Beware of CONDEMNATION & AUTHORITARIANISM

The spirit of condemnation is when a minister regularly tears down and beats up a congregation, which is an abuse of the pulpit. Such ministers tend to motivate others based on shame. For example: “You’re not reading the Word of God like you should! And you call yourself a Christian?” The root of this type of wicked spirit is arrogance, which is a superiority complex. When these types of ministers tear down others they automatically elevate themselves. Its fleshly pride and it’s truly sad when ministers fall into such a religionist rut. Sometimes they never get out and, if they do, it’s likely due to intense intercession and because someone dared to walk in tough love with them.

The spirit of condo is at odds with the true ministerial spirit, which Paul summed up when he spoke of the authority ministers have for building believers up and not tearing them down (2 Corinthians 10:8 & 13:10). He also stressed this in Ephesians 4:11-12 where he detailed the purpose of all fivefold ministers: “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up“.

You don’t have to be a spiritual Einstein to recognize a spirit of condemnation. Years ago my sister was looking for a church in Southern California and ended up visiting one for a few Sundays, but she decided not to stay. Why? Because after all three services she left feeling beat up and condemned rather than inspired and encouraged. Needless to say, only a glutton for punishment would stay in such a church! This isn’t to suggest, of course, that there’s no place for denouncing sins and encouraging repentance in church services. Skilled ministers who are led of the Spirit will bring about a spirit of repentance through the ministry of the Word, but will also remove the burden of guilt, instill the Lord’s peace and motivate individuals onward. In other words, even though they denounce sin and spur repentance their ministry is encouraging and inspiring. This is the minister’s job.

A good example of this can be seen in Jesus after his resurrection. Jesus appeared to two of the disciples who were understandably discouraged because of his unjust crucifixion. The Messiah met up with them as they were walking along the road and they talked for a bit, but they were somehow prevented from recognizing him. After Jesus departed, the two disciples reflected on the encounter: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

This is the effect Christ-like ministers should have on believers. You know you’re at a healthy church when you leave a service with your heart burning with inspiration and you see things in God’s Word you never saw before.

Luke 24 goes on to show us what Jesus did weeks later when he ascended: “he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven” (verses 50-51). Even as Jesus was leaving this earth to go to the Father he was blessing people — it was the last thing he did before going to the Father! This is how Christ-like ministers should be — constantly blessing people and building them up, not condemning them and tearing down.

Since the spirit of condemnation is rooted in arrogance (tearing others down to build oneself up); it’s also a spirit of authoritarianism. This is when a “minister” leads by trying to lord it over people, which is plainly condemned in Scripture:

1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

1 Peter 5:1-3

Authoritarianism is demagoguery where the Christian leader tries to dominate others through intimidation and manipulation. But this is an oxymoron since ‘minister’ literally means “servant” and reveals how Christian ministers are to minister — with a servant’s heart. This isn’t to say, of course, that ministers have to be perpetually sugary sweet as there’s a time and place for Spirit-led rebuke, like when Paul openly corrected Peter for his legalism (Galatians 2:11-14) or when Jesus boldly cleared the temple of fools (Mark 11:15-18).

Verses 1-2 of the above passage show that Peter was specifically addressing “elders,” mature believers, who were called to serve as “shepherds,” that is, pastors. He goes on to say that they should be eager to “serve,” meaning minister. This is important because pastors who regularly tear down their subordinates are essentially grumps who have lost the joyful eagerness of serving as shepherds of God’s flock. In such cases, pastoring has become more of a job than a joy. This can always be seen on their faces; instead of the joy of serving there’s the scowl of forced labor.

Verse 3 says point blank that pastors are not to lord it over the people entrusted to their care. The word “lording” here means to control, subjugate or rule in the sense of being the final authority. Pastors are not to be like this! Although pastors are certainly the authority of the fellowships they oversee, Jesus is the final authority of the church. Pastors simply have no business “lording it over” believers as if they are the supreme and final authority in their lives.

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Isn’t MORALITY Obvious?

All moral truth is obvious, particularly the more a person develops discernment or wisdom. For instance, I wrote a book about forgiveness and it goes into a lot of detail in its 256 pages but, generally speaking, all the truths conveyed in it are obvious if one simply reflects on any of the many issues. It’s really all just common sense. Truth is simple, but worldly culture and religion unnecessarily complicate it.

