Is God a man?

[jimb]

Though there is some truth there, it is mixed with uncertainty. Sin means to miss the mark. It was used of archers, for example, who missed the target. If you are late for work you sin against your employer. If you fail in your own expectations you sin against yourself. God is total righteous without sin because no one sets a mark for him. As Sovereign Lord he sets the mark.

Jesus wasn't sent in the likeness of sinful man for if he had been he would be an unworthy sacrifice; retribution for Satan and Adam's sin. Jesus wasn't in the likeness of sinful man because he had no sin. This legal arrangement is not what kept God in total righteousness without sin, God does that on his own.

The flesh is not necessarily sin, as Adam was flesh prior to sinning, Jesus was without sin although flesh until taking upon himself the sin of Adam.

Romans 8:3, "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh"

Greek "flesh": sarx

Sarx (mortal flesh) should be distinguished from Soma (body). Sarx is probably best described as specifically our current mortal (fallen) human state- that is the human body and its physical needs and desires that ( if not controlled) leads toward selfish acts and motives. Soma should be distinguished from this in that it simply means a body.

Adam was soma -- he had a body -- prior to sinning, although he clearly was in a "fallen state", otherwise he never would have eaten the forbidden fruit. All human sin was inherited from Adam and Eve.

Jesus was sent in the likeness of human flesh: "For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh" Romans 8:3, NIV

"The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins." Romans 8:3, NLT

 

[Trailblazer]

As you study the Bible and understand what Rightness is and Sin is then you will understand that God is total righteous without sin.

Since sin is disobedience to God how can God be disobedient to Himself? That is why God cannot sin.
Also, God is all-good by His nature so God cannot be sinful.

The flesh is sin, God could no way come in the flesh and destroy his righteousness.

The flesh is not sin in and of itself. It depends upon what we do with our flesh bodies as to whether it is sinful or not.

God is a Spirit and those who worship God must worship him in Spirit and truth. John 4:24

That is true. God is a Spirt, not a fleshy body. Jesus was a fleshy body so Jesus could not have been God.

 

[YellowFeather]

Since sin is disobedience to God how can God be disobedient to Himself? That is why God cannot sin.
Also, God is all-good by His nature so God cannot be sinful.

The flesh is not sin in and of itself. It depends upon what we do with our flesh bodies as to whether it is sinful or not.

That is true. God is a Spirt, not a fleshy body. Jesus was a fleshy body so Jesus could not have been God.

Trailblazer: That is what I am saying. That God is not man. I agree with you.

 

[jimb]

Trailblazer: That is what I am saying. That God is not man. I agree with you.

There are some who claim that God is not a man. Disregarding verb tenses, Jesus was a man -- an actual living, breathing person in a human body -- when He came to earth. He was born as a fully human, living being, lived His life as a fully human, living being, and died as a fully human being.

That is the formula that God (the Father) created to be the ultimate sacrifice for all human sin. In order for that sacrifice to be effective in removing sin, real human blood had to have been shed and a real human death had to have occurred. Jesus was a man, a fully-formed, living, human, who led a perfectly sinless life. Therefore, His death was the required sacrificial payment that God (the Father) required for all human sin.

 

[YellowFeather]

There are some who claim that God is not a man. Disregarding verb tenses, Jesus was a man -- an actual living, breathing person in a human body -- when He came to earth. He was born as a fully human, living being, lived His life as a fully human, living being, and died as a fully human being.

That is the formula that God (the Father) created to be the ultimate sacrifice for all human sin. In order for that sacrifice to be effective in removing sin, real human blood had to have been shed and a real human death had to have occurred. Jesus was a man, a fully-formed, living, human, who led a perfectly sinless life. Therefore, His death was the required sacrificial payment that God (the Father) required for all human sin.

God was not created, God is a Spirit that can not be seen. The angels of heaven where created and could seen because they where created. When sin was created from Adam, God had to send his Son Jesus in the likeness of sinful man to take the fall and keep God total righteous.
Romans 8: 1 - 3

 

[jimb]

God was not created, God is a Spirit that can not be seen. The angels of heaven where created and could seen because they where created. When sin was created from Adam, God had to send his Son Jesus in the likeness of sinful man to take the fall and keep God total righteous.
Romans 8: 1 - 3

Obviously. I never said that God was created. I said that a formula was created to redeem humanity from the penalty for sin.

