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Why do we call God “Father”?
We call God Father because Jesus did. Jesus called God his Father (something which made the religious leaders extremely angry! See John 5:18). He had an intimate relationship with his Father. He talked about his Father over 150 times in the Gospels. Everything he did was in relation to the Father: he came from the Father and returned to the Father (John 16:28); he spoke on authority from his Father (John 14:7-10); he prayed to the Father—and taught us to do the same (Matthew 6:9-13); he revealed the Father (John 1:18); he preached about his Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29); he obeyed his Father to the point of death (Mark 14:36).
The Bible pulls back the curtain and shows us that God has eternally been a Father loving his Son, Jesus (e.g. John 17:42, John 1:18, Matthew 17:5, Mark 1:9-10). There has never been a time when God has not been a good Father.
Jesus revealed what his heavenly Father is like:
He provides for his children (Matthew 6:32)
He sees his children (Matthew 6:4,6)
He gives good gifts (Matthew 7:11)
He is “prodigal” (extravagant) in love (Luke 15:11-32)
He is forgiving (Matthew 6:12, Mark 11:25)
Most amazingly, Jesus makes his Father our Father. This perfect father-son relationship can be ours. We can experience the perfect love of the Father as if we were Jesus. How? By trusting in Jesus, the “only begotten son” of the Father. He laid down his privileges and died to make us adopted children of God. According to J.I. Packer, this is the true heart of the gospel. Consider the following Scriptures:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to 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. - Romans 8:14-17
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. - Galatians 4:4-7
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. - John 1:12-13
"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” - Matthew 11:27
No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. - 1 John 2:23-24
Further Resources:
Check out this sermon titled “God the Father” by Fr. Kevin Miller at Church of the Savior in Wheaton, Illinois. (If you want to skip the introduction to the series, start listening at 9:15.
Meditate on this painting by Rembrandt titled “The Return of the Prodigal Son”
Questions for reflection and discussion
What feelings does the word “Father” bring up for you? How has your relationship with your own father affected your relationship with God the Father?
Do you think J.I. Packer is right that adoption is the heart of the gospel? If he is right, how does it change the way you understand salvation?
Read the Gospel of John, paying attention to Jesus’ relationship with the Father.