Is God a Male??

[convicted1]

I ask this question with all sincerity. Everytime I read anything about God's characteristics, it gives them with a male pronoun. But then Jesus told the Samaritan women at the well in John chapter four, that His Father(God) was a Spirit. Then there was the time when the Saducees came to Jesus and aksed Him about the woman who married seven brothers and in heaven, whose wife would she be. Jesus told them that there would be no male or female in heaven, nor given in marriage.

So, is God Male? Though Jesus told them that God is a Spirit, and that we will get a body like Jesus' most glorious body, and that in heaven, there will be no male or female....... This came to me this evening while I was taking a bath, and I thought on here would be a good place to ask this. I wanted any and all takers to answer this. I am honestly not trying to "bait" anyone on this. This is a true, and honest question that I'd like some answers to. Thanks in advance to those who take the time to answer!! :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

[Crabtownboy]

When we think of living beings we think male and female. Because of this languages are limited when discussing God as genderless. God is genderless. I believe God has both attributes, male and female.

For instance:

Isaiah 42:14, “I cry out like a travailing woman,”

Isaiah 46:3 “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been borne by me from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.”

49:15, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee.”

In Psalms we find: "Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother”

Luke 15:8-10 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God did not say he was male nor female when he answered Moses' "who are you" question. His reply was "I am that I am." There is no gender in that answer.

It is true that God is referred to as 'he', 'him' and 'his.' This does not mean that God is male. As stated above, we are limited by language. Also in the ancient cultures, and in many cultures in our own day women are not considered of any importance. Thus, as the Bible, as we have it' was written by males it is natural to believe that they used masculine terms for God. But, and this is a big but, pronouns have always had the second, generic sense, referring to both male and female. The word “Man” has been used for centuries to refer to both men and women.

But to me the bottom line in your question is that God is genderless.

 

[convicted1]

When we think of living beings we think male and female. Because of this languages are limited when discussing God as genderless. God is genderless. I believe God has both attributes, male and female.

For instance:

Isaiah 42:14, “I cry out like a travailing woman,”

Isaiah 46:3 “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been borne by me from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.”

49:15, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee.”

In Psalms we find: "Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother”

Luke 15:8-10 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God did not say he was male nor female when he answered Moses' "who are you" question. His reply was "I am that I am." There is no gender in that answer.

It is true that God is referred to as 'he', 'him' and 'his.' This does not mean that God is male. As stated above, we are limited by language. Also in the ancient cultures, and in many cultures in our own day women are not considered of any importance. Thus, as the Bible, as we have it' was written by males it is natural to believe that they used masculine terms for God. But, and this is a big but, pronouns have always had the second, generic sense, referring to both male and female. The word “Man” has been used for centuries to refer to both men and women.

But to me the bottom line in your question is that God is genderless.

This is a very good response to my question!! That which I bolded is what I have always believed, but the male pronouns kinda made me wonder, you know what I mean?? Thanks for the response!! :thumbs:

 

[preacher4truth]

I ask this question with all sincerity. Everytime I read anything about God's characteristics, it gives them with a male pronoun. But then Jesus told the Samaritan women at the well in John chapter four, that His Father(God) was a Spirit. Then there was the time when the Saducees came to Jesus and aksed Him about the woman who married seven brothers and in heaven, whose wife would she be. Jesus told them that there would be no male or female in heaven, nor given in marriage.

So, is God Male? Though Jesus told them that God is a Spirit, and that we will get a body like Jesus' most glorious body, and that in heaven, there will be no male or female....... This came to me this evening while I was taking a bath, and I thought on here would be a good place to ask this. I wanted any and all takers to answer this. I am honestly not trying to "bait" anyone on this. This is a true, and honest question that I'd like some answers to. Thanks in advance to those who take the time to answer!! :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

i am I AM's!!

Willis

Genderless? Naw.

Pray "Our Father, which art in heaven..." And "Male and female made He them."

