Part 4 of 10

One Father

 

The union of man with God has always been God’s desire. Fathers, by their seed, are the progenitors of life. There can be no closer union among men than that of offspring who bear the very life of their father. God has desired to be Father to an enlarged family. God becoming Father to His spiritual offspring, born of His Spirit loins, is “according to the eternal purpose that was purposed in Christ Jesus” (Eph 3:11). 1John 3:1a Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…

God’s objective has always been relational, to be Father. The word “father” is used 215 times in the four Gospels, most often as God’s title and it was Jesus’ most often used title when referencing God. Jesus, the eternal “Son of God” is now also the Father’s firstborn “man” to be “declared to be the Son of God out of resurrection” (Rom 1:3-4). Hebrews 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren, all who are born of the very same one Father. Romans 8:29 For whom he (The Father) did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he (the Son) might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The fulfillment of God’s objective to be Father is according to the eternal plan called the mystery and “the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 1:5-9 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; ⁸ Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; ⁹Having made known unto us THE MYSTERY (secret) of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: Ephesians 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

God Himself may be called the “one Father” because He is the only Father who bears the eternal life – that life which is the real life. Isaiah 57:15 …thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity… The eternal God desired to be Father to as many as would receive His eternal “Seed” (Greek, sperma), which is Jesus Christ (Gal 1Peter 1:23, 3:16). Every human father’s seed (sperma) bears man’s DNA, life and nature, and so it is with God, the eternal Father. He is the only fountainhead or source of real life, eternal life. Psalm 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life…

The fountain here is to be considered the water’s source. God’s Seed, Jesus Christ, is also seen to be the fount of “living water” (John 4:10), to be deposited into and flow from believers (John 7:38); “…whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him, a well (Gk., pege, fountain) of water, springing up into everlasting (eternal) life” (John. 4:13, 14 (KJV). “This spake He of the (His) Spirit…” (John 7:39).

The Father’s eternal life flows to “as many as would receive Him (Jesus)” (John 1:12). The real “God-life (Zoe, eternal spirit-life) is in the Son.” John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God (the Father) hath given to us (the believer) eternal life (Zoe, eternal spirit-life), and this life is in his Son. ¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

As stated earlier, the primary title for God used by Christ relative to Himself and those who believe, – “Father.” The title “Father” speaks of the believer’s organic union relationship to God as Father. Consider that the title “Father” speaks of the source of life, to be given to His children – organically or livingly.

Jesus spoke these words to Mary Magdalene, to whom He appeared immediately after His resurrection, John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. This is a most wonderful and powerful statement of the believer’s life-relationship with their Father God, as His children.

Have you considered that we cannot be God’s children unless He is our Father and He cannot be Father, except there be offspring of His own spirit-loins. God as Father is the source of genuine life, the God-life. God’s Fatherhood in itself speaks of His own life flowing to and within His spirit-offspring. “Beloved, now are we the sons (literal) of God” (1 John 3:2a). Our sonship comes by our spiritual rebirthing, which is an organic, life germinating event, by the only life qualified to be called life - God’s life; the only eternally divine and limitless life.

Again, life requires a “seed” from a progenitor father to provoke and replicate that same life. This pattern can be seen in the Genesis account of the recreation. We see that pattern with all the created earthbound life-forms by the Bible’s use of phrases such as “fruit (reproduces by)…seed after his kind”

“…the fruit tree yielding (seeded) fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ¹² And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:11b-12)

John wrote; “But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power (force & competency) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12 author’s emphasis added). “Power” here in John 1:12 is more completely translated “force of competency.” Christ in us is the competent force, as the Father’s seed of life within us, which makes us God the Father’s literal Spirit-birthed children. “Who (Christ) is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless (limitless) life” (Hebrews 7:16).

All that one needs to do to in order to be saved and gain such an intimate Spirit-birthed relationship with God as their Father is to believe (Rom 10:9); then they will receive Christ as God the Father’s Spirit-seed. The believer’s salvation is not dependent upon their acceptance of denominational doctrines or creeds, organizational membership, being water-baptized, or to adhere to some Christian code of conduct, or any thing other than to simply receive Christ Himself. When Paul and Silas spoke of Christ to the Philippian jailer, they said simply, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ ands though shalt be saved…”