To be sure, our perception of masculine and feminine do affect, and are affected by, our perception of God. When Paul wrote and spoke about the downward trend in human cultures, he directly linked cultural identity problems, sexual problems, personality problems, ethical problems, religious problems, and family problems to abandoning a valid concept of God (see Romans 1:18-32, Acts 17:16, 22-31). Cause and effect in these things are difficult for us to pinpoint. What comes first, abandoning the truth about God, or abandoning the truth about ourselves? Basically these things are inextricably bound together, they go hand in hand, each a cause and each an effect. A valid rudimentary understanding of God, his love, his power, his authority, his eternity, etc. is a necessary component to really understanding ourselves and keeping ourselves in order. Our perception of God certainly affects ourselves, and our culture, and our culture certainly influences our perception of God. This is where the timeless truth of scripture -- the Bible -- is such an important key to knowing God, and knowing ourselves. The enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23) trancends culture in its revelation of God, and it depiction of mankind. It is a mistake (commonly made) to superimpose our own cultural values (including relativism) on that revelation, or to suppose that it is cuturally limited in the truth it reveals.
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