When someone is your father, you typically take on their characteristics, turning into a mini version of them. For example, some poeple may get their sense of humor from their father. With that idea in mind, we should take on the qualities of God if He is our Father.
What does the Bible say about God as our Father?
Several Bible verses explicitly refer to God as our Father. Matthew 23:9 reminds us to call no man father on earth because only one is our Father, who art in heaven. Ephesians 4:6 tells us, “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all,” while 1 John 3:1 reminds us to discuss the love that the Father has given us because we’re called His sons and reminded that the world doesn’t know God.
Galatians 3:26 reminds us that we’re God’s children by faith in Jesus Christ. John 1:12 tells us those who received Him were given the power to become God’s sons, even those that believe in His name. Galatians 4:6 says God sent the spirit of His Son onto our hearts because we are His sons. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us how to pray, specifically in Matthew 6:8.
In that verse, He tells us that our Father knows our needs. He shows us how to pray, starting with “Our Father which art in heaven.” Jesus is referred to as our Father, who knows what we need in previous scriptures. God is the creator of heaven and earth. It’s only fitting to call Him our Father if we belong to Him. There’s a biblical reference to people who don’t belong to God as having the devil as their father.
John 8:44 says they are of their father, the devil, and they will carry out the desires of their father. It also describes the devil as a murderer from the beginning, and he doesn’t live in truth because there’s no truth in him. The verse also says when the devil says a lie, he says it on his own because he’s a liar and the father of lies.
Why is God a loving Father?
Parents love their children, and they’re accountable for their growth. You can still have a relationship with your parents, even in adulthood. Because God is love, He will always be a loving Father. He wants us to have a relationship with Him, and it’s an advantage for us to have a relationship with Him. Psalm 103 talks about God’s mercy. He will forgive all our sins and heal our sickness. Psalm 103:13 states that God will pity people who fear Him as a father pities his children.
Christians should know the benefits we have. Getting mercy and grace from God is an extra benefit. However, God also gives grace to sinners because He’s married to the backslider, as detailed in Jeremiah 3:14. Because we have a relationship with Him as His children, we can go to Him when we need mercy and grace, as we read in Hebrews 4:16.
Why is God a forgiving Father?
We’re human, so it’s natural that we’ll miss the mark, but we thank God for the blood He shed on Calvary. Therefore, we can go to Him and plead the blood of Jesus. The blood helps us obtain God’s forgiveness and covers our sins. God is forgiving and long-suffering toward us, so we should be the same toward others. We want God’s forgiveness and mercy, so asking for forgiveness should be part of our daily walk with Jesus.
Forgiveness is part of who God is, and Mark 2:7 and Daniel 9:9 discuss God’s power to forgive. The Bible states that God’s commandments aren’t grievous. A mature Christian walks in love and forgiveness, so your nature should be loving because that’s God’s nature. If we aren’t loving or at least cordial towards others, we misrepresent Christianity.
How does knowing God as our Father help us overcome problems?
Everyone has different upbringings and situations. For example, some people may have been raised by their grandparents, even though they interacted with their parents while growing up. However, their relationship with their parents likely increased as they got older. While raised by their grandparents, some probably came to know Christ as their Savior, often going to Him and talking to Him.
We love our parents, and God wants us to have a relationship with them. However, a relationship with God the Father is essential. When things aren’t what they seem to be with your birth parents or your birth parents are no longer living, there is a heavenly Father close to you. He’s willing to hear you and desires to be close to you.
God is our heavenly Father who wants the best for us. He is a provider, protector, loving, compassionate, faithful, and merciful. We call God our Father because He’s given us the right to do so. It’s not a statement of arrogance but of confidence. If you’ve received Jesus as your Savior, you can be confident knowing that you’re a child of God. This privilege gives you access to the rights of having God as your Father.
We call God many names and recognize Him in many names. We call him Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. We may also call Him Jehovah Jireh, the God that provides. We might also call him Lord Almighty or the Creator of the earth and heavens. The names that we call Him are endless. However, one name is more endearing than any other name we can call God, and that name is Father.