Consider this moral conundrum: A married man meets a comely woman on the job who conveys interest. Should he commit adultery with her or not? You don’t have to be a Christian or know any passage in the Bible to know that it’s wrong. Why? Because it’s wrong to be unfaithful to one’s spouse. Or take homosexuality, a hot topic today. Is it right or wrong? It’s a matter of being honest about the obvious facts of reality, such as the glaring alignment of male and female sex organs — ‘Tab A’ fits into ‘Slot B.’ It’s common sense and you don’t need the Bible to tell you one way or another.

Moral truth is obvious because we all instinctively know the difference between good and evil due to conscience (Romans 2:15). So why do people rebel against this inherent moral code? Paul explained it this way: “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts” (Ephesians 4:18). You see? They harden themselves to the voice of their conscience to the point that they no longer even realize moral common sense.

This is why the moral law, as detailed in the Scriptures, is necessary. It reveals right from wrong for us so that there’s no doubt. Say if a brother or sister in the Lord offends you or is walking in sin and you need to correct them. You can show them through God’s Word that their behavior or attitude is wrong and hopefully they’ll repent, i.e. change for the positive. This is why we need the moral law, but it doesn’t change the fact that moral truth is obvious.

Consider belief in God. Why are atheists so mad about someone they don’t even believe exists? Why don’t they get all irate in denouncing, say, Bigfoot or leprechauns? Because they know Bigfoot and leprechauns don’t exist. But they know deep down inside that the Almighty exists and they have to get all worked up to deny it.

If moral truth is obvious to unbelievers, as long as they don’t harden their hearts, how much more so the reborn believer who’s in spiritual union with his/her Creator? (Titus 3:5). We just have to open our eyes and look beyond the false indoctrination of secular and religious culture, which is what being transformed by the renewing of the mind is all about (Romans 12:2).

Yes, all moral truth is obvious. Think about it.

Why Was Jesus Christ Sometimes AMBIGUOUS?

Christ spoke clearly on the most important matters of life. He said that the greatest instruction of all was to “love the LORD, your God with all your heart” (Matthew 22:37) and that repentance and faith were necessary to attain eternal life (John 3:16 & Luke 13:1-5).

Yet the Lord was often ambiguous with his answers and would leave people scratching their heads. He would regularly answer questions with questions and hide invaluable information in figurative stories called parables. When asked why, he said:

“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Matthew 13:11-12

As you can see, even his “answer” reads like a riddle. Whoever has what? Talent? Wisdom? Truth? Money? Possessions? Political power? Evidently, those who were resistant to Christ and his teachings would not have the interest or oomph to pursue deeper truths.

One of Yeshua’s favorite expressions was: “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear” (Mark 4:23). Hearing is an activity. People can have ears and not hear. Jesus refused to “cast pearls before swine.” His words demand participation and we’ll often have more questions about his answers. No wonder the people “hung on his words.” He kept them hanging.

Why Did Jesus Respond to His Enemies with Questions?

Special thanks to John Fischer and his book True Believers ~~Don’t~~ Ask Why.

Why Did Jesus Christ Respond to His Enemies WITH QUESTIONS?

Christ responded to his enemies with questions because he knew their questions were not sincere and that they were just trying to trap him, but he refused to succumb to their obvious manipulations. A good example is when the Pharisees and Herodians teamed-up to force the Messiah to say something politically offensive (the Pharisees resented paying taxes to Rome whereas the Herodians supported it):

They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we we pay or shouldn’t we?”      But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin , and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”      And they were amazed at him.

Mark 12:14-17 & Luke 20:20-26

Luke’s account ends with this statement: “Astonished by his answer, they became silent.”

We’ve got to get away from this idea that Jesus Christ was some weak pushover. On the contrary, he could spot a fake from about fifty paces and was so brilliant in argumentation that he amazed his enemies and put them to silence. They even feared him (Mark 11:18).

Jesus Christ — Milksop or Mighty Lord?

Why Was Jesus Sometimes Ambiguous?

Gentle Love and Tough Love

Why Did Jesus Answer Questions WITH QUESTIONS?

