Masculine God, Feminine Spirit? (Should we think of God as male or female)

Patheos ^ | 02/09/2012 | By Kyle Roberts

[Tax-chick]

Why not think of G-d as G-d, who is, we are also told, above "gender".

One reason would be God's revelation of Himself, through Jesus Christ, as "Father." Clearly the distinction was important enough to Jesus that he used a word with gender (in the grammatical sense) rather than "parent," "ancestor," "progenitor," or another word of neuter gender.

A non-Christian believer in God, of course, would probably not find this point very relevant!

[jonno]

Agreed.

It seems that it should be a fairly short debate:
Q: How did Jesus describe God?
A: As his father

[Westbrook]

> I would submit to you that the only consistent threat to
> the faith is a lack of Biblical literacy.

With that I can agree 100%.

But, Faith is not based on scholarly dissection of the Bible or any "system". It is rather by introspective and prayerful reading thereof that we grow in Faith. The Biblically astute will not be swayed by the signs and wonders crowd (A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign) or the cultists and false prophets.

While there were many "systematic theologian" who were champions of living Faith, and who doubtless were filled with the Spirit, there are also many who were bloody tyrants and cult leaders.

I just read the Bible. I try to do what I can understand. What I don't understand, I leave to the Holy Spirit to reveal in His Time. And He does, a little bit at a time.

Let me quote from the Pilgrim Fathers who wrote the Mayflower Compact.

The Apostle Paul would have none follow him but wherein he followed Christ; much less ought any Christian or Church in the world to do so. The French may err, we may err, and other Churches may err, and doubtless do in many circumstances. The honour of infallibility, therefore, belongs only to the word of God and the pure testament of Christ, to be followed as the only rule and pattern for direction by all Churches and Christians.

It is great arrogance for any man or Church to think that he or they have so sounded the word of God to the bottom as to be able to set down precisely a Church's practices without error in substance or circumstance, and in such a way that no one thereafter may digress or differ from them with impunity.
[Emphasis mine]

From Of Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford.

[bcsco]

Human nature after the Fall.

[stuartcr]

It’s just playing out as He knows it will. Can’t be any different.

[bcsco]

Very true.

[stuartcr]

Yep, just think, 10000y ago God knew how people would be going to war and killing each other over how they worship and understand Him.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

G-d does not have a body so G-d cannot be a male or a female. G-d is unseen. This is spelled out clearly in the Hebrew Scriptures.

G-d is not a MAN that He should lie,nor a mortal that He should change His mind.(Numbers 23:19)

You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens,with black clouds and deep darkness. Then the L-rd spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw NO IMAGE; there was only a voice. (Deut.4:11-12)