RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-06-24	Is God Male Or Female?
		First, Scripture tells us God is a spirit, and does not possess human characteristics or limitations. Second, Scripture tells us God revealed Himself to mankind in a male form. God is a person in that He exhibits all the characteristics of personhood including a mind, an intellect, and emotions. God communicates and He has relationships. Joh 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Sometimes figurative language is used in Scripture that assigns human characteristics to God in order to make it possible for man to understand God. The big fancy word we us is, “anthropomorphism.” These attribute human characteristics or behavior to God. For example, God is said to have eyes (Am.9:3), ears (Da.9:18), hands (Is.5:25, and feet (Ge.3:8). God does not really have eyes, ears, hands, and feet as we do. But God uses these about himself to communicate truth in a way we as humans can understand. Since humanity is physical, we are limited in our understanding of those things beyond the physical realm. The Bible says we are created in the image of God (Ge.1:26, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”). This “likeness” is not physical characteristics. Being in the image of God means that we are greater than the other creations because we have a mind, will, intellect, emotions, and moral capacity. Animals do not possess a moral capacity and do not possess an immaterial component like humanity does. God created humanity to have a relationship with Him. Humanity is the only creation designed for that purpose. When the Bible says we are created in the image of God, it does not mean we are tiny “copies” of God. The fact that there are men and women does not require God to have male and female features. Remember, being made in the image of God has nothing to do with physical characteristics. Scripture contains around 170 references to God as the “Father.” If God had chosen to be revealed to man in a female form, then the word mother” would be used in those places. In both the Old and New Testaments, masculine pronouns are used over and over again in reference to God. In the Gospels alone, Christ uses the term “Father” in direct reference to God nearly 160 times. Further Christ said in John 10:30, “I and My Father are one.” Christ came in the form of a human man to die on the cross as payment for the sins of the world. Like God the Father, Jesus was revealed to humanity in a male form. Translations that replace the masculine (He) for feminine (She) pronouns creates confusion, and are not helpful to understand God. From the book of Acts through the Revelation of Jesus nearly 900 verses use the word THEOS. This masculine Greek noun is used in direct reference to God. While God is not a man, He chose a masculine form to reveal Himself to mankind. God chose to be revealed in this form for man to more easily grasp who He is. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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