Actually, this series is from Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), but I have expanded some texts for modern readers (to make it easier to read) and added Scripture quotes (I’m using ESV Bible) into these writings to clarify its points more clearly. My purpose of making this series available in the internet is single: So that you can be clear the essential facts about the Bible’s teaching in a readily understandable form.
First, What Does it mean by calling God “Father”?
Dr. James I. Packer writes, “What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father” Amen to that! Father of every person? No! Father for the children of God. Who are the children of God? Galatians 3:26 answer, “[For] in Christ Jesus you are all the sons of God, through faith”. Only the Christian called their God – Father – through faith in the Son, Jesus our Lord.
The Fatherhood of God is established…
By Creation – of All Things
Although the Bible never designates God directly as ‘Father of all creation,’ nevertheless His creativity is frequently linked with His character as Father. The universe is under His care and fatherly authority.
In the Scriptures, God is portrayed as Father of mankind only in a general sense – because He created us (Acts 17:24-29). The close and intimate relationship that could exist between God and the individual believer was not fully revealed until it was taught and made possible by Jesus Christ. Only through unity in Christ, there is “One God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:6) God is the Father of all people, but only in a very limited sense. This is because of the universal rebellion against God’s authority that has characterized the human race throughout history.
By Covenant – of Israel
In the Old Testament, God initiated a solemn agreement with Israel, by which He would be their God (Exodus 4:22), and the people of Israel would be His people, and would submit to His rule and authority (If you read the book of Exodus especially, you will find that over and over again God declared that He is the God of Israel).
It was in this national sense that God became the Father of Israel, giving to His people guidance, protection – and discipline on the many occasions when He was disobeyed. Oh, you should read how rebellious Israel was (and is) toward God! But nevertheless, God is still the God of Israel. [Don’t curse Israel for their rebellious; instead, praise God for His mercy and never-ending love toward this nation! I’m amaze].
By Adoption – of Christian Believers
It was Jesus Christ who revealed the fatherhood of God towards believers in an intimate sense unknown in any other faith. He taught His followers to speak to God as their heavenly Father.
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| The LORD is like a father to his children |
As the New Testament teaching develops, we learn that salvation includes, first, giving the new believer forgiveness and the right to stand before God. But secondly, we are adopted into the circle of God’s family, with all the privileges that follow. Thirdly, and better still, we are given the spirit of Sonship, and a change of heart that encourages us to speak God as a child would to his or her own father. We “have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15. Read Romans 8:14-17 and Galatians 4:4-6 to know more about this Father-Children relationship).
Such a relationship knows no human parallel. Those who have entered into such a relationship can truly be said to have been born of God. They are His children.
From Eternity – of Jesus Christ
It is true that Jesus addressed God in His prayers as “Father”, but He never joined in prayer with His friends, nor spoke to them about “our” Father. The exception was the Lord’s Prayer, but even then it was made clear that the prayer as for them to pray, not Himself. [Read the context of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:1-4. One of His disciples was asking Jesus how to pray, so He teaches them how to pray].
Evidently, Jesus was God’s Son in a way that the disciples were not (we are not!). It is in the Gospel of John that the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son is most clearly seen. For example, He once prayed:
“And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5; see also 17:24)
My Conclusion about the Fatherhood of God
Generally, God is the Father of all men as their Creator. All people are called the offspring of God. This is simply a creature-Creator relationship. Secondly, God is the Father of the nation Israel. “Israel is my firstborn son” declared God (Exodus 4:22). Charles Caldwell Ryrie, however, remarks that “not all in Israel were redeemed, so this relationship was both spiritual (with believers) and governmental (with all in Israel, whether believers or not).”
Thirdly, in a very special way God is the Father of all who believe in Christ through faith in Jesus Christ by God’s grace. This means, for us, Christians, we are the recipient of God’s fatherly care. We can pray confidently and know that God will give us what we need according to His will. And when we’re under God’s discipline because we are His children and He is our Father – we know that it is for our own good and it is an eternal prove that He loves us.
Lastly, and most importantly, exclusively, God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father declared: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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