Why does God identify Himself as a Father ?

[bottomofsandal]

God is our Heavenly Father, identified as a male, not a female.

God is Spirit, so why the need to designate a human gender ?

Anything feminine was created by a masculine God---so why specify ?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Because the greatest problems today are because people don't own up to their own problems .. and shift the blame . the Father figure teaches to take ownership .

 

[Mazzaroth]

Wisdom is often described as a female, although it is obvious that wisdom is genderless.

Matthew 11:19 (KJV)
"[sup]19[/sup] The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children."

Luke 13
"[sup]34[/sup] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! [sup]35[/sup] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

It could take its root from stubborn social tradition or language, etc. In German, there are three words for "the": der being male, die being female, and das being neutral. Although a table obviously has no gender it is nonetheless assigned the male form of "the" as "der Tisch". Other inanimate and genderless objects are assigned different forms of "the" for no real apparent reason. It could be similar to that.

In reality though I don't think God has a gender, neither do I think angels have genders, and I don't think our souls have genders either because genders are solely a trait of humans for the purpose of reproduction.

If we're all supposed to become Christlike we have to abandon all the mortal traditions and temperaments anyway, so I think it's something that only matters to humans.

Edit: See Hebrew names for God.

 

[Tainted Scrolls]

It is pretty simple to be honest

English is really the only form of tounge that does not assign gender to things. They have to have a way of converting the text somehow. This is where you get the "him" and the "hers"

 

[Cjwinnit]

God is our Heavenly Father, identified as a male, not a female.

God is Spirit, so why the need to designate a human gender ?

Anything feminine was created by a masculine God---so why specify ?

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

 

[thesunisout]

God is our Heavenly Father, identified as a male, not a female.

God is Spirit, so why the need to designate a human gender ?

Anything feminine was created by a masculine God---so why specify ?

God is denoting His Fatherhood and not His gender. God is a Spirit and doesn't have a gender. Jesus however was born with a male gender, though in Heaven those differences probably won't matter:

Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

 

[Norah63]

Taking God at His word is good enough for me.
When I pray I say, our Father, because Jesus says that is how to address Him. (not her)
Ask and you will be given answers.

 

[bottomofsandal]

Wisdom is often described as a female, although it is obvious that wisdom is genderless.

My wife tells me otherwise...

In reality though I don't think God has a gender, neither do I think angels have genders, and I don't think our souls have genders either because genders are solely a trait of humans for the purpose of reproduction.

Agreed.

But why did God choose to identify Himself as A Father not A Mother ?

Why was Jesus a Son, not a daughter ? I am not a mysogynist or sexist.



Instead of Father and Son, why isn't it Mother and Daughter ?

Is there a reason ? Does it not matter in the slightest since we are spirit ?

I have no preference, but is patriarchy culturally relevant and relatable ?



Are the attributes of God more powerful when depicted as a male ?

Is God more approachable as a male ? Does a King attract more subjects ?

Perhaps power could carry more weight, but what about love ?

Wouldn't a female foster better response in certain circumstances ?

 

[Norah63]

You have got to be kidding.
Rethinking scriptures because they aren't clear to you.
Ah, that's like taking away from the word of God.

 

[bottomofsandal]

You have got to be kidding.
Rethinking scriptures because they aren't clear to you.
Ah, that's like taking away from the word of God.

I am not kidding at all. Do you really think everyone thinks like us ?

I am not saying I believe this, but I have been asked by non-believers.

What do you suggest telling a seeker who asks such a question ?

 

[DeadlyScimitars]

Here is my opinion...

The scriptures say mankind was created in the likeness of God. Both male and female. God has no gender.

Let's look at a family setting. Who has the ultimate authority? The man, Dad, Father. He is responsible to care for his family, to make sure his children are trained right, a protector. The wife, woman, mother is there to support and help. A man couldn't operate without a woman and vise versa. Should both have a say? YES. But a father's word is final. It is the word of authority. I think that is why He is referred to as Father. He is our ultimate source of authority. What He says goes. Can we have ideas and questions? Yes. But His decision is final.

He is our Father, we are His children...straight Scripture!

 

[WOOD81]

god is a father because the world he created is patriarchal. man was created first, and thats just how god did it. it would be like asking "why is green not red" sometimes things are just what they are. and if you believe in an all knowing and all loving god, then, even if you dont understand the reasoning, you can trust that there is a good reason why things are what they are.

now let me quote james brown one of my favorite theologins. "This is a man's world, this is a man's world, But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl"l

 

[rgleason]

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

If God has no body parts, how is the Messiah seated at His right hand???

 

[rgleason]

Here is my opinion...

The scriptures say mankind was created in the likeness of God. Both male and female. God has no gender.

Let's look at a family setting. Who has the ultimate authority? The man, Dad, Father. He is responsible to care for his family, to make sure his children are trained right, a protector. The wife, woman, mother is there to support and help. A man couldn't operate without a woman and vise versa. Should both have a say? YES. But a father's word is final. It is the word of authority. I think that is why He is referred to as Father. He is our ultimate source of authority. What He says goes. Can we have ideas and questions? Yes. But His decision is final.

He is our Father, we are His children...straight Scripture!

The only thing wrong with that theory is that Adam and Eve were created equal and Adam did not have authority over Eve. That was her punishment for sinning.
Genesis 3:16
"To the woman he said, "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

 

[Hetta]

Let's look at a family setting. Who has the ultimate authority? The man, Dad, Father. He is responsible to care for his family, to make sure his children are trained right, a protector. The wife, woman, mother is there to support and help. A man couldn't operate without a woman and vise versa. Should both have a say? YES. But a father's word is final. It is the word of authority. I think that is why He is referred to as Father. He is our ultimate source of authority. What He says goes. Can we have ideas and questions? Yes. But His decision is final.

He is our Father, we are His children...straight Scripture!

The man might have the ultimate authority in your household, but that is not the case in the majority of households. LOL.
And btw, a man can operate without a woman and a woman can operate without a man. Take a look at the millions of one parent families, and the millions of single people, and the millions of widows/widowers and celibate individuals. It's silly to make out that men or women can't survive without the opposite gender.

 

[Hetta]

God is the Father of the human race. The Father of Jesus.

 

[rgleason]

Taking God at His word is good enough for me.
When I pray I say, our Father, because Jesus says that is how to address Him. (not her)
Ask and you will be given answers.

 

[Yahu]

God is our Heavenly Father, identified as a male, not a female.

God is Spirit, so why the need to designate a human gender ?

Anything feminine was created by a masculine God---so why specify ?

You are assuming that spirits don't also have gender. It is specific in the Hebrew for example that their are both male and female 'evil spirits', ie 'ruach rah (male)' and 'ruach ra'ah (feminine)'.

He created Adam as male and took Adamah (female form later named Eve) out of him, not created directly. He put the female under submission to the male as He is male just as we are in submission to Yeshua as the husband and the church as the bride (female).

The Father is NOT in submission to anyone! He is the head of the household just as a husband/father is the head of a Christian household.

Trying to make female as equal to male is a doctrine right out of Asherah worship, the divide mother goddess and is condemned by Yah.

 

[Iosias]

God is our Heavenly Father, identified as a male, not a female.

God is Spirit, so why the need to designate a human gender ?

Anything feminine was created by a masculine God---so why specify ?

God has not identified Himself as a Father, rather humankind have explained their concept of God as being like a Father.

 

[mandelduke]

Matthew 6:9; 15
9After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. 10Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For your is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Basics/god_is_a_trinity.htm
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.