A Father To The Fatherless Is God

If we’ve never come to God through Christ, what does God require of us to become a Christian? Does He make us jump through hoops to come to him? Some in the early church thought so.

They argued that in order for a person to become a Christian they had to first go through the Jewish ritual of circumcision. These folks wanted to make the process of coming to faith something difficult. Thank God that the Apostle Paul and others identified that this was wrong. If you decide that you want to follow Jesus, to become a Christian, what do you need to do? Very little.

God asks us to repent. To identify that we have sinned and that we are sinners and to choose to follow Him. He then asks us to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and to receive Him as our Lord and Saviour. God requires very little of us in order to begin restoring our relationship with Him.

If you are a believer and something, some sin, has come between you and God, what does God require?

1 John 1: 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Seems simple, I know, but God’s Word is true. God doesn’t hold out. He is eager to restore us. He wants to be in relationship with us. Why is it so simple? Why don’t we have to labour and jump through hoops to find favour with God?

I remember a character in the movie: “The Mission” played by Robert Deniro who carried a literal heavy burden on his back for days and weeks, trying to suffer for his sins in order to earn the forgiveness of God. But you know, it’s not possible to earn the forgiveness of God. Let me say that again: It is not possible to earn the forgiveness of God. IF it were, the price would be impossible to pay.

Coming to God is simple only because of the enormous price Christ paid for our sins…your forgiveness and my forgiveness cost Jesus His life. He bore the burden, the weight, the suffering for sin.

So we learn much about God as father from the father in the prodigal son story.

So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "The son said to him, ’Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ "But the father said to his servants, ’Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

This is a picture of God as Father. The Father who sees us when we are still a long way off. The Father who is filled with compassion for you and for me. We might be filled with regret. We might be filled with sorrow.

We might be filled with all kinds of dark things. God is filled with compassion. God runs to us, as it were, when we begin to take tentative steps toward Him.