A name of God we know well from the New Testament is a name that invokes many diverse emotions in us: Father. Everyone has a father, but we all have very different experiences with our fathers. Many have good relationships and good memories of our father, but many others have not been so blessed. We even talk about “daddy issues” for those who struggle with the effects of their relationship with their father. There are deadbeat dads, absentee fathers, and cold and distant fathers. There are fathers who were abusive physically, emotionally, and/or even sexually.
The media portrays fathers as inept and out of touch. Fathers are the dumbest people in the house. He is the last person to go to for advice or help. Even the youngest child is smarter than dad. We no longer live in the days of “Father Knows Best.”
We also know this is not reality. Many, if not most of us, have had good dads. Not perfect fathers, but men who worked hard to provide for their family, who sought to be there for their kids and to help them—as they thought best—become successful adults. Many of us fathers have messed up greatly, but we do love our families and are trying to do our best for them. But like all of us, we are sinful people who fail quite often, and at the most important jobs we have. This is not an excuse for abusive behavior. Abuse is always wrong! Still, this is the reality. No father is all good or all bad. We are a mixed bag.
Yet, there is a Father who is perfect! A Father who always loves, who is always supportive while at the same time always disciplines in love and fairness. A Father with true wisdom and complete understanding. He is a Father who provides all we need even before we know we need it. A Father who, while allowing and bringing about the consequence of disobedience, does not force us to love or obey Him. Yet, He does expect and deserve it. He is Father God.
There are a few ways we use the term Father. First, all people are called the offspring of God (Acts 17:29); therefore, there is a sense in which God is the Father of all people as their Creator. This is simply a creature-Creator relationship. It is not the true father to child relationship we desire with God or He seeks with us.
While many claim all people are “children of God,” the Bible reveals quite a different truth. Since all are His creations, we are under His authority and lordship, we all will be judged by Him, but the right to be a child of God and call Him “Abba Father” is something only born-again Christians have (John 1:12–13).
In the second use of Father, God is seen as the Father of the nation Israel (Ex 4:22-23; Psalm 89:26; Deut 14:1–2; Isaiah 1:2, 64:8). This is more a relationship of governance for much of Israel. God would look over Israel to lead them. There was a possibility for a deeper personal relationship with God the Father, but most in Israel did not have the faith and commitment for that. In John 8:39-42, look especially at verse 41. The Jewish people saw God as their Father collectively. They did not have an issue with saying “God is our Father”, but to say “my Father” of God was another issue. The Jews dramatically and violently reacted when Jesus called God his own Father (John 5:18).
Third, God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. At His baptism, God proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17). Repeatedly in the Gospels, Jesus refers to God as his Father (Matt 7:11, 12:49–50; Mk 13:32; Lk 2:49; Jn 5:19-29). This was a unique Father-Son relationship. Both Father and Son, along with the Holy Spirit, are members of the Trinity. The Son, in His divine nature, has a subordinate role to the Father, while at the same time being one with Him. The Son is co-equal, co-eternal, and co-substantial with the members of the Trinity. During His earthly ministry, the Son, in His human nature, was totally dependent on His heavenly Father. “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19, ESV)
A commonly known term for father used by Jesus is the Aramaic word “Abba”. Surprisingly, abba is only used three times in the NT. Once by Jesus in Mark 14:36 and twice by Paul (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). Abba is always followed by the word Father in Scripture. In the Mark passage, Jesus addresses His Father as “Abba, Father” in His prayer in Gethsemane. He is asking His Father to “remove this cup.”
The final use of Father is the one that gets at our use of the term. It is used of the relationship we long for. It is also the relationship God seeks with us. A Father-son relationship! “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:26–29, ESV).
Now don’t take “son” as a sexist reference. Take yourself back to the ancient world. The reality in that society was the son was the favored child, especially the oldest son. He would inherit the lion’s share of the estate. He would be a leader in the household, tribe, and clan. Unfortunately, this was not the case for a daughter. So, think what these words would have meant to a first-century Christian woman. She didn’t think it meant she would somehow lose the distinctiveness of her gender, but that she would no longer be considered second-rate because of it. Her relationship with the Father was the same as any male! She would be treated as the elder son by her Father!
The use of “Abba, Father” by Paul is a reference to our relationship with the Father. In Romans 8:15, it is used of God adopting us as His children. He has chosen us! As His adopted children, we can call out “Abba, Father”! In Galatians 4:6, Paul again contrasts our relationship to God—not as a slave but as a son, as an heir! It is as an adopted son, the Spirit in our hearts cries out, “Abba, Father.” “Father” emphasizes the type of relationship we have with God. “Abba” emphasizes the closeness of the relationship. We are assured of God’s care for us in two different languages.
One of the best known uses of the term “Father” is in the Lord’s Prayer, “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matt 6:9, ESV). Jesus taught us to pray to our heavenly Father. This is the relationship Jesus desired that we would have with God. Not the relationship with a sin-broken human but with a perfect heavenly Father. The Father who created us for Himself. Life can be so lonely and isolated. But we know through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of His death and resurrection, we can have a relationship with a Father we will never find anywhere else in the universe.
Until the next time we see you here at CultivatingFaith.org, God Bless! #CultivatingFaithOrg
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