160619 The Real Father

 Romans 8:12-17 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Father’s day is a great opportunity for us think about the relationship that we have with our real Father. Our Heavenly Father!

It saddens me to think about the condition of the family in the world today. A very common problem found in all social levels is the absence of the father from the home. It may be that sometimes the father cannot be in the home due to his work, such as a member of the military. But that is certainly not the majority of the cases. The biological family that we could depend upon in the past is rapidly disappearing. There needs to be a new emphasis on our adoption into the family of God.

We needed to be adopted spiritually because we were born into the family of Adam and Eve. They decided to rebel against God. When they did, all of their unborn children died spiritually. Therefore…

The natural condition of man is “children of wrath”. Let’s look at Ephesians 2:1-3. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

God’s wrath is frequently mentioned in the Bible. Basically, God’s wrath is a hatred of everything that is opposed to his moral character — He intensely hates all sin! The Bible tells us that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men” (Romans 1:18). If God did not hate sin He would not be worthy of worship. The gods who are invented by men seem to either be delighted in sin or, at least, are not troubled by it. Sin ought not to exist and we should delight in the fact that our God stands against it. We cannot, in our own strength, deliver ourselves from the power of sin. We must have the strength of the living God on our side. Yet we are born sons and daughters of Adam and Eve and as a consequence subjects of the prince of the power of the air. Not only are we born children of wrath but also…

Jesus called those who rejected Him sons of the devil. Let’s look at John 8:42-44. Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Jesus had just told the Jews who believed Him that they must abide in His word. Then they would know the truth and be set free. They rejected the idea that they were not already free. Jesus quickly pointed out to them that the practice of sin, common to all mankind, is spiritual slavery from which we must be delivered. Those Jews believed that, as natural sons of Abraham, they were free already. Many people today believe because they started life in a Christian family and followed the church rituals from their childhood they are free of sin. Jesus then spoke our text. He pointed out that they were repeating the work of their father and that father is not God but is instead the devil who is a liar and the father of lies.

We are born children of wrath and sons of the devil. There is no way “out” of our problem apart from believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

By faith we are all sons of God. Let’s look at Galatians 3:23-26. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Having been born in sin and choosing to follow in sin causes all mankind to be imprisoned until faith arrives. We are born separated from God and subject to death and hell. The only way out is through belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead.

There’s a common error in our world today. It is called the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. Physically, since we descended from Adam, we can say that God is our Father. But only by believing in Christ Jesus are we spiritually sons of God.

We, like Nicodemus, must be born again (John 3:1-15). Jesus is very clear! Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God! We must be born of the Spirit in order to be set free from the bondage of our flesh. Once a person comes to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith he or she enters into a new relationship with God.

The Holy Spirit witnesses to our new relationship. Let’s look ahead to Galatians 4:4-7. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

We should rejoice in the fact that our Heavenly Father established a process whereby we could be redeemed and become adopted as sons.

Repeatedly, in the Bible, the term “sons” is used to refer to all people of a particular class. Ladies, please don’t be offended!

When God created man, he created both “male and female” in His image (Genesis 1:27) men and women are made equally in God’s image and both men and women reflect God’s character in their lives. There are abiding differences between men and women and those differences should be respected. I, for one, rejoice in those differences.

We are born into the family of man and when we believe on Jesus we are born again by adoption into the family of God.

Our adoption makes Jesus our older Brother. Nowhere in the Bible is the term “older brother” used for Jesus. However, in a number of places we find references that encourage us to think that he is indeed our older Brother. Let’s look at Hebrews 2:14-18. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

This is just one of many passages that tell us about the “children” that He became like in the flesh. This passage, along with many others, also referred to “His brothers” that He had to be made like in every respect. He did this so that he could turn aside the wrath of God against us caused by our natural birth. Jesus fully understands our temptation since He, Himself, suffered when tempted. He is able to help us with our temptations as a result of his experience. As our older Brother Jesus is able to teach us. One thing Jesus taught us was how to pray.

Jesus taught us to pray to our Father. Let’s look at the beginning of the model prayer in Matthew 6:9. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Jesus tells us to pray to our Father! And John had begun his Gospel by telling us that “to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,” (John 1:12). Since we are children we have a Father who loves us and cares for us.

No matter how good our earthly fathers might be, or might have been, they do not compare to the heavenly Father that we have when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We were born in sin and by faith are adopted into God’s family.

Our adoption into God’s family shows His love. Let’s look at 1 John 3:1-2. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Our God loves us so much that He calls us his children! As such, we are like our older Brother! When He appears we shall be like Him. He is coming again to take us to be with our heavenly Father where our older Brother is seated on the throne. God showed His love for us by sending Jesus to die on the cross so that we could believe in Him and be adopted into His family. By adopting us God shows us His love. Also…

Our adoption gives us a Father who cares for us. Now let’s look at Jesus’ words in Luke 11:11-13. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; ¹² or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus compares, or contrasts, our heavenly Father to our earthly fathers. Our fathers in the flesh, if they are normal, would not give us something that is dangerous to our health. If we ask for food we would expect to receive something nutritious and perhaps even tasty. Jesus uses the example of a child asking for a fish and his father giving him a snake. Or the child might ask for an egg and would be given instead a scorpion. Then, Jesus puts us into the correct category by calling us “evil”! And even though we are evil we know how to give good gifts to our children.

I realize that is not always the case. Not every earthly father gives good gifts to their children. The one thing we can be sure of is that our heavenly Father will give us always good gifts along with the Holy Spirit!

James, the Lord’s brother, tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

Not only does God care for us in every way He proves His love in discipline.

Our adoption causes God to discipline us. Let’s look at Hebrews 12:5-7. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. ⁶ For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” ⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Here the writer of Hebrews is quoting from Proverbs 3:11-12 to show us that discipline is a high indication of God’s love. Now I don’t recommend choosing to sin but when we do we are quickly disciplined by God! If you can sin and get away with it that is probably a clear sign that you are not a child of God. Just as our earthly fathers discipline us for our good our heavenly Father will always discipline us so that we may share His holiness. Praise God, He will not leave us alone nor will He leave us in sin!

Everyone on earth is either a son or daughter of God or a son or daughter of the devil. We either have a Father or a slave master ruling over us. In Jesus Christ we are no longer part of the family of Adam and Eve. We have become a part of the family of God. Our God has demonstrated His love for us by Christ’s coming to earth to bear our sins on the cross and give us life — life eternal. We now have a Father who disciplines us in love. Human fathers always fail to one degree or another. Our Father God never fails! Put your trust in Him.

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.