~
Christianity Is Masculine ~
Myth ~
While Christianity is for men
this statement implies it is not for women—that is what makes it a myth. Christ is the center of Christianity. God is a Triune God and all three members of the Trinity have all the God nature, all the
God characteristics, but each has their own personality.
Feminine
Characteristics of God
~ Most people are familiar with
the Father image of God. But throughout
Scripture we also find the Mother image of God—God exercising what societies
typically consider feminine characteristics.
A few examples:
old testament:
“As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young,
spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so the
Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him” (Deuteronomy
32:11-12).
“But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me
trust while on My mother’s breasts. I
was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s
womb You have been My God” (Psalm 22:9-10).
“By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took
me out of my mother’s womb. My praise
shall be continually of You” (Psalm 71:6).
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion
on the son of her womb? Surely they may
forget, yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
“‘Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause
delivery?’ says the Lord. ‘Shall I who cause
delivery shut up the womb?’ says your God” (Isaiah 66:9).
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13).
“I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will
tear open their rib cage, and there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them” (Hosea 13:8).
new testament:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and
stones those who are sent to her! How
often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood
under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34).
‘Or what woman,
having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep
the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her
friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the
piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to
you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who
repents” (Luke 15:8-10).
Masculine
Characteristics of God
~ Throughout Scripture we find
God exercising what society consider masculine characteristics (at least at the
time of writing). Here are a few of many
examples. Throughout both Testaments we
find God referred to as Father. He is also
described as a Warrior, the Lord of Armies, King of Glory, and Lord of Hosts (Psalm
24:8). God is also described as actively
teaching the skills of war (Psalm 144:1). God is Judge—an
enforcer of righteousness and a punisher of the wicked in society.
jesus christ: Physician Luke records how the angel Gabriel
prophesied to Mary that would conceive a Son (Luke 1:31), then Luke confirms
the event happened (Luke 2:7), and still later records Christ’s circumcision
(Luke 2:21).
While on earth, in human form, Jesus Christ was often
slandered, blasphemed, and mistreated as a masculine human
(Matthew 11:19; Mark 7:2; Luke 6:2; John 8:48, 52).
Christ is not only described as a King but also
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). Christ is our Priest, Great High Priest
(Hebrews 4:14), and our Bridegroom (John 3:29).
Of note is the fact that nowhere in Scripture do read any account of His
enemies hinting at or accusing Him of being effeminate.
Creation ~
During creation we find that God created both male and female. “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female
He created them” (Genesis 1:27). “He created them male and female, and
blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created” (Genesis 5:2).
Comment ~ Male
and female are equal but unique in their God-created natures. The two genders complement each other and are
equal in value. God is the Creator of
both male and female and Christianity is a faith-based relationship with the
Creator open to relationship with all of humankind. We all, male and female, are created in the
image of God.
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you
are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s
seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29). God is a God for all people!
Conclusion ~ God
is not male or female, but God. What we
tend to think of as feminine or masculine traits are actually all Godly
traits! “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW
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