“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 (NKJV)
I once had a lady ask me, “Is God a man or a woman?” It was an honest question. When we discuss who God is in our Basic Bible Truth study, we dive deep into both His character and nature. Scripture makes it clear that He is a Spirit—eternal and infinite, transcending gender and every human limitation.
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent.” Numbers 23:19
God is not male or female in the biological sense. He simply uses human language to describe Himself so that we, limited as we are, can understand something about Him. God stoops down with us and uses simple illustrations so we can understand more of His infinite mind. The Bible often refers to God using masculine pronouns like Father, King, and Shepherd:
“For whom the Lord loves He chastens… God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” Hebrews 12:6-7
“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” Psalms 103:13
However, the Bible makes it clear that He is not confined to dominantly male traits. In fact, the Bible often uses feminine imagery to describe His character and actions.
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” Luke 13:34
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” Isaiah 49:15
These verses reflect God’s nurturing, protective, and compassionate nature. The same God who disciplines and leads with strength also nurtures and shelters with care. Male and female are both reflections of His image, and both are used to help us understand as much as our small human minds can grasp about God.
When we only imagine God in masculine terms, we risk missing the breadth of His heart. When we only imagine Him as maternal, we lose the manifestation of His power. But when we accept that God chose to embed both male and female qualities in humanity, we begin to grasp something deeper:
He is not like us—we are like Him.
Understanding this principle expands our knowledge of God. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father,” and that relationship is deeply intimate. But as we grow in spiritual maturity, we also unravel the mystery: the same God who formed the mountains is also the One who weeps with the brokenhearted; the same God who commands armies is also the One who gathers us close like a mother pulling her child in from the storm.
God’s revelation in Scripture is not limited by gender, but is full of metaphors to help finite minds understand this infinite Being we get to call “Father.” In His wisdom, He gave us both masculine and feminine qualities in humanity, so that together, we might more perfectly understand and reflect His image.
Reflection Thought:
God reveals Himself through language we can understand. His strength, tenderness, justice, mercy, authority, and compassion are all part of His perfect nature. To know Him more fully, we must look beyond gender labels and seek the whole character of the One who created both man and woman in His image.
Final Prayer:
Lord, You are more than I can comprehend, and yet You’ve chosen to make Yourself known. Thank You for revealing Your heart through both strength and tenderness, justice and compassion. Help me to see You more clearly—not just through the lens of my assumptions, but through the fullness of Your Word. Thank You for creating male and female to reflect Your image. Teach me to honor that image in myself and in others, and to worship You in Spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
