For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Introduction
God is my Father — and last week, we spoke about how He is also my King. We said that both are true, even though it’s hard to grasp with our human understanding, yet we believe it because the Bible says so. Last time we emphasized God’s lordship, and how our love for Him is expressed through obedience. Today, God appears to us as Father. When did God become our Father? When we were saved. Today’s passage tells us that when we were born again, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit — the Spirit of sonship. If we allow Him to fill our hearts, He convinces us that we are truly children of God. We can be sure of it, because the Holy Spirit — who is God — lives within us and strengthens us. Through the Spirit, we cry out: “Daddy, my Father, my dear Father,” or simply “Abba, Father,” if you prefer. If you have been saved, then God is our Father.
Who among us has been disappointed in their earthly father? Many children reach a point when they realize their parents are not perfect. I remember this moment in my own life — I was deeply disappointed. I’m sure Darius has been disappointed in me as well. As we grow older, we become more and more aware of our parents’ flaws — and during our teenage years, we often become very critical of them. Perhaps for you, the word father brings painful memories.
Miért fontos az apai szeretet?
Ezért fontos tudni, hogy Isten olyan apa, akiben soha nem fogsz csalódni, mert Ő tökéletes. Megbízhatsz benne, bátran közel jöhetsz hozzá és bármit elmondhatsz neki, nem fog kinevetni, megalázni, megszégyeníteni, mert szeret és a javadat akarja. Nem kell előtte képmutatóskodni vagy megjátszani magadat, hanem TELJESEN KITÁRHATOD A SZÍVEDET előtte. Egy királyt úgy szeretünk, hogy engedelmeskedünk neki, apukánkat pedig úgy, hogy BÍZUNK BENNE. Tisztelet, de közelség.
Now we will look at what kind of Father God truly is — and this is important for several reasons:
- God is not like your earthly father, so your image of Him may need to change. Often, we imagine God as being like our human fathers.
- If you’ve lost your earthly father, God can fill that void — if you let Him. I lost mine before I came to faith, and it means so much to me that God became my Father.
- When we see what a perfect Father looks like, we as men can also strive to become better fathers ourselves.
Teaching
What is God like as the perfect Father?
1. Ő a mi identitásunknak az alapja.
““See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” (1 John 3:1)This gives us a new identity — we are beloved sons and daughters, not rejected ones. It gives us a healthy self-image and confidence. We are children of the King of the universe — princes and princesses. 👑
2. He never abandons His children.
There are many cases where a father leaves his family and his children. To me, this is shocking — how can a father do that? When this happens, children often struggle with low self-worth. They feel worthless because they think: “If I were valuable, my dad would have stayed.” This false sense of worth can cause deep problems later in relationships, at work, or even throughout one’s entire life. But God will never leave you under any circumstances. He knows you perfectly — including your flaws — and yet He stays with you, because He loves you.
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11–13)
3. He cares for His children.
- He spends time with you. Many earthly fathers fail here — because of work, they have little time left for their children, and the children suffer for it. (For example, the child who gave his father an hour’s wage, just to buy one hour of his time together.) Your heavenly Father loves to spend time with you. You can always come to Him — He will never turn you away. You may face rejection in this world, but God will never reject you. You can approach Him boldly, stand tall — because you are no longer a servant, but a son. You can call Him “Daddy,” and He will not be angry. You don’t need to make an appointment! (Like when my mom was the president of the Savings Bank and I came to visit her — I didn’t need an appointment.)
- He provides for your physical and spiritual needs. God’s care reaches into every detail of your life. He gives material blessings — money, clothes, food, a home, a car, and more. And He also provides for your spiritual needs — joy, peace, love, faith, strength, and perseverance. Part of His care is that He patiently teaches you what is good.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9–11)
- He gives security. He protects His children from harm. It is deeply shocking when a father — who should create safety — becomes the one who abuses his children, so that they are afraid of him and feel unsafe in his presence. God is not like that. He keeps you safe from harm, and you can feel secure in His presence. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) But the devil can only do what your loving Father allows him to do. Sometimes God permits Satan to come against you — not to destroy you, but to test and strengthen your faith. The trial will not destroy you. You can look toward the day with peace in the morning, and lie down at night in safety — because God is watching over you.
He can be both strict and gentle.
There are two kinds of mistakes: – being only strict, like a policeman (for example, Judit), – or being only gentle, like Santa Claus, whose beard you can pull and who grants every wish.
- Strict:There are rules that cannot be broken — and when we do, there will be discipline. The perfect Father does discipline, because He loves. How does He discipline? In many ways — but what matters is that it doesn’t feel pleasant at the time; it’s painful. It may be an inner conviction, when you feel the correction in your heart; or it may come through outward things — a financial loss, public embarrassment, even sickness. You may sense that there’s no blessing on your life, that everything is falling apart, and nothing moves forward.
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:5–6, 11)
- Gentle:
- He has a forgiving heart. When we come to Him with repentance, He lovingly receives us again — like the father of the prodigal son. (You could analyze this story in more depth if there’s time.)
- He delights in His children. At Jesus’ baptism, the Father said: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” When I look at my children, even though I know they have many faults, I still delight in them — when they smile, play, talk, and grow. In the same way, the Lord delights in you — when you pray, when you give thanks, when you take steps of faith, when you pass through trials victoriously. He rejoices in your spiritual growth — when you mature, when you begin to serve, when you become a pillar of faith.
- You can cry on His shoulder. When you’re in trouble and broken, He comforts and strengthens you. You can tell Him everything — you never need to be ashamed before Him. Nothing surprises Him — He already knows everything — but He always listens when you need Him.
- Gentle:
Application
Some practical advice:
- Do not shape your image of God based on your earthly father. Do not project your father’s character onto God.
- Forgive your father. It may be hard, but remember — you are not perfect either. And God’s Word tells us to “honor your father and your mother.” You can do this by faith.
- Examine the areas of your life where you need to grow as a father. Maybe you work a lot but have no time for your children. Maybe you are too strict — or maybe not strict enough. Study God’s Word to see what kind of Father He is, and take Him as your example.
- If you have lost your father, receive God by faith as your new Father. You are not an orphan! You are loved, accepted, and blessed! You have a place at the table in the family of Christ, with your heavenly Father.
There is one Son who is unique — the Son of God, Jesus, who is both God and man in one person. God, as a good Father, has made provision for the forgiveness of our sins. He sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.