I'll stick to that and call Him my Father.

The gender issue comes up as a question mostly due to the culture we live in that focuses so much on hiding gender, or in mocking genders in their conventional roles, and marginalizing its reality, almost making it a "sexist" sin to discuss it. I won't let culture influence me on that.

I bet certain groups would love to have genderless father figures.

 

[JesusFan]

Genderless? Naw.

Pray "Our Father, which art in heaven..." And "Male and female made He them."

I'll stick to that and call Him my Father.

The gender issue comes up as a question mostly due to the culture we live in that focuses so much on hiding gender, or in mocking genders in their conventional roles, and marginalizing its reality, almost making it a "sexist" sin to discuss it. I won't let culture influence me on that.

I bet certain groups would love to have genderless father figures.

God IS a Spirit, and thus would have no "Sex" in His essense BUT

the way that He has chosen to relate to us, for us to see Him as is indeed a heavenly Father, so to answer the OP...

God wants us to address/relate /see Him as being the father/Son/Holy Spirit, all are male images, but God is also "sexless" as he is NOT the "man in the Sky" not a male in sense of say a Zeus or odin in pagen religions!

just part of the Creation context...

man is head over the home dynamic, and God has chosen to reveal Himself as male in his dealings with His people, in His covenant relationship with them....

 

[Allan]

When we think of living beings we think male and female. Because of this languages are limited when discussing God as genderless. God is genderless. I believe God has both attributes, male and female.

For instance:

Isaiah 42:14, “I cry out like a travailing woman,”

Isaiah 46:3 “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been borne by me from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.”

49:15, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee.”

In Psalms we find: "Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother”

Luke 15:8-10 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God did not say he was male nor female when he answered Moses' "who are you" question. His reply was "I am that I am." There is no gender in that answer.

It is true that God is referred to as 'he', 'him' and 'his.' This does not mean that God is male. As stated above, we are limited by language. Also in the ancient cultures, and in many cultures in our own day women are not considered of any importance. Thus, as the Bible, as we have it' was written by males it is natural to believe that they used masculine terms for God. But, and this is a big but, pronouns have always had the second, generic sense, referring to both male and female. The word “Man” has been used for centuries to refer to both men and women.

But to me the bottom line in your question is that God is genderless.

While God is a Spirit, God always uses the masculine form to describe himself. And while He describes various 'traits' common to both genders, He testifies of Himself to His people and the world through His word in the masculine form, never in the feminine form.

Names are not exactly gender specific, however the names of God declare His attributes and character.. so while I Am that I Am is declaring his self-existance though not any particular gender.. others such as Jehovah Jirah (God my provider) showed a more pronounced masculine form.. among many other of His names.

So while yes God is genderless in essence (Spirit).. there is a specific and doctrinal reasons He reveals Himself in the masculine form and never the feminine or even both.

 

[Jim1999]

Scripture does say that there is neither male nor female in heaven. And so, God is neither male nor female, and is unseen by humankind......"no man has seen God and lived..."

the genders are used for human understanding and is written by man.

Cheers,

Jim,,

Sorry, plumbers are NOT automatically going to heaven!

 

[Crabtownboy]

While God is a Spirit, God always uses the masculine form to describe himself. And while He describes various 'traits' common to both genders, He testifies of Himself to His people and the world through His word in the masculine form, never in the feminine form.

Names are not exactly gender specific, however the names of God declare His attributes and character.. so while I Am that I Am is declaring his self-existance though not any particular gender.. others such as Jehovah Jirah (God my provider) showed a more pronounced masculine form.. among many other of His names.

So while yes God is genderless in essence (Spirit).. there is a specific and doctrinal reasons He reveals Himself in the masculine form and never the feminine or even both.

I have no problem with you conclusion, but do say that God had to communicate with words that we humans could understand. Giving himself masculine names makes a lot of sense as he was communicating with a society where women were not given much in any value in leadership roles.