You would think that spending time with Jesus would be the ultimate question & answer time, but the Lord often answered questions by asking another question because it provoked people to find the answers themselves without Christ telling them the answer. Isn’t it usually true that when you figure something out for yourself the answers have more of an impact than if someone told you the answers?

Consider these four examples of the Messiah answering questions with questions:

An expert in the law: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Christ: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

Luke 10:25-26

A rich young man: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Christ: “Why do you call me good?”

Mark 10:17-18

Nicodemus: “How can this be?”

Christ: “You are Israel’s teacher and you do not understand these things? I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

John 3:9,10,12

Pilate: “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Christ: “Is that your idea or did others talk to you about me?”

John 18:33-34

Jesus said he was “the truth” in John 14:6. What is “truth”? Truth is reality, the way it really is. As such, the Lord could have responded to people’s questions with book-length answers, but he didn’t because he knew it would be too much and they’d choke on it. So he either asked them questions or gave bite-sized answers that they could handle. Like a dam that holds back huge amounts of water, only allowing a small portion to trickle out, Jesus trickled truth from his vast reservoir of knowledge.

Related Topics:

Why Was Jesus Sometimes Ambiguous?

Why Did Jesus Respond to His Enemies with Questions?

Special thanks to John Fischer and his book True Believers ~~Don’t~~ Ask Why.

What Does the Bible Mean by EVIL DESIRES?

According to the Bible, an “evil desire” is any desire that stems from the flesh, which is the sinful nature. The “sinful nature” refers to the negative side of human nature. It’s our lower nature, which Freud described as the “id” (not that I’m a follower of Freud, of course).

The Bible details three basic categories of the sinful nature: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Any sin you can name stems from one of these three categories, including the traditional “seven deadly sins” — lust, wrath, pride, envy, gluttony, greed and sloth. The works of the flesh are always obvious and in contrast to the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:19-23).

The problem with Western culture is that we’ve largely thrown out the notion of “evil desires” or “sin” and therefore have lost our moral compass. Instead of shunning evil desires, like hatred, murder, perversion, greed and inebriation — we are encouraged to celebrate and indulge them. The result is our hedonistic, sometimes lawless societies.

A prime example is sexual desire. Lefties in our educational and entertainment institutions teach that any sexual desire is good and should be fed, acting upon and enjoyed. They justify this reasoning on the grounds that the person was “born that way” and therefore it’s natural. But what if a 55 year-old man finds a shapely 15 year-old girl sexually desirable? Should he feed his desire for her and act upon it on the grounds that he was “born that way”? Obviously not.

Or consider something more mundane which most of us can relate to: Should I eat a gallon or two of ice cream every day just because I have the desire to do so? I could justify such dubious actions under the guise of being “born that way,” but then I’d have to suffer the eventual negative repercussions, i.e. being grossly overweight and the health issues that go with it.

Obviously just because you experience a desire, it doesn’t automatically mean it’s good and should be embraced with open arms and pursued.

Thankfully, the LORD has provided a Way to escape the negative desires of flesh. This is one of the many reasons the message of Christ is called the Good News! So, if you are struggling with a certain sin or negative desire that’s ruining your life, you can walk free! The Scriptures provide a simple three-point plan of action wherein you tackle the problem on three fronts — mental, physical and spiritual. See this article for details or the corresponding video:

Related Topics:

Dealing with LUST

Q&A on HUMAN NATURE: Spirit, Mind & Flesh

Drug Obsession (Idolatry) is of the Flesh

Homosexuality is a Sin, BUT there’s Freedom through Christ

What IS Marriage? (and Related Topics)

The Four Types of LOVE in the Bible

The Fall of Man (Humanity) and Slavery to Satan

REDEMPTION — God’s Plan of Liberation for Humanity & Creation

GANGES: A Filthy, Foul and “Holy” River

David Servant of Heaven’s Family was ministering in Varanasi, India, in early October, 2013. This city is considered the holiest city of India with some 23,000 temples. Many Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi brings salvation via the release of one’s soul from the laborious cycle of reincarnation. The bodies of those who die in Varanasi are typically cremated on the banks of the Ganges River, which flows through the city. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges cleanses them of transgressions.

