Preferred Prounouns = A False Witness

Bereans:

In the debate over how far Christians should go to accommodate family and friends who want us to acknowledge and accept their "alternative" sexual lifestyles, believers are usually bludgeoned with unbiblical reasoning.  The reasoning usually goes along the lines of, "maintaining the relationship is the most important thing," or "you are denying their existence," or "you have to meet them where they are," or "it's a simple thing you can do to affirm your love for them."  These are based on the false premise that love is expressed by doing what someone wants you to do for them.

Biblical love is based on truth (2 John 1-2; 3 John 3-4). Truth is always based on what God says about a matter.  Speaking truth in love is what believers are required to do by God (Ephesians 4:25). Telling someone what they want to hear is simply lying in order to win their favor.  Scripture also refers to this as flattery, and it is a manifestation of the fear of man (Proverbs 28:23).

In the following video podcast, Jon Harris commends Rosaria Butterfield for publicly repenting for the sin of recommending that believers use a person's "preferred pronouns."  She is a former lesbian university English professor who became a Christian and is now married to a Presbyterian pastor.  Rosaria clearly explains that she fell for the arguments that Christians need to "love" others by using their chosen names and pronouns as a way to keep an avenue open for the gospel.  Now, she refutes those lies and calls on all believers to speak the truth. She is a great example of how believers should repent when we publicly sin and lead others astray.
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydVi-p7fBMo

Along these same lines, an apologetics web site published this encouragement for Christians to stand against the world's call to practice this false love.  Most of the points are very valid, but I have a few critiques.  My complaints with this article are that it does not reference God's Word, putting authority on "one's own convictions," and it does not call sin what it is.  While Scripture does say that we should not violate our conscience, and to do so is sin (Romans 14:22-23; 1 Corinthians 8:12), the real issue is that our consciences should be formed by Scripture. Scripture is clear regarding God creating only two sexes (Genesis 1:27) and on the roles and rules he set regarding sexual relations.

Further, and most important, in the "preferred pronouns" debate is that God forbids the bearing of a false witness (Exodus 21:16).  To call someone by a different pronoun than the pronoun that matches his or her God-given sex is to lie.  To call a man a female name is a lie. Unfortunately, the article soft pedals the sin and calls it being "insincere."  That is a fair name for the foul sin of lying.  It makes the issue crystal clear when we name it what God names it.

If you truly want to maintain a relationship with people who are practicing an immoral lifestyle, then earn their respect by telling them the truth.  We all know that no one truly respects a liar.  If you are willing to lie to them about something as basic and obvious as their sex, then they know they cannot trust you to tell them the truth with other matters, especially the gospel.  They will always suspect that you are only telling them what they want to hear so that you will avoid negative consequences.  You very well may incur their wrath and scorn for not going along with their deception, but you will still have a clear conscience that you have not broken the ninth commandment, and they will know deep down that they can trust you.
Article: https://www.str.org/w/should-you-accommodate-an-lgbt-person-s-requests-

Remember, Bereans, the world lives in deception and they want you to practice deceit with them.  When you don't know what to do, go to God's Word, not the voices of the culture.

Grace and peace to you,
J.W.