What Defines a Father

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What Defines a Father? by Kurt Bruner The Christian faith acknowledges Jesus Christ as the one and only Son of God. Yet Jesus taught His disciples to address God as "our Father in heaven." Since Jesus is the only Son of God, why did He invite us all to call God "Father"? Obviously, Jesus holds a unique position as God incarnate, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Consistent with His teachings, however, believers have always used the word Father when referring to God. One of the most important creeds in Christian history begins with the phrase, "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible." This simple affirmation carries several important truths our children need to understand. Here are some of those essential truths: Father = source Our earthly fathers are an important source of our genetic makeup. But God is the ultimate source of our lives. He knew us before we were conceived and formed us in the womb. Father = provision Fathers find joy in giving to their children. That's because a chief role of fatherhood is to provide. Jesus used this reality to explain the goodness of God when He said, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11). Father = correction Children don't like discipline, but it fosters security knowing Mom and Dad love them enough to correct wayward behavior. Good parents mirror the fatherhood of God when they administer the short-term pain of discipline to shape a child's long-term character. As the Bible says, "The Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son" (Hebrews 12:6). Father = love As a parent, you've probably received a small taste of how God feels as "our Father in heaven." When parents

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