Where are the fathers of those rioting in the streets?
Who are the fathers who sired aborted babies?
Why do fathers desert their children?
How does the world describe a father?
When will fathers come to understand who they are?
Is the father’s relationship with his child essential?
What is a father?

These are questions difficult to answer by common man ~ by common, I mean those who do not know God as their heavenly Father.

 “There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.” Proverbs 30:11

The ordinary understanding of the word “father” is of one who sires a child by progeneration.

“The begetting of offspring; procreation, reproduction.” Lexico

Without a Biblical worldview, we cannot get past this definition to understand the true purpose of a father and his relationship with his offspring.

We must search the Scriptures to discover what it truly means to be a father.

In this fourth chapter of The Essentiality of God, we hope to show how God is our heavenly Father and His example for His people. We will consider the difference in a father as the world portrays it and how God, our heavenly Father reveals the true example.

“Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.” Isaiah 43:27

In Isaiah, we have this statement from the LORD of the first man’s disobedience to Him.

God, who created Adam, was his father and since then because of his sin, men do not know who they are. He was the representative of fallen men and in him we see the propensity, the proneness to sin and disobedience. Man continues to live outside the parameters of His boundaries, doing whatever comes naturally without considering the consequences.

We have only a few references in the Old Testament relating to God as father.

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” Psalm 68:5

“He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.” Psalm 89:26

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

“But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8

“For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” Proverbs 3:12

“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” Psalm 27:10

  New Testament references to our heavenly Father

“Our Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
“Not a sparrow falls on the ground without our Father.” Matthew 10:29
“There is but one God, the Father.” 1 Corinthians 8:6
“The Father gives the Comforter.” John 14:16
“He is the Father of mercies.” 2 Corinthians 1:3
“He is the Father of glory,” Ephesians 1:17
“He is the Father of spirits.” Hebrews 12:9
“He is the Father of lights.” James 1:17

  The relationship between the Father and Jesus, His Son.

“The Father reveals the Son.” Matthew 16:17
“No man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” Luke 10:22
“The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.” John 1:18
“The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.” John 3:35
“The Father has life in himself; and gives life to the Son.” John 5:26
The works which the Father hath given the Son are the witness that the Father sent Him.” John 5:36
“I am come in my Father‘s name” John 5:43
Jesus said, ‘I must be about my Father‘s business?” Luke 2:49
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me” John 6:37
“No man can come to Jesus except the Father draw him.” John 6:
“my Father hath taught me. John 8:28
“my Father honoureth me John 8:54

“Therefore doth my Father love me,
because I lay down my life,
that I might take it again.”
John 10:17

“I and my Father are one.” John 10:30
“the Father is in me, and I in him.” John 10:38
“if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” John 12:26
“Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”John 14:6
“he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” John 14:9
“The Father is glorified in the Son” John 14:13
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” John 15:1
“the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, testifies of the Son:” John 15:26
“I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” John 16:32z
“The Father, keeps those He has given to the Son that we may be as one, as they are.” John 17:11
“I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” John 20:17
“as our Father sent Him, even so He sends us.” John 20:21
“the seasons, the Father has put in Jesus’ power.” Acts 1:7
“Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father.” Romans 6:4
“He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:31
“For through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Ephesians 2:18
“His disciples waited for the promise of the Father,” Acts 1:4
“the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world”. 1 John 4:14
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7
“Those who overcome will rule with Him as He is “set down with his Father in his throne.” Revelation 3:21
“The Son shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels;”   Matthew 16:27
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24

The Father’s relationship to us as His children.

“Behold, what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God.”
1 John 3:1

“We are children of our Father which is in heaven:”  Matthew 5:45
“He is a Father to us and we are His sons and daughters.” 2 Corinthians 6:18
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6
“We pray to the Father which is in secret.”  Matthew 6:6
“Our Father knows what we need before we ask him.” Matthew 6:8
We are to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” Matthew 6:9
“We forgive as our heavenly Father forgives us.  Matthew 6:14
“We are to be merciful even as our Father is merciful”. Luke 6:36
“Those who enter into the kingdom of heaven are those who do the will of the Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
“ Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Galatians 1:3

“Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

“And call no man your father upon the earth:
for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”
Matthew 23:9

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ:”
Ephesians 1:3

“It is our Father‘s good pleasure to give us the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
“The Father gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.” Luke 11:13
“having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:33
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15
“True worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth:”John 4:23
“With one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:6
“The Father is glorified when we bear much fruit.” John 15:8
“he that acknowledges the Son hath the Father also.” 1 John 2:23
“We are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ Jude 1:1
“our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3
“We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 2:1
“He has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.” Revelation 1:6

O, Father in heaven, it is all so wonderful to share what you give us as your children ~ that we may know you, and our Lord and Savior whom you sent to bring us to yourself by the power of your Holy Spirit. That we may call you Abba, Father as we know your love for us is more than we can understand. Continue to overwhelm us with the greatness of your redeeming love. Keep us humble so you can reveal yourself in us as your children. Bring others to yourself through us. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Fran

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