I do not understand why people are bothered in thinking of God having what we call feminine attributes. God being God has both what we call male and female attributes. Are we men so insecure within ourselves that we cannot accept God as having both male and female attributes. He is perfect, thus he has to have both types.

We are limited by our language and thus God was limited as he had to communicate with words giving concepts we would understand.

But, again, God is genderless.

 

[StefanM]

I have no problem with you conclusion, but do say that God had to communicate with words that we humans could understand. Giving himself masculine names makes a lot of sense as he was communicating with a society where women were not given much in any value in leadership roles.

I do not understand why people are bothered in thinking of God having what we call feminine attributes. God being God has both what we call male and female attributes. Are we men so insecure within ourselves that we cannot accept God as having both male and female attributes. He is perfect, thus he has to have both types.

We are limited by our language and thus God was limited as he had to communicate with words giving concepts we would understand.

But, again, God is genderless.

I completely agree. I see no problem with referring to God as "Father" or with the masculine pronoun because that he is how he has revealed himself. It is the same reason that the Holy Spirit is often referred to as "he" instead of "it." Using a neuter pronoun tends to de-personalize. She (in English) is almost exclusively used to refer to something of the female sex. He is simply the best of a few deficient options. God's character, however, cannot be viewed in simple masculine or feminine terms.

Jesus, of course, is masculine in gender for obvious reasons.

 

[convicted1]

Thanks for all the responses!! :thumbs:

I, for one, will still call to God my Father, but that in His essensce, He is a Spirit that has no gender....but that's just me.

Now, I believe that our physical body is what determines our gender, and not our soul. Meaning that our soul is genderless, being neither male nor female. That is why in heaven there will be no marriage, no male nor female, etc. What's y'alls take on this? Is our soul genderless, and our physical body, which God forms, determine our gender?

 

[Crabtownboy]

Thanks for all the responses!! :thumbs:

I, for one, will still call to God my Father, but that in His essensce, He is a Spirit that has no gender....but that's just me.

Now, I believe that our physical body is what determines our gender, and not our soul. Meaning that our soul is genderless, being neither male nor female. That is why in heaven there will be no marriage, no male nor female, etc. What's y'alls take on this? Is our soul genderless, and our physical body, which God forms, determine our gender?

I believe you are correct, our souls are genderless.

 

[percho]

I have no problem with you conclusion, but do say that God had to communicate with words that we humans could understand. Giving himself masculine names makes a lot of sense as he was communicating with a society where women were not given much in any value in leadership roles.

I do not understand why people are bothered in thinking of God having what we call feminine attributes. God being God has both what we call male and female attributes. Are we men so insecure within ourselves that we cannot accept God as having both male and female attributes. He is perfect, thus he has to have both types.

We are limited by our language and thus God was limited as he had to communicate with words giving concepts we would understand.

But, again, God is genderless.

Relative to God and man and image I believe there is more to the story of God forming woman from man relative to God and image than we know or understand. However I have no idea what it is, therefore I have no idea what I am saying.

 

[convicted1]

I have no idea what I am saying.

I get accused of this more than you will ever know!! LOL.....my wife would be in complete agreement with you on this.

 

[percho]

I believe you are correct, our souls are genderless.

Well maybe and maybe not : He shall see of the travail of his soul.

Is this statement gender relative and implies his soul has children.
Heard R C S speaking on this yesterday on radio on a study concerning David and Mephibosheth.

I think I believe God is both male and female,

 

[Crabtownboy]

Relative to God and man and image I believe there is more to the story of God forming woman from man relative to God and image than we know or understand.

I would not put much stock in this as there are two creation stories. In one Adam is created first and Eve later from his rib. However in the other both are made from mud and we do not know which one was created first. Maybe God is ambidextrous and made both at the same time.

However I have no idea what it is, therefore I have no idea what I am saying.

What? This happens to others, not just me? :laugh:

 

[nodak]

God speaks of God as a nursing mother.

Not exactly male.

Above and beyond gender.