Comments on: The femininity of God. . . http://restoredtograce.com/2008/09/23/the-femininity-of-god/ searching for my place in the picture God is painting Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:08:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Joey Hoelscher http://restoredtograce.com/2008/09/23/the-femininity-of-god/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Joey Hoelscher Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:09:57 +0000 http://restoredtograce.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-36 Hmm, Nate, I think you're actually a bit backward on this one. God does not show He is masculine or feminine by the traits He exhibits. This would be to judge God by a human standard, which seems backward to me. Rather, human beings (both male and female, and true, perhaps in differing manifestations) show their likeness to God, or their bearing His image, by the traits THEY exhibit. In other words, we are displaying the image of God when we exhibit the traits that He exhibits. God does not display human characteristics--humans display human characteristics, and some of them are in the image of God. I think you also ought to be careful--the Bible never describes God as feminine. You say that God has the qualities of both a warrior and a mother hen. Perhaps true, but even there, the Scriptures use a masculine metaphor (shepherd) to describe God's nurturing qualities. We must be careful when we say what the Scriptures do not say. I appreciate you, brother, and hope you are well. I'll let you know if I'm ever anywhere near NJ. Hmm, Nate, I think you’re actually a bit backward on this one. God does not show He is masculine or feminine by the traits He exhibits. This would be to judge God by a human standard, which seems backward to me.

Rather, human beings (both male and female, and true, perhaps in differing manifestations) show their likeness to God, or their bearing His image, by the traits THEY exhibit.

In other words, we are displaying the image of God when we exhibit the traits that He exhibits. God does not display human characteristics–humans display human characteristics, and some of them are in the image of God.

I think you also ought to be careful–the Bible never describes God as feminine. You say that God has the qualities of both a warrior and a mother hen. Perhaps true, but even there, the Scriptures use a masculine metaphor (shepherd) to describe God’s nurturing qualities. We must be careful when we say what the Scriptures do not say.

I appreciate you, brother, and hope you are well. I’ll let you know if I’m ever anywhere near NJ.

]]> By: Nate http://restoredtograce.com/2008/09/23/the-femininity-of-god/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Nate Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:58:27 +0000 http://restoredtograce.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-35 Sure thing, Mia. The authority God gave Man in his relationship to Woman is found in Ephesians 5.22-24. Man is to be the head of his wife just as Christ is the Head of the Church. The problem comes in when a man has abused this authority. Men have a tendency to leave out the part about Christ being Head over the Church. In other words, they forget the correlation. They are supposed to model Christ in his Lordship over the Church. In other words, what did Christ do to show His authority over us? He gave His life for us. In the same way, Man's authority over his wife comes only insomuch as he is willing to give his life. Sure thing, Mia. The authority God gave Man in his relationship to Woman is found in Ephesians 5.22-24. Man is to be the head of his wife just as Christ is the Head of the Church. The problem comes in when a man has abused this authority.

Men have a tendency to leave out the part about Christ being Head over the Church. In other words, they forget the correlation. They are supposed to model Christ in his Lordship over the Church.

In other words, what did Christ do to show His authority over us? He gave His life for us. In the same way, Man’s authority over his wife comes only insomuch as he is willing to give his life.

]]> By: Mia http://restoredtograce.com/2008/09/23/the-femininity-of-god/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Mia Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:52:59 +0000 http://restoredtograce.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-34 Can you expand on what you mean by "the authority God gave Man"? Can you expand on what you mean by “the authority God gave Man”?

]]> By: anotherviewpoint http://restoredtograce.com/2008/09/23/the-femininity-of-god/comment-page-1/#comment-33 anotherviewpoint Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:33:56 +0000 http://restoredtograce.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-33 Right on, Nate! I've come to that conclusion myself and completely agree. I think that creation expresses the Creator, so when you think about these things, we learn so much about God and who He is. One other thing to think about: when I was single, I would hear people lament that they weren't "complete" until they were married. I disagreed. Though the fullness of God is seen when the sexes are united, I think that just as Jesus is completely God and the Father is completely God and the Spirit is completely God in their own individual rights, when they come together they are the fullness of God. I haven't thought much about it beyond that point, and perhaps an examination of "complete" and "fullness" are in order. But that's the conclusion I came to anyway. Right on, Nate! I’ve come to that conclusion myself and completely agree. I think that creation expresses the Creator, so when you think about these things, we learn so much about God and who He is.

One other thing to think about: when I was single, I would hear people lament that they weren’t “complete” until they were married. I disagreed. Though the fullness of God is seen when the sexes are united, I think that just as Jesus is completely God and the Father is completely God and the Spirit is completely God in their own individual rights, when they come together they are the fullness of God. I haven’t thought much about it beyond that point, and perhaps an examination of “complete” and “fullness” are in order. But that’s the conclusion I came to anyway.

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