The Joy of God's Fatherhood

Intro: What is one quality/characteristic of your father that you admire? What is one quality/characteristic of your father that you wish he didn’t have?

Our view of God as Father is dictated by two factors: our knowledge of theology & our experience with our own fathers.

Our experience forms the larger % of our view of God than our theology.

We need to move from experience to theology.

We tend to think of God as our Father like we think of a coach on an athletic team, or a teacher in a class; as long as we perform admirably we experience all the joys of fatherhood. But when we don’t…we don’t.

Your experience of the good (if any) in your earthly father is only a taste of the that good in your heavenly father.

Your experience of the bad (if any) in your earthly father is non-existent in your heavenly father.

A picture of Paul’s idea of God as Father: Eph. 3:14-19 NIV

Ephesians 3:14–19 NASB95

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

You must have this view of God the Father in mind as you read our text for today.

Romans 8:14 NASB95

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

“being led” present active indicative pointing to the continuous growth (sanctification) of the believer.

Romans 8:15 NASB95

15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Adoption - Gal. 4:4-7

Galatians 4:5–7 NLT

5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

Slavery leading to fear - the aorist pointing to something that has happened at some point in the past. The force is that it isn’t currently happening nor is it going to happen, but it has already happened. Our status as God’s children is a done deal.

“again” points to going back to a “earn it” existence.

Abba Father - Aramaic expression of endearment meaning “dad or daddy” In the Greek text the phrase is presented this way “ἀββα ὁ πατήρ” with the definite article meaning “ Dad! The Father!”

Romans 8:16 NASB95

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

Part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to bring testimony to the fact that we are God’s children. The fact that Paul uses the word pneuma (πνεῦμα) here as the only time in chapter three that it does not refer to the Holy Spirit heightens the point that the H.S.’s witness to our being children of God is with our inner most being...out spirit.

Romans 8:17 NASB95

17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

“and if children” = 1st class condition

The subsequent result of being children of God is not just relationship with God, but sharing in the inheritance of Christ, our brother.

What is it we are heirs to exactly?

God Himself

Heaven

Completed Salvation

Immortal existence - John 10:28-29

John 10:28–29 NASB95

28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Pain and need free existence - Rev. 21:4

Revelation 21:4 NASB95

4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

But any inheritance can be tainted or taken away...1 Peter 1:4

1 Peter 1:4 NASB95

4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

“if indeed we suffer with Him” = a conjunction (εἴπερ) meaning “if in fact or since”

These phrase confirms the truth that to be a follower of Christ is to suffer. Col. 1:24

Colossians 1:24 NASB95

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

Conclusion:

The Christian’s life may indeed in clued suffering, but it isn’t suffering apart from a loving and deovted father’s care and watchful eye.

When Jesus was in the garden before his crucifixion, he relyed on his relationship with his father. Mark 14:35-36

Mark 14:35–36 NASB95

35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

That same relationship is ours today.