Is it wrong to refer to God, as an "It"

[AmericanChristian91]

Just throwing this out here. If one refers to God the father, or the Holy Spirit (Jesus is not included in this because he was born male), as an "It" instead of the traditional "he", is that wrong?

Should we always refer to God with male pronouns?

One could make the argument that the nature of God the Father is technically an "It", in the sense that he doesn't have a physical body, and therefore no sex organs.

But even if that is technically the case, is it still disrespectful to refer to him as an "It"?

Or does it depend?

I would like your opinions on this

 

[Nanopants]

I tend to think that language is insufficient to "properly" refer to God.

 

[ForJesusChrist]

I say He its better.

 

[AmericanChristian91]

I say He its better.

Alright, but do you think that not referring to him as a "He" and instead "It" is wrong/disrespectful?

 

[random person]

Just throwing this out here. If one refers to God the father, or the Holy Spirit (Jesus is not included in this because he was born male), as an "It" instead of the traditional "he", is that wrong?

Should we always refer to God with male pronouns?

One could make the argument that the nature of God the Father is technically an "It", in the sense that he doesn't have a physical body, and therefore no sex organs.

But even if that is technically the case, is it still disrespectful to refer to him as an "It"?

Or does it depend?

I would like your opinions on this

How do the writers in the Bible refer to God? That is the full measure to judge by. In other words I would never refer to God as an it. We are made in His image but with sinful fleshly trappings. Yet don't mistake my words that I am saying man is equal to God. But that God is holy and God is love. An impossible holiness and love than we can't hope to achieve without our glorified bodies.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I would not use "it".

"It" refers to a thing, not a Person.

In that sense I believe it would be disrespectful.

Scripture refers to God as "He" and in terms such as "Father" so I believe that would be more appropriate.

Would you consider it respectful to call your earthly father an "it"?

I believe the same goes for the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "When He comes."

 

[MoreCoffee]

English is at a slight disadvantage compared to Greek and Latin as far as personal pronouns are concerned because the only neuter pronoun that English has is 'it' and 'it' is not considered a personal pronoun.

In Greek the Holy Spirit is referred to as 'him' and 'it' but the Father is spoken of as he and him as is Jesus Christ our Lord. The predominant pronouns used for God are masculine rather than neuter so it would be incorrect to call God 'it' for two reasons:

• 'it' is impersonal in English while God is a person
• The Greek and Hebrew equivalent of 'it' is only rarely used in scripture to refer to God while 'he' and 'him' and 'his' are frequently used.

 

[AmericanChristian91]

• 'it' is impersonal in English while God is a person

But we choose to make "It" impersonal (of course the reason why is that we don't encounter anything intelligent in our day to day lives that is technically an "it").

I could say it in a more personal manner If I said this......

"It is the creator of the heavens and earth, It loves me, and sent It's only Son to die for our sins, It is an amazing Father"

I am not using "It" in the same sense I would be using "It" to refer to a non-intelligent thing.

So is it disrespectful to God in my quote above when I called him, "It"?

Yes I am aware that tradionally speaking we refer to God as a "he" because the writers of the bible and also Jesus do it. But even though that is the case, does that mean we shouldn't call God "It" because he is neither male nor female?

I know its not traditional, but does it not being tradition = disrespect/wrong?

 

[MoreCoffee]

But we choose to make "It" impersonal (of course the reason why is that we don't encounter anything intelligent in our day to day lives that is technically an "it").

I could say it in a more personal manner If I said this......

"It is the creator of the heavens and earth, It loves me, and sent It's only Son to die for our sins, It is an amazing Father"

I am not using "It" in the same sense I would be using "It" to refer to a non-intelligent thing.

So is it disrespectful to God in my quote above when I called him, "It"?

Yes I am aware that tradionally speaking we refer to God as a "he" because the writers of the bible and also Jesus do it. But even though that is the case, does that mean we shouldn't call God "It" because he is neither male nor female?

I know its not traditional, but does it not being tradition = disrespect/wrong?

You are right that the definition of 'it' is in our hands and that past generations chose to treat 'it' as an impersonal pronoun. We could change that if we wanted to. Nevertheless sacred scripture uses masculine personal pronouns for God even in languages that offered a neuter personal pronoun such as Greek and Hebrew. That may be telling us more than that 'he' was preferred. It may mean that there is something about created beings that have two sexes that reflects something in God himself and that the masculine element in such creatures best represents that something that is in God himself. We ought to be careful about deciding what God is like when our decisions make us abandon scripture's usages.

 

[Optimax]

"It" refers to an object, like a chair.

God is not an "it", He is a Spirit, and man is made in His Image and Likeness.

How would you like it if when you walked into a room.

People said, "there it is"?

 

[miamited]

Hi AC,

Well, just my two cents worth. I believe that what God is seeking is for us to be like Jesus. Jesus is our example of the kind of heart and attitude that God is seeking. The Scriptures even tell us that when we are saved, at the time of God's judgment, that we will be like him, Jesus. Therefore, I want to work on and develop the exact same kind of relationship with God as Jesus has. I can't find any Scriptural evidence that Jesus ever referred to his God and Father as 'it'.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted