God Commands us to Protect Children’s Innocence

Christians have More Work to Do to Cease Gender Mutilation of Minors

The House of Representatives has taken a decisive step in protecting children by passing H.R. 3492, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, with a vote of 216-211 on December 17, 2025. This landmark legislation, sponsored by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, establishes federal prohibitions and penalties for medical professionals who perform what the bill characterizes as genital mutilation or chemical castration procedures on minors. The bill now advances to the Senate, representing a crucial moment for faith and culture in our ongoing battle for the hearts and minds of America.

Biblical Foundation for Child Protection

Scripture provides clear guidance on our responsibility to protect children and preserve the natural order of creation. Genesis 1:27 declares, “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” This foundational truth establishes the binary nature of human sexuality as divinely ordained and immutable. When we consider the current events surrounding gender ideology, we must ground our response in this biblical understanding of human anthropology.

The Judeo Christian tradition has always recognized children as gifts from God, deserving special protection from adult decisions that could cause irreversible harm. Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us that God “formed my inward parts” and “knitted me together in my mother’s womb,” emphasizing divine intentionality in human creation. These verses speak directly to the contemporary debate about altering children’s bodies through medical interventions that contradict their biological reality.

Natural Law and Human Dignity

Thomas Aquinas taught that natural law flows from eternal law, revealing God’s rational design for human flourishing. The natural law tradition within Christianity provides a framework for understanding why protecting children from permanent bodily alterations aligns with divine wisdom. Children possess inherent dignity as image-bearers of God, which means their bodies deserve respect and protection from irreversible medical procedures based on psychological distress rather than genuine medical necessity.

The Protect Children’s Innocence Act recognizes this fundamental principle of natural law by establishing federal protections for minors. The legislation acknowledges that children cannot provide meaningful consent to procedures that will permanently alter their reproductive capacity and sexual function. This position aligns with centuries of Christian moral theology that recognizes the developmental limitations of minors and their need for adult protection rather than adult enablement of potentially harmful decisions.

Natural law reasoning demonstrates that authentic compassion requires protecting children from decisions they may later regret. The Catholic Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has consistently taught that true mercy involves guiding individuals toward truth rather than affirming choices that contradict their fundamental nature as created beings.

The Role of Government in Moral Leadership

Romans 13:1-4 establishes that governing authorities are “instituted by God” and serve as “God’s servant for your good.” This passage provides the theological foundation for understanding government’s role in protecting vulnerable populations, particularly children. The House’s passage of the Protect Children’s Innocence Act demonstrates how elected officials can fulfill their God-given responsibility to promote justice and protect the innocent with enough accountability from the faithful populace.

The conservative movement has long championed the principle that government should protect life and defend those who cannot defend themselves. This legislation exemplifies these values by recognizing that children require adult protection from experimental medical treatments that lack long-term safety data. The bill’s focus on preventing taxpayer funding of these procedures also reflects the biblical principle of good stewardship of public resources. Yet Christians cannot act like our work is done.

This legislation represents s victory for Christians and social conservatives who believe in defending biblical and traditional values against progressive ideological pressure. Yet for as long as genital mutilation even exists in the medical sphere, abuse of the technology will continue to exist. Nothing less than the souls of our children is at stake.

Addressing Gender Dysphoria with Truth and Compassion

Christian responses to gender identity issues must balance unwavering commitment to biblical truth with genuine compassion for struggling families. The reality of gender dysphoria as a psychological condition requires careful and virtuous pastoral and psychological care that affirms the person’s inherent worth in God while addressing underlying emotional and spiritual needs, never pushing them toward mutilation as a solution. The church has an opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love by providing support that leads to healing rather than harm.

Research from various medical professionals suggests that most children who experience gender dysphoria during childhood will eventually align with their biological sex if given time and appropriate psychological support. The studies also prove that gender mutilation and medical interventions tend to yield more harm than good in the long run. Virtually no benefit has been shown in the long term, leading many European nations to jettison this fallacious medical practice. In face, the data supports the wisdom of protecting minors from irreversible medical interventions during periods of psychological confusion. The Protect Children’s Innocence Act provides legal backing for this approach by preventing adults from rushing children into permanent medical decisions.

Faithful Christians must recognize that families dealing with gender identity issues often feel isolated and desperate for solutions. The church’s response should include prayer, counseling, practical support and constant presentation of the perennial truth of the Gospel, maintaining clear biblical boundaries. This means offering hope for healing and transformation through Christ while refusing to affirm choices that contradict God’s design for human sexuality.

Ministries that specialize in addressing gender dysphoria through biblical counseling report significant success in helping individuals embrace their biological identity and find peace with God’s design for their lives. These testimonies demonstrate that genuine love involves speaking truth even when culture pressures us toward compromise.

Cultural Transformation Through Gospel Engagement

The passage of the Protect Children’s Innocence Act is not a full legislative victory; it signals an opportunity for Christians to engage culture even more fervently with gospel truth. The debate surrounding gender ideology has revealed the spiritual hunger of our generation and the bankruptcy of secular approaches to human identity and purpose. This moment calls for believers to articulate a compelling vision of human flourishing grounded in biblical anthropology.

The current events surrounding this legislation demonstrate that political action must be accompanied by evangelistic engagement. Laws can protect children from harmful medical procedures, yet only the gospel can address the deeper spiritual needs that drive gender confusion. Christians must work simultaneously for legal protections and heart transformation through the power of Christ.

Conservatives and Christians have an opportunity to demonstrate that biblical morality produces human flourishing rather than oppression. The protection of children from irreversible medical procedures exemplifies how Christian principles serve the common good. This legislation shows that faith-based approaches to social policy can achieve practical results while honoring God’s design for human life.

The culture war requires both defensive and offensive strategies. Defending children through legislation like the Protect Children’s Innocence Act provides crucial protection, while sharing the gospel message offers ultimate hope for transformation. This act now creates space for the church to minister effectively to families struggling with these complex issues.

Moving Forward with Purpose

As this legislation moves to the Senate, Christians must remain engaged through prayer, advocacy, and practical ministry. The political process provides one avenue for protecting children, while the work of discipleship and evangelism addresses the spiritual roots of cultural confusion about gender and sexuality. Both approaches are necessary for comprehensive cultural transformation.

The success of the Protect Children’s Innocence Act demonstrates that conservative principles aligned with biblical truth can achieve legislative victories even in a polarized political environment. This encouragement should motivate believers to continue engaging the political process while never losing sight of the ultimate goal of gospel transformation.

Churches must prepare to minister to families affected by gender ideology with both truth and grace. This preparation includes equipping pastors and lay leaders with biblical understanding of human sexuality, training in compassionate counseling approaches, and resources for supporting families through difficult transitions toward biblical truth.

The intersection of faith and politics in this legislation reminds us that Christianity has always been both deeply personal and inherently public. The protection of children from harmful medical procedures represents a natural extension of Christian commitment to defending the vulnerable and promoting human dignity according to God’s design.

The Protect Children’s Innocence Act stands as a testament to the power of principled leadership guided by biblical values. As Christians, we must continue praying for wisdom for our leaders, supporting legislation that protects the innocent, and urgently engaging our communities with the transformative message of the gospel. Children deserve protection from ideological experimentation, and they deserve to hear about their true identity as beloved image-bearers of the living God