Secondly, God is not just "a Spirit than can not be seen". Jesus was a real person: "Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?" John 14:9

Finally, Jesus was fully human. "Likeness" implies that He wasn't.

John 20:26-28, "A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 21:1-14, "After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead."

Likenesses do not have a real flesh-and-blood body, nor do they cook a meal.

 

[YellowFeather]

Not everyone is saved from sin, Only them that repent of their sins to God. Jesus came down to give Man one last chance to be saved from sin. and taught the word to us and the commandments to follow. If you still sin and follow in sin then you are a slave to sin and you crucify the Son all over again. Those who repent of their sins and truly obey God are of God and live their lives only for God and not this evil world.

 

[YellowFeather]

Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they CRUCIFY the SON of God again and put him to open shame.

 

[YoursTrue]

No answer.



I only rejected it as it was taught to me in school. I regurgitated back to them their own propaganda in order to pass the class, preventing me from having to endure it a second time. I passed the class. The evolution I was taught then, not so many years ago, is now obsolete, like a passing fad, just as in the foreseeable future the "facts" you espouse as undisputed dogma will - evolve into some other form.

Similarly, when I was in school and beyond, I believed everything scientists said about the theory of evolution. It was only some years later when I studied the Bible in as much depth as possible that I seriously questioned the theory of evolution as taught by scientists.

 

[YoursTrue]

Trailblazer: That is what I am saying. That God is not man. I agree with you.

Obviously (in my opinion) the male gender is attached to the description of God, the Father. He is not human, but we know Him in the sense HE wants us to know HIM as. Hope this helps. No, God is not a man like human men. The best way He wants us to understand HIM as as HE describes it.

 

[Coder]

Obviously (in my opinion) the male gender is attached to the description of God, the Father. He is not human, but we know Him in the sense HE wants us to know HIM as. Hope this helps. No, God is not a man like human men. The best way He wants us to understand HIM as as HE describes it.

Jupiter ("father in heavens (sky)" was a male figure. Today, we have advanced to see "Father" more in terms of "Creator". To "father" as a verb, has that connotation. I don't know what the original Hebrew word for man is in a Scripture such as Numbers 23:19 is. However, I think that we can have little doubt that it means humans and not "man" solely in terms of gender. Thus we see that God teaches us that he is not a human, and does not lie.

I was raised Christian and practiced for many years as an adult, however, I am now a non-trinitarian monotheist. I agree with Rabbi Singer that Christians can benefit greatly by learning Hebrew.

With regards to Scriptures such as Numbers 23:19, we can see the wisdom of God not to assume that books that are supposedly inspired by God, have no human influences including human fibs/lies. Some fibs may be well-intentioned, some perhaps selfish and related to power and control, but regardless, to me the important thing is that we can grow past the fibs for a more realistic understanding of God.

 

[YoursTrue]

Jupiter ("father in heavens (sky)" was a male figure. Today, we have advanced to see "Father" more in terms of "Creator". To "father" as a verb, has that connotation. I don't know what the original Hebrew word for man is in a Scripture such as Numbers 23:19 is. However, I think that we can have little doubt that it means man solely in terms of gender and refers to humans. Thus we see that God teaches us that he is not a human, and does not lie.

I was raised Christian and practiced for many years as an adult, however, I am now a non-trinitarian monotheist. I agree with Rabbi Singer, that Christians can benefit greatly by learning Hebrew.

With regards to Scriptures such as Numbers 23:19, we can see the wisdom of God not to assume that books that are supposedly inspired by God, have no human influences including human fibs/lies. Some fibs may be well-intentioned, some perhaps selfish and related to power and control, but regardless, to me the important thing is that we can grow past the fibs for a more realistic understanding of God.

The Bible discusses somewhat about what other nations thought. Naming other gods of the nations that were not in a covenant relationship as were the Israelites. Certainly some things can benefit by studying -- including false ideas about torture in hell, etc. and/or purgatory...as well as understanding gender considerations as put forth in the Bible.

