image.” The word man here is singular, but then Scripture continues: “Male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

This tells us something crucial: every individual human is made in God's image, but together—as male and female—we reflect something deeper about God.

Both men and women are image-bearers of God, and their differences matter. Humanity is designed to reflect God's nature in both individual identity and relational unity.

This truth is under constant attack today. Our culture seeks to blur distinctions between male and female, but Genesis makes it clear that these differences are not incidental—they are part of God's created order.

2. The Unique Role of Male and Female in God’s Design

Being created in God's image is more than just a title—it comes with a calling. Immediately after creating humans, God gives them a command: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28)

From the beginning, God's design for humanity included both production (work) and reproduction (family).

• Work: Humans are called to cultivate, create, and care for the world.
• Family: Humans are called to reproduce and raise the next generation.

This is not merely biological—it is deeply spiritual. Male and female together reflect God's creative nature in a way that neither can do alone.

“Male and female, as a social reality, is part of what it means to be made in the image of God.”

This reality has been recognized by every culture and religion throughout history. Every human society has understood that it takes one man and one woman to bring new life into the world. But what many have failed to grasp is that this truth is not just a biological fact—it is a theological one.

3. Humans Are Both Physical and Spiritual Beings

Humans are unique in creation. We are not just material beings, like the animals, nor are we purely spiritual, like the angels. Instead, we are both.

This means we are fully physical and fully spiritual at the same time. Our bodies are not an afterthought—they are an essential part of who we are.

Throughout history, many false philosophies have gotten this wrong:

• Materialism reduces humans to mere animals, denying the spiritual reality of our existence.
• Gnosticism treats the body as unimportant or even bad, focusing only on the soul.

“Neither of these gets the truth about the human person quite right. We are fully spiritual and fully material at the same time.”

Understanding this compound truth is essential. Any worldview that rejects either side—our physical reality or our spiritual reality—will ultimately distort what it means to be human.

The Modern Attack on Human Nature

Today’s gender ideology denies the biblical and biological reality of male and female. It presents a contradictory and unstable view of human identity.

For years, materialism dominated cultural thought—people were told they were just bodies, just animals with no deeper purpose. But materialism was ultimately unsatisfying, and now we see a new rebellion against the body.

Gender ideology claims that a person’s identity is based on an internal sense of self, rather than their biological sex. This belief leads to the conclusion that if someone’s body does not match their inner sense of gender, the solution is to alter the body—through hormones, surgeries, and other medical interventions.

“What’s happening here is a kind of metaphysical schizophrenia. It rejects the fundamental truth that we are fully spiritual and fully material at the same time.”

Rather than conforming the mind to reality, gender ideology demands that we reshape the body to fit an internal feeling. This is not just a rejection of biology—it is a rejection of God’s design.

Trusting Him, Shaping Me, Restoring Us

As Christians, we must stand firm in the truth about human nature:

Trusting Him: Believing that God’s design for male and female is good and intentional.

Shaping Me: Choosing to live in alignment with the truth that our bodies are not mistakes, but gifts.

Restoring Us: Helping others see the beauty of God’s design and the wholeness found in embracing it.

Our culture is confused about what it means to be human. But we are called to speak truth with clarity and love, offering a vision of human dignity that aligns with God’s Word.

How to Reclaim Human Nature

Resist the Dualism of Material vs. Spiritual.  Reject the idea that your body and soul are separate or in conflict. You are fully physical and fully spiritual—both are essential to who you are and must be honored together.

Bring Peace to Relational Identity. Men and women are not rivals but partners in God’s design. Push back against cultural narratives that create division, and instead model respect, collaboration, and mutual flourishing.

Accept the Limits of Your Body. Your body is not an obstacle to overcome but a reality to embrace. Recognize that your physical limits—your sex, age, and abilities—are part of God’s intentional design for your life.

Teach the Next Generation the Roots of Gender Ideology. False ideas don’t appear from nowhere. Help young people understand where today’s views on identity come from so they can recognize their flaws and hold fast to biblical truth.

Ask Good Questions. Instead of immediately refuting false ideas, ask thoughtful questions that challenge assumptions and lead people to reconsider their beliefs in light of reality.

Living in the Fullness of God’s Design

The truth about what it means to be human is not just a religious belief—it is a reality woven into creation itself.

Human beings are both body and spirit, male and female, created in God’s image. This truth is being attacked today, but it is one we must hold onto and proclaim boldly.

If you want to understand more about God’s design for humanity and how to stand firm in today’s culture, visit IdentityProject.tv. Learn how to embrace your identity as an image-bearer of God and share this truth with others.