If the family members of those cremated depart before the body is consumed the fire will likely be doused and the remains cast into the river to conserve fuel. In addition, there are numerous Hindus who are not authorized to be cremated so their bodies are tied to rocks and cast into the river. Furthermore, the city dumps 50 million gallons of sewage into the river every day. This is in addition to the loads of human & industrial waste poured into the river from the many other cities on its banks. Every year millions of Hindus drink a few drops of water of the heavily poluted river and take some back to their relatives who couldn’t make the journey. Is it any wonder that gall bladder cancer rates of those who live along the river are the 2nd highest in the world?

David had some time to kill on October 8th so he hired a boat and a guide to watch the morning activities, including the bathing rituals, the cremations and the many tourists. The low point came when they came across the shrouded head & shoulders of a corpse in the river. David expressed: “The thought of bathing in a river that was filled with sunken corpses was not very attractive to me, but thousands of people were doing just that — as a mode of worship — as we drifted past them on our way downstream.” He reflected: “In light of this, I can’t help but wonder how humanists can decry Christian evangelism that ‘threatens to destroy native cultures.’ God forbid that some missionary might persuade people to stop drinking sewage.”

Related Topics:

The BASICS of Christianity

SPIRITUAL GROWTH Is Like Climbing a Mountain

Imagine, if you will, the earthly journey to spiritual maturity as a mountain, as follows:

God is the mountain and the foothills are people “not far from the kingdom of God,” which is what Christ said about a wise Teacher of the Law in Mark 12:34.
Since the mountain itself is the LORD the only way to get on the mountain is reconciliation with God, which comes through spiritual rebirth (John 3:3,6); consequently, there’s only one path to get on the mountain and it’s Jesus Christ (John 10:9).
New believers are on the mountain, but they’re at the bottom. As believers go up the mountain of spiritual growth they naturally get closer to the heart of God, which is the top.
On each side of the mountain are dangerous cliffs, which aren’t actually part of the peak. These cliffs represent legalism and lawlessness: Legalism is on the right while libertinism is on the left. It’s impossible to get on the peak by these sides and those who are on the mountain—that is, believers—must avoid these dangerous cliffs or they’ll risk falling off altogether.

Some believers get close to the dangerous cliffs on either side but, thankfully, they don’t fall off, at least not yet. These are believers who flirt with legalism and libertinism and are therefore infected to some degree. Their flirtations are risky, but they’re still on the mountain. They can’t go any higher because the sides are so steep and dangerous. If they attempt to climb from that position they’ll fall off. The only way they can go higher is to move away from the sides, which represents repentance from legalism or libertinism, depending on which side they’re on.

The believers who wisely avoid both sides are free to go up the mountain closer and closer to the heart of God. Some may get to a certain level and decide they want to stay for one reason or another. Some of these may eventually stray to one edge or the other, even falling off. Those who keep going higher do so because they want to and the path is easy and enjoyable. Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). Trying to move up on the edges, by contrast, is dangerous and very hard work, not to mention utterly fruitless.

The truths conveyed in this parable were understood by Solomon, the wisest man of his day:

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself? ¹⁷ Do not be overwicked and do not be a fool—why die before your time? ¹⁸ It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.

Ecclesiastes 7:16-18

To be “overrighteous” or “overwise” refers to legalism whereas being “overwicked” or a “fool” refers to libertinism. Both are corrupt conditions and should be avoided at all costs. Solomon said “it is good to grasp one and not let go of the other,” which indicates that the truth is somewhere in between the two.

Legalism and libertinism are like the opposing sides of a counterfeit coin. Both sides are equally bad and the coin needs tossed out altogether.

Carol (my wife) shared an interesting variation: She took a quarter and showed how it lies flat when it rests on one side or the other. The only way the coin can rise is by standing on its edge, which is the “middle ground” between heads or tails. She then illustrated that the coin can only be spun when it’s in this position, to which she spun it. The coin spun round n’ round and looked like it was having a blast!

Likewise there’s no genuine joy with legalism or libertinism. The former pleases religious pride while covertly engaging the flesh whereas the latter openly pleases the lusts of the flesh. In short, they both spring from the sinful nature and therefore can only please that nature (1 John 2:16). Any satisfaction experienced is shallow. Underneath is death, which is what the flesh naturally produces (Romans 6:23).

