What is a Father?

What do you think of when you hear the word, “Father”?

There are good fathers

There are bad fathers

There are no perfect earthly fathers

How do we pursue being a godly father? We need to know who God is and pursue a life that reflects Him because He is the only perfect father.

1 Peter 1:15–16 ESV

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

So , what is God the Father like?

Exodus 34:5–9 ESV

5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

A Father is (the example of God):

Exodus 34:5 ESV

5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

Present

Exodus 34:6 ESV

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Compassionate, Merciful

Gracious

Slow to anger

Abounding in lovingkindness (steadfast love)

Abounding in truth (faithfulness)

Exodus 34:7 ESV

7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

A Father:

Keeps lovingkindness (for thousands)

Forgives iniquity - Desiring things that are against or not of God

Forgives transgression - Violating the laws and decrees of God

Forgives sin - Choosing less than the perfect standard of god

A Father does not:

Leave the guilty unpunished

Allow patterns of wickedness to go unpunished

A Father is (Moses example):

Exodus 34:8–9 ESV

8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Faithful and selfless in prayer

There is only One perfect example for us to follow as fathers. So let us strive to be the kind of father that reflects the holiness of God.

What is required of us?

Look to our father.

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

He has prepared you for the work of fatherhood.

Crucify the flesh and Live in the power of the Holy Spirit

Galatians 5:22–25 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Step into our role

Train up your children

Deuteronomy 6:4–7 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Discipline and Instruct your children

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The goal of being like our heavenly father requires us to:

Trust that God will forgive, strengthen, and lead us.

Trust that the Holy Spirit fills us with the character we need.

Trust that God’s ways are the best ways to raise our kids.