In Greek Mythology where the forces are personified as gods, Hermaphroditus was the son of Aphrodite and Hermes. Basically, some nymph loved him and latched onto him begging the gods to forever unite them and they did, making their bodies permanently united and indistinguishable. So, the word hermaphrodite identifies someone with both male and female traits thus androgy nous or male and female traits so united as to be indistinguishable as either male or female.
As a bible believer we ask questions like why did God create male and female (or mother & father) and separate them in the first place? From a close study of this from scripture we see the male embodying particular dominant traits and the female embodying particular dominant traits by His design. When this contrast is followed into the soul and spirit, a distinction which the scriptures strictly divide, we see these traits also within both male and female. The pursuit of this mystery will bring the Christian into a great understanding. It will involve engaging the intricately balanced dance, the cunningly subtile tapestry woven between God’s mercy and truth, his goodness and severity, his beauty and strength, his law and grace, his nurture and admonition, his righteousness and peace kissing each other (Ps.85:10). The zenith of this operation of God is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ- in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Practical wisdom is finding the balance between these in each situation (Ecc.3:1-10, 1:13, 8:5-6). We will look more closely into the redemption in Christ as well.
Once you recognize the distinct difference between these contrasting traits or characteristics in God you will enter into a greater understanding of his operation. The goal is to bring these distinctives into a balance which recognizes a separation between them and does not seek to stipulate one in terms of the other (social justice) or make them the same thing (e.g. socialism- forced charity).
As a contrast, consider the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16. In the story, the ‘capitalist’ owner of the vineyard who represents the Lord Jesus, is hiring day laborers to reap the harvest, and time is a critical factor. He agrees (will mutually joining will- equity) with the workers to a just wage for the day's work. Each hour he hires more workers to get the job completed before the day’s end, and each time they agree for a just wage. Now the contrast between charity and justice. At the end of the day the master pays them all equally a day’s wage. The ones who worked the entire day get envious at the ones who only worked an hour and their envy cannot be contained as it is confused as a form of justice in their thinking. They accusingly murmur against the Lord saying “These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.” To which the goodman of the house replied “Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way”. He reminds them of their contract- they agreed upon the wage- thus it is a just wage. Then concerning his addition to the just wage is his charity towards the latter workers. Perhaps they were looking for work elsewhere and found none but were willing to labor and still looking even to the end of the day. Whatever moved the Lord’s compassion for them (which is no one else's business) he paid them equally, saying “I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.” And putting the final nail into the coffin of their contempt he asks rhetorically “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” He is obligated by his justice to be lawful (male) and pay what they covenanted; he is merciful by his choice because he is good (female) and made them equal.
No doubt those with an evil eye today will read this and find fault with the Lord. But he pointed out to them that he has the right to be charitable with his own property to whomever he wills. He is not compelled by someone’s skewed conception of justice mingled with envy and resentment. This hybrid mutant conception of justice is ‘social justice’. It is compulsory charity driven by lust and pride not justice (equal access to God given rights, e.g. life, liberty, property, and laws protecting them). What was just was what they agreed upon contractually- to agree is to see eye to eye. They did when he hired them. He remained faithful to the agreement. They wanted more; they coveted the charity the latter workers graciously received. Coveting and envy are vices not virtues. Those arraying themselves in these garments spotted by the flesh are blind.
For a man to know the ways of the LORD he will need to understand equal and just weights and measures. Presenting things as they are, not deceitfully. Conforming to objective standards, rendering equivalent dues. But charity and mercy arise from a different source than justice and righteousness. The goodman in the vineyard story dealt with all of the workers justly, but in addition to justice he added mercy to the latter workers. To conflate the two sources into one amalgamation is to hybridize the revelation of God’s nature, it is confusion.
Mercy and love are embodied in the female because God wanted to beautify them in meekness. But righteousness and justice require more strength, courage and a disregard to pity. The male should exhibit these traits predominantly. The balance is represented in a monogamous heterosexual marriage designed by God in the beginning (Mt.19:3-9, Mk.10:2-12, Gen.2:18-25). Not the beginning of Western Patriarchal culture, "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." (Mk.10:6). It is stamped into us biologically (see here- language warning). So then, this is not a racial or social construct question- it is a religious question. Those who frame their rejection in racial terms are seeking to cloke their antichrist motives and intents. Logic, science and hard work, according to these Socialist types (who merely cower from such principles), are racist and “whiteness” (no, really! see here & here). (Also see the Smithsonian Institution champing at the bit to virtue signal here.)
Let me give you an example; consider the Marxist, Black Lives Matter organization. They affirm their beliefs in disrupting “the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure”. They “foster a queer‐affirming network” which disregards biblical norms and standards of God’s revelation, such that they “do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege”, “freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking”. The organization seeks to “make space for transgender brothers and sisters to participate and lead”. Obviously, we are in a free country and you can organize yourself to do these things if you so desire. But the Marxist B.L.M. organization is not so much for black lives mattering as they are against biblical Christianity. That much is clear.
Let me give you another example of hatred for biblical Christianity under the guise of resisting the ‘patriarchy’. Consider Paul’s prediction concerning the time “when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers...” (2 Tim.4:3). One facet of healthy or sound doctrine is described in the next epistle to Titus chapter 2 where he exhorts Titus- “speak thou the things which become sound doctrine”. (v1) Among which he lists “the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (v4-5) Today the word of God is blasphemed because of these things for our culture cannot endure sound doctrine.
We could continue, but for brevity let me say that the reason they cannot endure these things is because they are not balanced in their own soul and spirit. A biblical study of these parts of our being will reveal that the soul which is feminine and the spirit which is masculine must be balanced upon each situation we encounter to bring us into maturity (Heb.5:14, 4:12). Even children are more balanced and successful when raised in a monogamous heterosexual house. (27:30 mark here; see Barack Obama here also starting about the 50 min mark- also former VP Biden here) This is consistent with the biological fact that a male and female are necessary to conceive a child.
We should look at each situation we encounter regarding what level of justice versus mercy should be applied. (Jam.2:13, Prv.19:18, Lk.17:3) God’s mercy is clearly distinguished from his justice in that he cannot contradict himself (Tit.1:2, Heb.6:18 and therefore is the foundation of logical and mathematical laws)
When we speak of the forgiveness and justice of God, the bible is clear about God’s nature; God is love (1 Jn.4:8, 16) and God is just (Dt.32:4, Isa.45:21). And God cannot change (Mal.3:6) because he inhabits eternity (Isa.57:15, Psa.90:2) and change involves time. Moreover, mercy rejoiceth against judgment (Jam.2:13) and so God cannot judge us and forgive us simultaneously (distinctions that cannot be conflated). For he "will not at all acquit the wicked" (Nah.1:3) and "cannot deny himself" (2 Tim.2:13). And so God prescribes- Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.(Rom.3:24-6). At the crucifixion of Christ- the physical image of God- the Word made flesh, God brings his justice and love together like a man and woman in marriage and new life emerges- resurrection in figure (Jn.3:3-8).
I ran across this relevant discussion (from a non-biblical angle) which may interest you: Jordan Peterson - "Masculinity is not toxic"
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