 

[YoursTrue]

Jupiter ("father in heavens (sky)" was a male figure. Today, we have advanced to see "Father" more in terms of "Creator". To "father" as a verb, has that connotation. I don't know what the original Hebrew word for man is in a Scripture such as Numbers 23:19 is. However, I think that we can have little doubt that it means man solely in terms of gender and refers to humans. Thus we see that God teaches us that he is not a human, and does not lie.

I was raised Christian and practiced for many years as an adult, however, I am now a non-trinitarian monotheist. I agree with Rabbi Singer that Christians can benefit greatly by learning Hebrew.

With regards to Scriptures such as Numbers 23:19, we can see the wisdom of God not to assume that books that are supposedly inspired by God, have no human influences including human fibs/lies. Some fibs may be well-intentioned, some perhaps selfish and related to power and control, but regardless, to me the important thing is that we can grow past the fibs for a more realistic understanding of God.

That's right -- taking Numbers 23:19 to imagine that God is not human is correct. Nevertheless, even in that scripture you cited, it speaks in the male gender of the true God.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

 

[Coder]

That's right -- taking Numbers 23:19 to imagine that God is not human is correct. Nevertheless, even in that scripture you cited, it speaks in the male gender of the true God.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

Hi, I fixed my wording (typographical) to clarify that I think that the word "man" in the Scriptures of this thread isn't gender specific and means "humans".

Yes, English lacks a gender-neutral pronoun (as we all know). Perhaps someone can tell us the meaning of the original Hebrew word "man", as used in the Scriptures that were presented.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In my experience, there are two ways to quickly silence an atheist (i.e. skeptic, unbeliever) and that is 1) to ask them questions about the propaganda they espouse and 2) try not to make any mistakes for them to easily dispel, thus justifying their confirmation bias.

His religion is scientism. People who adhere to scientism aren't interested in true science; they give it a bad name. Rather, they are interested in their world view.

1. You are welcome to ask questions.
2. OK, Be careful, do not make any mistake in your posts. I am not the only atheist here.

You are new around here. I have interacted with @shunyadragon for the last 7 years. He is one of the two Bahais that I respect. Him for his knowledge of science and @arthra for not being a proselytizer.

 

[shunyadragon]

In my experience, there are two ways to quickly silence an atheist (i.e. skeptic, unbeliever) and that is 1) to ask them questions about the propaganda they espouse and 2) try not to make any mistakes for them to easily dispel, thus justifying their confirmation bias.



His religion is scientism. People who adhere to scientism aren't interested in true science; they give it a bad name. Rather, they are interested in their world view.

Please define specifically the difference between scientism and science.

One basic condition of Methodological Naturalism is it can only falsify theories and hypothesis based on physical evidence, and cannot deal with the question of the existence of Gods, or support for the atheist or theist beliefs.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I would like to ask the OP: okay, God is not a man.
But what is a man?
What is the end of human existence?
Why is man here?
We cannot deny something undefined.

According to the Scriptures, of course.
Thank you.

A very important question.
A human is a bundle of molecules whose capabilities degenerate with time.
At some point of time, the human species will cease to exist as it has happened with other species of animals or vegetation.
Just one of the random things that happen in the universe.

 

[Aupmanyav]

If you study the Bible sincerely without prejudice or bias you would realize it it is ancient tribal religion burdened by mythology without science. and with little of no relevance to reality and today's world.

Living in the past paradigms is not the hope of the future of humanity.

Bahai religion also is a copy of ancient religions. From Judaism to Christianity to Islam to Shiaism to Bahai. It is not Islam. Had it been Islam, there would not have been a need for any further messenger or manifestation. As for peace and brotherhood, every religion has touted it - not just the Abrahamic religions. So what is new?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Your statement is contradictory. If you can't imagine what God is, how do you know that He is not a carbon-based life form?

That is not going to end the question. If God is a carbon-based life form, then from where carbon and other elements which compose God came about? Is God too a result of some ancient asexual reproduction like in case of humans? Humans are cousins to Chimps and Apes. Who are the cousins to God?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Your statement is contradictory. If you can't imagine what God is, how do you know that He is not a carbon-based life form?

I never said I knew nothing about God. I simply stated that whatever he is, he is not a carbon based life form.