Silly Question

[Flipper]

Is God a human being?

I mean, I know Jesus was a human when He walked the Earth, but is He a Human in Heaven? Is God a Human? The Holy Spirit?

[AngCath]

God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are incorporeal (without body), but God the Son took flesh, was, and IS fully God and fully human.

[Flipper]

Ok, I get that.

Would you describe God as a gentleman? Or, is that putting too much personification in God?

[BigNorsk]

I don't know that one can characterize God that way, as a gentleman, there is so many things that can mean. To one person a gentleman is someone who uses his knife and fork a certain way, to someone else it means someone who will go out and shoot at another guy to "settle" a disagreement. It's just a tough word to pin down.

But I would point out that even from the cross, Jesus was concerned for others, for instance he directed that his mother be taken care of, so if we basically see a gentleman as someone who acts out of concern for others, then I think it very much fits.

Marv

[KagomeShuko]

Currently is God a human? No, God's a spirit - without body. . .

I think we run into a lot of problems when we start trying to explain God! God can be all kinds of things, yet always loving and caring admidst whatever we might need.

I don't think we can truly place one description of God because of that! Sure, a person can think of God as a gentleman if they so like. . .if it helps them. . .

I still call God Father as it is traditional and it's what I like, but I also realize that God has female and male attributes. There are so many descriptions of God in the Bible and God appeared as a pillar of smoke, a pillar of fire, spoke out of a whirlwind, is like a mother hen. . .

Then, yes, Jesus came to earth as fully human and fully God. . .but that could only happen because God is spirit. God didn't just leave heaven to not be there (though God is everywhere). Boggles the mind, doesn't it? Yet, it makes me feel comfortable to know that God is so much bigger than all of this, so much wiser than us - that God's foolishness is wiser than our wisdom.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[Jim47]

I guess you need to describe what aspect of gentleman you asking about.

God's love is agape love, meaning He loves without asking anything in return. We are incapable of that and don't fully understand it. God has no gender but is always refered to as He.

When God created man and woman, He created them in His image, but what that meant was not physical charactoristics, but being perfect as He was. Adam and Eve were the only ome to really have a choice to oebey God. We are born as sinful human beings and have never had the same choice as they did. By sinful nature our only inclination is to disobey God and hate Him, but thanks to The Holy Spirit we can believe and strive to obey, although we will always fall short of that, for even our motives for obeying are sinful, such as what is in it for me, what can I get out of it and how will I be rewarded.

Maybe thats not what you were looking for? ;)

[Flipper]

I guess you need to describe what aspect of gentleman you asking about.

God's love is agape love, meaning He loves without asking anything in return. We are incapable of that and don't fully understand it. God has no gender but is always refered to as He.

When God created man and woman, He created them in His image, but what that meant was not physical charactoristics, but being perfect as He was. Adam and Eve were the only ome to really have a choice to oebey God. We are born as sinful human beings and have never had the same choice as they did. By sinful nature our only inclination is to disobey God and hate Him, but thanks to The Holy Spirit we can believe and strive to obey, although we will always fall short of that, for even our motives for obeying are sinful, such as what is in it for me, what can I get out of it and how will I be rewarded.

Maybe thats not what you were looking for? ;)


Actually, that's the closest to what I'm looking for. Thanks!

On another thread, I was accused of not believing in God or the Trinity because I disagreed that God was a gentleman, in a human sense, and I disagreed that He is a human now. I said that I don't worship people, I worship God.

[seajoy]

On another thread, I was accused of not believing in God or the Trinity because I disagreed that God was a gentleman, in a human sense, and I disagreed that He is a human now. I said that I don't worship people, I worship God.
amazing how folks can see right into your heart, huh flipper :doh: :confused:

[Studeclunker]

Actually, Flipper I think you had it pretty straight.
But what is a Gentleman? As I was raised, a Gentleman was a person of impeccable manners and behaviour. They were always concerned for the welfare of others with whom they came into contact and lived with. The manners are not to be superior, but to ensure that others were not offended or slighted in any way. A sign of respect. The same with behaviour.

Referring to God as a Gentleman would be a very inadequate description. He is the ultimate benevolent Sovereign. I use the term benevolent because of how he behaves toward us through the prophets and as Jesus. His mercy, grace, and desire for reconcilliation. I use the term Sovereign, because of his position of creator, king and God. All sovereigns, leaders, or heads of state here on earth, are subject to him. Whether they recognize this fact or not. A gentleman is subject to a Sovereign. Hence, God can't be a gentleman. Jesus could be described as a Gentleman. He was a man. He also displayed concern for others, stood up for what was right no matter what the consequences. Jesus laid down his life for his friends, the ultimate sacrafice. So, yes, I would describe Jesus as the ultimate Gentleman. Yet, Jesus is subject to God. Thus Jesus is a Gentleman and God is the Sovereign.

