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[Newbie]

I'm confused after today's sermon. Our pastor said that God has no gender. That doesn't make sense to me. God has no gender? What happened to man being created in his image? Also people say "...when we get to heaven and meet God face to face." We'll see God's FACE, right? God has a face. He has a body, right? I just never heard that God is neither male or female, and that he doesn't have a body. Can you help me understand?

[jimwalton]

Your pastor was right, of course. God has no gender. He’s not male or female. When Genesis says we are created in his image, that doesn't mean in body image. If that were the case—that we were in his image because we had a body like his—then men would be created in his image, and women not. So THAT can't be true, because Gen. 1.26-27 says that he created male and female in his image. We know, then, that it's not talking about our bodies when it says we're created in his image.

Being in the image of God pertains more to our role on the earth, and the function we are given by God to fulfill, not our material bodies. Genesis 1.26-31 explains that humans, male and female—humanity as a species—are in the image of God, and that means we have dominion over the earth, to rule and subdue it, to care for it as God’s representatives on earth. Psalm 8.5-8 expresses the same thoughts. God’s image isn’t our bodies, but that we are spiritually, intellectually, and morally like God.

Jn. 4.24 tells us that God is spirit. He doesn’t have a body. He is not composed of matter, and he doesn’t possess a physical nature. You can also look at Jn. 1.18 and 1 Tim. 1.17; 6.15-16, which talk about God being invisible (also look at Duet. 4.15-19; Rom. 1.20; Col. 1.15). God is completely independent of matter (Lk. 24.39). Every mention of a body part for God is what's called an "anthropomorphism", meaning that we give God human body characteristics to help us understand him, and to express the things he does. But he has no eyes watching us; he has no hands protecting us. Those are more like metaphors or analogies to help us understand. God isn't a boy or girl—He's a spirit. When the Ten Commandments tells us not to make an image of him, there are several reasons for that, but at least one of them is: He has no form to make a sculpture from.

There are times when God appeared temporarily in physical form. He’s capable of that, and, since He’s God, He’s allowed to do it. : )

You may ask, “But I thought I was going to see God face to face!” That expression in particular is in 1 Cor. 13.12. It’s an expression of the fulness of knowledge we will have, not that God has eyes we’ll look into. It means our understanding will be complete. Our faith will become sight, meaning that our assumptions of truth based on evidence will be confirmed.

But to say that God has no body is not also to say that he has no substance. He’s not just a nothing. The idea behind his Spirit-ness is that He is not confined to time and space (Acts 17.24), not that He’s a big nothing who really isn’t there. He is certainly not a part of our flesh-and-blood world, but He is still not an “it”. He is a “He”, meaning that He is a being. He has substance, but it’s not a physical body. It’s never as if He’s a “force who is there.” Descriptions of Him, particularly in Revelation, always give substance to His Spirit-ness.

Ask more if you need to.

[Newbie]

So what image are we created in? Is Jesus God's earthly form, even though he is his son? Are they one? Also, why do we always hear that we will sit on the right hand of God?

[jimwalton]

I’ll deal with your questions in order. Thanks for asking.

“What image are we created in?” Genesis 1.26-27 tells us we’re made in God’s image. Through the centuries there have been lots of theories about what is meant by “image,” but our best understanding comes from the text itself, not from people’s imaginations. We know “image” doesn’t mean our bodies, because it’s not talking about that at all. The text really doesn’t talk about human bodies until chapter 2. When it says God made “man” in his image, he’s talking about humans as a species, male and female included together. Then the text explains (Gn. 1.26, 28) that our being in his image means that he gives humans a God-like role on the earth: to partner with God in exercising responsible care (“rule”) over the earth.

“Is Jesus God’s earthly form, even though he is his son?” Yes, that’s a good way to say it. John 1.1 lets us know that Jesus is God, and verse 14 tells us that God took on a body to live here with us for a short time. Philippians 2.6-7 says the same thing.

“Are they one?” Absolutely. John 1.1 and John 10.30 say it very clearly, but there are other texts too. God and Jesus are one. Jesus is God.

“Why do we always hear that we will sit on the right hand of God?” The Bible says that Jesus will sit at the right hand of God (Ps. 110.1; Mt. 26.64). Since God doesn’t have a literal right hand, it’s a way of expressing that Jesus is equal in power, authority, and status as God, that the two co-reign as One. So “right hand” signifies he’s close, and it’s a metaphor of a relationship of particular privilege and even a legal heir. It’s language that talks about a place of honor. But there is no verse that talks about believers sitting at the right hand of God. That’s Jesus’ place. Now, in Mark 10.37-40, James and John ask to be granted the privilege of sitting on the left and right of Jesus in heaven. Jesus mentioned that there are individuals who will have a place of honor.

Does this help? Feel free to ask more questions.