I recently wrote an article entitled “Righteous Indignation vs. Turning the Other Cheek” It was based on a blog from a “deconstructing” Christian named Dan who, as a seminary trained former Pastor, closed a past Sunday church service with the twisted words “may the Lord turn HER face toward you and give you peace” (Num 6:26).
A Response
I received a response from Rebecca who listed the following verses which she suggests offer justification for the use of the term “her” for God.
Genesis 1:127, Luke 13:34, Matt. 23:37, Hosea 11:3-4, and Isaiah 42:14
Below was my response.
Rebecca,
These are great verses! You make a good point. These do offer a feminin aspect of God. In that regard, you are correct and I was wrong. However, (though I don’t profess to read minds) I would say that God’s softer side was not what Dan was trying to present to his congregation, nor was it what those who reacted negatively thought he was implying. Let me explain…
God is actually neither male or female (John 4:24), He is a spiritual being. However, in order for God to be relatable to mankind, He chooses to be portrayed in Scripture as male. The Bible has over 100 references to God as our “Father”. Further, the word theos, a masculine noun in Greek is used nearly 900 times from Acts to Revelation to refer to God. There is no confusion in the use of the male gender form for God. If He had decided otherwise He could have chosen to be revealed in female form, and would have used the term “women” and its various noun forms. Beyond that, Jesus Christ, the second part of the trinity was historically a male (John 10:30, “I and the Father are one”). Of course Dan knows all this and was attempting to make a woke political point, as was Cleaver, also an ordained former pastor, rather than being theologically sound.
Blessings, Jeff (BCWorldview.org)
Summary
There is much confusion, even among Biblical Christians about our theological underpinnings. This is partly the responsibility for the watering down of beliefs from our churches in order to attempt inclusion. However, more than that, it is because our culture no longer supports, much less reinforces, Biblical knowledge as having value. This is to our peril.
Jeff Hilles | BCWorldview.org
