Studying God as Father is called patriology or paterology. God is described as Father about 15 times in the Old Testament and over 250 times in the New Testament? Why?
Is God a Father even to orphans?
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” (Psalm 68:5 NIV)
Does God intend that we understand His fatherly compassion?
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13 ESV)
What about loving discipline?
“Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12 HCSB)
Even if we were to be disowned by family back to our ancestors, God is still our Father.
“Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.” (Isaiah 63:16 NLT)
Should we allow any cultural or national background to get in the way of Christian unity?
“Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (Malachi 2:10 HCSB)
To whom should we pray?
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6 KJV)
Is God a Father who provides?
“Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NASB)
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31 NASB)
Hyperbolically, ought no other take God’s place as our one Father in heaven?
“And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9 ESV)
Is God a giving Father?
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 NIV)
Are there conditions?
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12 NKJV)
How much did God love the world?
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)
Can anyone snatch us from the Father’s hand?
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:28-30 NLT)
How do we come to the Father?
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’ ” (John 14:6 WEB)
Does the Father want obedient children?
“Jesus replied: If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them.” (John 14:23 CEV)
How long has the Father loved the Son?
“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24 CEB)
Does God treat us as slaves living in fear of a harsh task master or as adopted children, who call Him by terms of love?
“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15 NLT)
Why were we made?
“We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 CEV)
Does God bless His children abundantly?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NASB)
Does glory belong to God the Father?
“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:20 ESV)
Is God a generous and giving Father?
“Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” (James 1:17 HCSB)
What is one way to tell if the love of the Father is in us?
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15 KJV)
If we have the love of the Father in us will the world even know us anymore? What manner of love has the Father given us?
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1 NKJV)
The Bible pictures God our Father in heaven as someone of compassion, loving discipline, generously providing perfect gifts, and who loves us so much that He allowed His unique Son to die for us that through Him we might have eternal life? Do you love this loving God our Father? You decide!
