By Wayne Clapp

Jesus Christ introduced a new and rather revolutionary concept. He spoke of God as His Father. Of course, God is his Father, and Jesus is God's only begotten son. However he taught his disciples to also pray "Our Father, who art in heaven..." Of course the concept of God as a Father is present in the Old Testament. However, I found only seven places where God was referred to as a "Father" to His people by adoption and not by seed. However, with the accomplished work of Jesus Christ when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, God's people could become His sons by birth, with incorruptible seed. Jesus Christ was the "first-born of many brethren." What an honor and privilege we have by God's mercy and grace to call Him - Father."

As sons of God our first responsibility is not serving Him, but knowing Him as a loving, heavenly Father.  In each of the church and Pastoral Epistles written to our administration, God reminds us that He is our Father. He continually lays this truth before our eyes. It is a term of intimacy and familiarity; He is our Father and we should know and reverence Him as such.

The pinnacle of revelation written to the church is Ephesians. In it "Father" is used eight times in reference to God. The first occurrence is in Ephesians 1:2, in the salutation. Here we are reminded that our Father directs grace and peace to us. The second use in the very next verse where God is identified as the Father of our lord Jesus Christ. This establishes for us what the Father/son relationship should be. The epitome of the Father/son relationship was enjoyed by Jesus Christ as he lived and ministered to God's people. That same purity and intimacy of relationship is available to us as God's children, too.

The third occurrence is also in chapter one, verse seventeen, where God is called the "Father of glory". As a glorious Father His heart is to give us spiritual wisdom and revelation in the acknowledgment of Him. His willingness to give is what enables our relationship with Him to be complete, substantial, and solid as we grow in intimacy and familiarity with Him. The fourth occurrence is in 2:18 where it says that through Christ Jesus we have access by one spirit unto the Father. Although we live in this world, we are not of this world. Once we are born-again, we have a spiritual connection, the gift of holy spirit, which allows us access to our loving heavenly Father as partakers of His divine nature.

The fifth occurrence is in Ephesians 3:14, where Paul directs his prayer to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. What grace to be part of a family in which the body and we are all members in particular. The sixth occurrence is in 4:6 which speaks of one God and Father of us all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. All of us must recognize the magnificence of our Father who can work in all His people.

The seventh use is in 5:20 which reminds us to give thanks always for all things unto God even the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a spiritually sound foundation thanksgiving provides for the believer who recognizes the Father's blessing on his life. The eighth usage is in 6:23 which brings us back to where we started the peace and grace in the final salutation, which compliments the first occurrence.

God is our Father and the relationship that he had with Jesus Christ is the standard that is set before every believer. Just as the Father has so abundantly provided for His only begotten son Jesus Christ, He has also liberally provided for the rest of His children. The intimacy and familiarity that Jesus had with his loving heavenly Father is also available to us. Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for us we can call God our Father and enjoy His incorruptible seed. Jesus Christ was the first born among many brethren and we his brethren ought to walk in his steps and glorify the Father as he did.