Does any of that make sense?:confused: Or does it sound like sophistry?:scratch:

[Flipper]

I think it makes sense.

It's the personification of God that kind of gets me. We don't know what God looks like. We have a pretty good idea what He is capable of, but is it everything He's capable of? Except for calling God a "He" for the sake of proper grammar and easier speaking, I have a hard time using "people" terms to describe Him. He is happy and sad and loving and angry, but not in the same way we are, kwim? A huge example of that would be agape love which was discussed earlier.

We can and do personify Jesus, and that's fine. He lived with us as another human being.

The subject was contraception and in response to my take on it (sharing the story of my friends who lost their two sons to a congenital condition, and their decision to not have any more children), I was told:

God is a gentleman, He won't force His miracles on anyone.

[AngCath]

Is God a "gentleman"?

I immediately thought of this verse: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus"

[Edial]

Some verses concerning this ...

It's the personification of God that kind of gets me. We don't know what God looks like.
We do have some glimpses ...

His appearance ...

REV 4:2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

We see a reference to a right hand ...

REV 5:6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits n of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

A reference to a face ...

REV 6:15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

We'll see His face in the future ...
There will be no night in heaven, since light would eminante from his face. (Where light would eminate from is not really clear. I think it would be from His face).

REV 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

White clothing and hair white like wool ...

DA 7:9 "As I looked,
"thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow;
the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
DA 7:10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books were opened.

Yet He is not a man :)

NU 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.


We have a pretty good idea what He is capable of, but is it everything He's capable of?
Some things he cannot do ...

Cannot change his Being (not be God, not be eternal, not be Love, not be Truth ...)
JAS 1:16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Except for calling God a "He" for the sake of proper grammar and easier speaking, ....
Calling God "He" is more to it than proper grammar.
There is something about HE and SHE that are very different outside of physical attributes.

Also, "She" came from "He" as Eve came from Adam.

We know God is He because he was always called that way by Christ and called Father.

However, God also expresses some SHE qualities, but not as a part of his Being.
Christ for example associated his behavior to that of a mother that gathers her children.

MT 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.

But in the very nature of it, SHE and HE are different.

I have a hard time using "people" terms to describe Him.
He is happy and sad and loving and angry, but not in the same way we are, kwim? A huge example of that would be agape love which was discussed earlier.
I agree with you.
It is not right using "people" terms describing God.
We could use some "people" qualities as you listed, since we gave them to us as his image.

God is a different Being than a man.


We can and do personify Jesus, and that's fine. He lived with us as another human being.

I very much agree with you.

Thanks,:)
Ed

[Studeclunker]

How about this; John 14:8-9

Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Phillip? He who has seen me, has seen the Father; so how can you say, "Show us the Father?"

So, in regards to the original question, I would say; look to the descriptions of Jesus and draw your own conclusions. Personally, I'd say that Jesus was the ultimate gentleman.:clap:

[Edial]

How about this; John 14:8-9

Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Phillip? He who has seen me, has seen the Father; so how can you say, "Show us the Father?"

So, in regards to the original question, I would say; look to the descriptions of Jesus and draw your own conclusions. Personally, I'd say that Jesus was the ultimate gentleman.:clap:
I agree. :)

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

How about this; John 14:8-9

Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Phillip? He who has seen me, has seen the Father; so how can you say, "Show us the Father?"

So, in regards to the original question, I would say; look to the descriptions of Jesus and draw your own conclusions. Personally, I'd say that Jesus was the ultimate gentleman.:clap:


Yes, absolutely.

A. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one person, without change, confusion, seperation, or division. It was a human body that was raised and glorified from the tomb, and a human body that sits now in heaven.

B. Jesus Christ was the ultimate gentleman, because he held the door open for us to paradise in taking our place on the cross.

Gosh I really, really wish I could have known him during his earthly ministry. Just to sit around the courtyard in Capernaum and talk with him, or to grab his wrist to help pull him into a cart or boat, or to walk beside him as we round to down Perea on the eastern shore of the Jordan to avoid Samaritan territory while we make our way to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage feast.

And did he feel distraught when his own family chased him out of Nazareth? Was he ever frustraited after arguments with the Pharisees? I don't see these as sins, but as natural and righteous reactions to the sin of disunity in his family, or Pharisaic pride- just like his reaction to the sin corrupting the Jerusalem temple that reacted in his cleansing action. Would I have any words to comfort him?

The human Jesus of Nazareth is such a fascinating character for me (not to deny his divinity or singular personhood). It's one thing that's amazing for me about the real presence in the Eucharist- to experience physical intimacy with my Lord!