With all this in mind, let’s look an even clearer parable on the extremes of legalism and licentiousness from Christ himself…

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

The Parable of the Prodigal Son isn’t just about the prodigal son, as most think; it’s also about his older brother. Let’s give the story a fresh reading with the understanding that the prodigal son is a libertine and the older brother a legalist:

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Luke 15:11-32

The opening verse shows that this parable is about three people: a man and his two sons. The story can be split into three basic parts:

The first third is about the younger son who takes his inheritance and leaves home to waste it on foolish living.
The second third is about the father and his joyous reaction to his repentant son.
The final third is about the older son who’s angry about his father’s warm, celebratory reaction and complains about slaving for him for years; this act closes with the father’s response to the older son.

The younger son is an obvious type of carnal license. He disregards his father’s will and indulges in sinful excess, which fails to bring him happiness. He ends up destitute and even “starving to death” (verse 17), which illustrates that “the wages of sin is death.”

The good news is that this prodigal son ultimately realizes his error and repents. He genuinely humbles himself and goes back to his father. This shows that—while he was guilty of licentiousness—he wasn’t so stubborn and stupid that he would rather die than give up his folly. In other words, he wasn’t a dyed-in-the-wool libertine even though he functioned in that capacity for a season.

The father represents Father God, of course, and we observe his grace flowing to the humble. Indeed, the father literally runs to his repentant son, hugs him, kisses him and gives him the best apparel to don. He then throws a big party with loud music and joyous dancing. Surely “God gives his grace to the humble” (James 4:6 & 1 Peter 5:5)! This is how our heavenly Father reacts when one of his children comes back to him after a season of folly.

But the older son doesn’t share his father’s joy (verses 25-30). Why? Because he’s a legalist and this is a common trait of the disease of legalism. In fact, he gets angry! Can you believe it? His only brother has been missing for years* and when he finally has the sense to return he gets mad about it? This is absurd, but that’s what legalism does to people. It’s like when the Pharisees got angry at Jesus’ mere intention of healing a man’s shriveled hand on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6). Can you imagine being so clueless and deceived to the point of opposing a miraculous healing of God? No wonder Christ shot them a look of anger—he was righteously incensed by their stubbornness and idiocy.

* Verse 29 implies that he was gone for years.

Another indication of the older son’s legalism can be seen in his works-orientation rather than relationship-orientation. He was so focused on toiling in the fields that the celebration started without him, which indicates that the partyers didn’t even invite him! He evidently wasn’t known for being a fun guy; hardcore legalists never are. When he finally discovers that his brother had returned he explodes and complains that he’s been “slaving” for his father for years.

We know that the older brother didn’t have a close relationship with his father for three reasons:

The father didn’t even bother to send word to him that his brother had returned and there was going to be a big celebration.
The simple fact that the older brother didn’t share his father’s love and enthusiasm for his younger brother, which indicates that he didn’t spend quality time with his dad because you can only become like others if you actually spend time with them. It’s the law of association (Proverbs 13:20). Simply put, he didn’t have a real relationship with his father because he didn’t have the heart of his father, not even a little bit. This is reminiscent of the Pharisees whom Christ said did not have the love of the Father in their hearts (John 5:42). “God is love,” the Scriptures teach, and those who spend time with him will have the same heart of love, which includes tough love when appropriate.
The older brother complained that his father never gave him and his friends the means to throw a party to which his dad replies, “Everything I have is yours.” In other words, he didn’t know his pop enough to know that everything he had was already his! The father was essentially saying that the older son could have thrown a party anytime he wanted to, but he didn’t because he didn’t know his father and therefore didn’t realize what was his. He was too focused on slaving for him in an effort to please him. He didn’t have the attitude that he was a part of the family—the sole remaining heir—and that everything his dad owned was essentially his. He had the mentality of a slave and slaves are property, not family members and heirs. The fact that everything of the father was still his reveals that the older son does not represent a dyed-in-the-wool legalist, like the Pharisees, but rather a Christian legalist—saved (on the “mountain” of God), but faulty because he’s hanging out on the right side of the mountain.

