Holy Trinity Anglican Church
Plainville, CT
Spiritual Growth
Who is God the Father?
I find that as I try to answer this question that I cannot do so without replying in a very personal way. God is my Father, my Friend and the One who loves me unconditionally beyond my comprehension.
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God the Father is more than just a concept; He is more than just the First Person of the Trinity; He is a dynamic, living being with a distinctive personality. He is indeed, the perfect Father and we
can know him in relationship as Father through Jesus Christ,
his Son.
Why did God choose to reveal himself to us as Father?
Jesus tells us that God the Father is Spirit (John 4:24), and that he does not have a physical body. Therefore he is neither male nor female. However he clearly reveals himself to us as Father in the Bible. Why would God choose to do this?
God created the family unit; father, mother and child, each with different roles within the family. Since children are not able to function independent of the family unit until they reach maturity, the mother and the father are to be the guiding force in the child's life until they reach the age where they can make their own decisions.
Traditionally the mother and the father also have different roles within the family. The mother is to be the one who nurtures and supports the relationships within the family. The father is the protector and provider within the family. With that in mind, I believe that God revealed himself to us as Father because he is our protector, provider and and the One who disciplines us and the role of father best demonstrates his desire for us in relationship with him (Matthew 6:25-30, Hebrews 12:7-10).
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Jesus called God his Father and tells us to call God our Father (Matthew 18:14). It's important for us to remember that when God chooses to reveal himself to us as Father he is implying intimacy. His command is not one of "Do this because I say so", but rather an invitation for us to join him in intimacy and co-labor with him here on earth. Although the Bible sometimes refers to God as having feminine characteristics, it never refers to God as "mother". On the other hand God is not male, like human fathers are but he relates to us in the same manner as a human father does (only perfectly).
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I once viewed God as less a loving Father and more as a dictator. I saw God as sitting in heaven watching my every move and waiting for me to mess up so he could zap me with a lightning bolt. But as I began reading the Bible I saw a different Father, One who loved me so much that he had sent his Son Jesus to die for me. He was a Father who desired the best for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and loved me as much as he loves Jesus! (John 17:22-23)
It was a great revelation to discover that God was not angry at me but that he had his arms of love stretched out towards me, the prodigal son, in love and joy. You too can share that love through his Son Jesus Christ.
Why did God choose to reveal himself to us as Father?
The short answer to this question is that God is "both". God is both a loving Father and our judge. The Bible clearly tells us that the basic attribute of God is love and that love is the driving force behind everything that he does. However, although the Bible never directly says God is judgment, it does say that someday he will judge everyone. All of humanity is accountable to him. Everyone will be judged someday. The question is: will you be judged based on your own works or on the perfect work of Jesus Christ? Give your heart to Jesus. He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6).
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