Can Christians address God as “God the Mother”? 

Author: BibleAsk Team


A Spirit Being

God is a Spirit and does not possess the physical bodily characteristics of men (John 4:24). As an infinite Being, He is not subject to the same limitations (ex. gender) as finite material beings. 

God the Mother?

There is a sharp difference between viewing the motherly characteristics that the Lord possesses and then expanding it to the extent of calling Him God the Mother. The Lord’s maternal attributes are shown in some places such as Isaiah 46:3-4, Deuteronomy 32:11-12, and Psalm 131:2. However, these maternal attributes can be owned without having to be a female, just as how God has Fatherly attributes without having to be a male. The Creator encompasses all human characteristics but transcends both sexes. 

As the Creator, He is the Father of all men (Acts 17:28, 29), but especially of believers, who have been born of Him (John 1:12, 13; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 3:1, 2), who have been adopted into His family (Romans 8:15), and who are becoming like Him in character (Matthew 5:43–48).   

Masculine Terms 

Even though, the Lord has both male and female characteristics, He still identifies Himself in the Bible in masculine terms as God the Father and never as God the Mother (John 20:17; John 6:41,46; 8:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 John 1:3; Romans 1:7; James 3:9; John 13:3…etc.). Thus, God the Father is a biblical term whereas God the Mother is not.  

Therefore, it is the Christian’s responsibility to worship and address the Lord as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. The apostle Paul wrote, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies…” (2 Corinthians 1:3).

Our Father in Heaven” 

Jesus taught His followers to address the Creator as “Our Father in heaven” (Luke 11:2). The significance Christ tied to the name Father as applied to God is seen in His teachings.  He proclaimed the Almighty as His Father during His life (Luke 2:49) and after His resurrection (John 20:17).   

People may sometimes have difficulty understanding the omnipresence, the omnipotence, and the omniscience of the infinite Creator. But all can understand and appreciate Him as the loving Father, who gave His only Son to live and die to save a race of sinners. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).   

Gender Roles in the Bible  

The question about the gender of God stems from discussions about gender and equality issues in our society. The Scriptures clearly teach that the Lord created both men and woman in His image (Genesis 1:26,27). But they have different and distinct roles. Although they are both equal in the privileges of salvation, the Bible says that the man is the head of the woman. “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3)  

Even though Christ is equal with the Father, He is represented as recognizing the Father as head. The man is to accept Christ as his Lord and Master and the woman, while recognizing the supremacy of Christ as Lord over all, is to accept the man as her head. 

But the dependence of the wife on her husband does not in any way mean a degree of degradation. As the church does not experience dishonor by being dependent on Christ (Ephesians 1:18–23; 3:17–19; 4:13, 15, 16), neither does the woman by being dependent on man.

In His service,
BibleAsk Team 

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