As you can see, neither son had the heart of their father. Both veered to opposite extremes, which are equally wrong. The younger son gave himself over to lawlessness for many years but, thankfully, had the sense to realize his error and repent. The older brother, on the other hand, gave himself over to legalism. He put on the airs of obedience, but he never knew the father and therefore didn’t have his heart of love, freedom and joy.

Both lawlessness and legalism are extremes that must be avoided in favor of knowing the Father, which is the key to spirituality. Spirituality—in turn—is the key to godliness and true freedom.

This article was edited from Chapter 11 of…

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Does God Have a FEMININE Side?

This is one of those “controversial” questions where honestly answering it is sure to offend someone.

The creation account states:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

There are a few things I’d like to point out about this passage: “man” in the Hebrew is adam, which is how Adam got his name. Secondly, “man” in the generic sense refers to humankind in general, both male and female. And, thirdly, “man” — male and female — was created in the image of God. With this understanding, the feminine nature originated with God.

Of course God has a “feminine” side in that Scripture gives evidence of his softer traits (feminine), as well as his sterner side (masculine). Some good examples include Psalm 103:8, 1 John 4:8 and Matthew 11:28-30.

Also consider this verse:

As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.

Psalm 123:2

The LORD is compared with both a master (male) and a mistress (female). And the Creator has no problem including such a passage in the God-breathed Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Think about that.

Yet when it comes to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which one especially suggests the feminine nature? (Please understand that this is not a question of sexuality, but of nature). Obviously not the Father or Son because, after all, they’re the Father and Son — both clearly masculine.

I would offer that the Holy Spirit generally reflects the feminine nature. For instance the symbol for the Holy Spirit is a dove, which suggests gentleness and harmlessness (Luke 3:22). Also, the Holy Spirit is referred to as a “Helper” of believers in John 14:16, 26 (also translated as “Comforter” and “Counselor”). One of Eve’s main purposes was to be Adam’s “helper” (Genesis 2:18, 20). In addition, the Holy Spirit is shown to be sensitive — easily grieved — in Ephesians 4:30 and Hebrews 10:29.

The most glaring evidence of the Holy Spirit’s feminine nature can be observed in John 3:6 where the Messiah pointed out that “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” Christ was comparing human birth with spiritual regeneration. Just as a woman gives birth to a child (“flesh gives birth to flesh”) so the Holy Spirit gives rebirth to a person’s spirit when he or she turns to God. Giving birth clearly bespeaks of the feminine nature.

By contrast, in 1 Peter 1:23 believers are said to be “born again” of the imperishable seed of the living Word of God, who is Jesus Christ. This is also conveyed in 1 John 3:9 where “Seed” in the Greek is sperma, the Greek word for sperm. You see, believers are born-again of the sperm of Christ, but given spiritual rebirth by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Furthermore, this may spur chuckles, but when the Messiah said, “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32), I can’t help but think of the way men get irate when someone says something insulting about their Momma.

In regards to being sure not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30 & Hebrews 10:29), I can’t help but think of the saying: “If Momma ain’t happy, no one’s happy.”

It is true that the Holy Spirit is referred to by the pronoun “he” in Scripture (e.g. John 16:13) and Mary was inseminated by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-20), but that seed was the seed of the Word of God, which is Jesus Christ; and the thrust of Scripture points to the Holy Spirit’s feminine nature, as detailed above. Besides, God transcends quaint masculine and feminine associations and there is neither male nor female in Christ (Galatians 3:28). Also, Jesus is the wisdom of God, as seen in 1 Corinthians 1:30, but wisdom is personified as a woman in Proverbs 8-9 and referred to with a feminine pronoun (e.g. Matthew 11:19).

This brief article is not meant to be the all-and-end-all on the topic, but merely food for thought from the Scriptures to provoke further study.

Women of the Bible / Women in Ministry

Bible—Is it Full of Contradictions? Does it Promote Slavery, Tyranny and Discrimination?

God’s Name — YHWH (Yahweh), the Tetragrammaton

Created in the Image of God — What Does it Mean?

What is Oneness theology—aka “Jesus Only”—and is it Biblical?

Is the Holy Spirit God or a Divine Force?