In the last post, I noted how important Jesus said his relationship to God as “Father” was to him. The relationship Jesus and God shared, and share now, also make possible a deeper relationship with God as Father for the rest of us humans. That is certainly the claim of several New Testament writers. For some examples:
Romans 8:15-17 — 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
John 14:7 — If you know me, you will know my Father also.
Galatians 4:6-7 — 6And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
1 John 3:2 & 4:10-11 — 2Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is….10In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.
Of course, as it did for Jesus, this deeper relationship not only recognizes God’s desire to be more intimate with us humans than we seem to be able to imagine, but also God’s rightful authority as the “Father” of God’s forever human family. Let’s keep challenging one another to continue growing into what it means to be daughters and sons of “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.”
So wonderful but also overwhelming in a scary way to me. Kind of a “too good to be true” feeling
Certainly share that feeling at times. It all finally comes down to whether or not God loves us as much, and more, than we love our children doesn’t it? If so, God is Good and Loving, if not, then God isn’t as good and loving as we are. Banking on the much better than us God that Jesus trusted. Love to you.