The idea of God being a father is not an easy concept for everyone. For me, it wasn’t even a positive concept because I didn’t have a loving relationship with my natural biological father. My father didn’t know how to talk to me to teach me. He dwelt with me harshly. He didn’t build me up, and I never felt like he loved me. Because of how I grew up, it took a long time (many years) for me to grasp that God is a loving God. Not someone just looking down, ready to pounce on me when I messed up. Over time, with reading God’s Word and through my own personal walk with God, did I realize that he is a loving God and Father. His correction is done gently in love. I learned I didn’t have to fear him like I did my natural father. This blog is broken down into three sections:
1) Establishing God has adopted us as his children.
2) The requirement to becoming God’s child.
3) God is a good God.
Point #1 – Establishing God has adopted us as his children
In Romans 8:15-16 KJV, the Apostle Paul teaches us that we are the children of God. It states:
[15] 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.
[16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
So let’s break that passage down. The first part of Romans 8:15 teaches us that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Our sin nature causes us to fear. Adam and Eve did not experience fear until after they sinned. Genesis 3:7-11 KJV is the first recording of mankind being afraid.
[7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
[8] And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
[9] And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
[10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
[11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? This passage teaches us where fear came from and it wasn’t from God.
It was not God’s will for us to experience fear. He did not make us to fear. That sin of disobedience separated mankind from God causing us to fear. Sin causes mankind to be in the bondage to fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV, tells us the spirit God has given us, it says:
[7] For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
As we continue this study we will see that God sent Jesus to deliver us from the bondage of fear.
The second part of Romans 8 verse 15 states “We have received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:4-5 KJVS tells us how we received that adoption. It states:
[4] But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
[5] To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Notice it says God sent his son who we know as Jesus to redeem us so we might receive the adoption of sons. God adopted us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Jesus who knew no sin became sin in order to pay for our sins so we could be reconciled to God. Without Jesus’ sacrifice we would not be able to become God’s children.
Romans 8:16 states, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” Okay. So what does that mean. The Apostle Paul teaches us in Galatians 4:6-7 KJVS,
[6] And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
[7] Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
This passage explains that the Spirit of God lives in his children giving us the ability to cry out to God our Father. We are no longer considered servants but a child and an heir of God through Christ. I looked this passage up in my KJV Life Application Study Bible. I thought it was a perfect illustration of what it means to be adopted by God. It states:
“4:5-7 Under Roman law, an adopted son was guaranteed all legal rights to his father’s property, even if he was formerly a slave. He was not a second-class son; he was equal to all other sons, biological or adopted, in his father’s family. As adopted children of God, we share with Jesus all rights to God’s resources. As God’s heirs, we can claim what he has provided for us—our full identity as his children (see Romans 8:15-17).”
Which brings us right back to our text. If pagan people can treat their adopted children as their own with all the legal rights as their biological children, how much more will God treat us as his sons and daughters. How much more does God have for us. Romans 8:17 KJV, states that “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Image the love God has for to make us his heir. 1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV states “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” That should make you really excited that we carry the full benefits of being a child of God. The bible clearly establishes that God is our father and we are his children.
Point #2 – The requirement to becoming God’s child.
Let’s be clear we do not become a child of God until we become saved and make Jesus the Lord over our lives. I like the way the Amplified Bible Classic translation words Romans 10:9.
[9] …if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Note the verse says you must confess Jesus is Lord. That doesn’t mean you just acknowledge he is Lord. Just acknowledging his kingship is not enough. You must make him Lord over your life. You must commit to being under his lordship. Only then will you become a child of God. A great illustration of this is me acknowledging someone of another country as the President, King, or Queen. Let’s say for example I acknowledge Queen Elizabeth as Queen of England. Me simply acknowledging that fact will not get me the same rights and privileges of someone in that country because I am not a citizen. It works the same way with God. You have to make yourself a citizen of his kingdom before you can become his child with all the rights and privileges it comes with. The Apostle Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 KJV,
[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. God’s Spirit lives inside of us when we become saved.
We must live right and walk with God and learn his ways if we want to be his children.
Point #3 – God is a good Father.
God will never abandon us. He is not an absentee father. He is always there for us. He will never forget us and leave us on our own. God said in Isaiah 49:15-16 NKJV
[15] Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.
[16] See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;…
Verse 10 in Psalms 27 really helped me when my mother died. I love the way the Passion Translation states it. “My father and mother abandoned me. I’m like an orphan! But you took me in and made me yours.”
God’s love is so amazing! God has mercy on us. He knows we will make mistakes but he is quick to forgive us when we repent and turn back to him. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 103:13-14 KJV,
[13] Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
[14] For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. None of us are perfect. But God is a faithful and loving God and father.
He is patient with us. 1 John 1:9 KJVS tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God doesn’t just pounce on us when we make a mistake. He forgives us when we repent and he corrects us with love. Proverbs 3:12 KJV states, “For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
God loves us. 1 John 4:16 KJVS And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. I love the way the Passion Translation states this verse. 1 John 4:16 TPT – Passion “We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us. God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them.”
1 John 4:18 KJV, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” The Passion Translation states it like this: 1 John 4:18 TPT “Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.”
When we are saved and walk in our salvation on daily basis pursing a relationship with God and his ways, we should not fear punishment from God. For God has promised in Isaiah 43:25 KJV, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Note God said for his sake not ours. He loves so much and wants so badly to have a relationship with us that he blots out our sins when we come to him and repent. What a loving Father! Psalm 103:12 KJV, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Hebrews 10:17 KJV, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Romans 8:37-39 KJV,
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God has everything we need. It’s up to the individual person to decide what God means to them. He is a loving Father who cares deeply about his children. He cares about ever aspect of our lives. It’s up to us to build and nurture our relationship with him. He’s always there waiting on us. How encouraging to know we have a loving Father in Heaven!!!
Deborah K. Givens, Admin
