Understanding Spiritual Fatherhood. "Our Father In Heaven".
The phrase "Father in heaven" of course speaks of spiritual fatherhood in it's truest essence for he is a father whom we do not see yet ever present, ever loving & ever caring.
The knowledge, awareness & consciousness of the Father in heaven, is so fundamental & absolute to true christian faith & walk upon the earth, that it is exclusively presented by the Lord in Matthew 23:9 as that which excludes every other context of fatherhood upon the earth, whether patriarchal, biological or ministerial.👇🏼
"And call not any one your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens."
It is the knowledge of the Father in heaven supremely established in the heart, such that we walk in the consciousness & awareness that ultimately "One is our Father, He who is in heaven".
It is such that even those, who in the context of biological, patriarchal or ministerial fatherhood, are referred to/recognised as fathers, should acknowledge this supreme truth also presented by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians.."One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all." Ephesians 4:6.
This is similar to what he also wrote in his epistle to the Corinthians(1st Corinthians 8:5-6).
Earlier in the fourth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, he pointed out the fact that, in the context of faith/birth in the gospel of Christ, he is their father and they are his sons as begotten in the gospel of Christ through his ministry/ministering to them(1st Corinthians 4:14-15).
In the context of ministry, he is thus like a father to them & they are his sons; however, in the eighth chapter he goes on to unequivocally state the supreme truth of the One Father of all, who is over all, through all and in all. 👇🏼
"For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many,)
yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and *we* for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and *we* by him."
1st Corinthians 8:5-6.
Sadly in the 7th verse, the apostle notes that this knowledge of the supreme God & father of all, is not in everyone. There are many even in the christian faith who lack this knowledge and where there is a lack or deficiency of this fundamental knowledge/truth, there is spiritual crisis, weakness & vulnerability.
The conscience of those who lack this knowledge is weak as noted by the apostle, and can be easily defiled; they are susceptible to spiritual damage as they can be easily led astray and made to stumble by the action/conviction of others (vs 7-13).
In the sermon on the mount, the Lord severally speaks of the Father in heaven, to espouse us to his heavenly Father; to intimate & occupy us with him by furnishing our hearts with sufficient knowledge of Him, that we may live, walk & conduct ourselves upon the earth in the consciousness/awareness that we have a Father in heaven.👇🏼
Matthew 5:16
Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.
Matthew 5:45
That ye may be the sons of your Father who is in the heavens; for he makes his sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust.
Matthew 5:48
Be *ye* therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 6:1
Take heed not to do your alms before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens.
Matthew 6:9
Thus therefore pray *ye*: Our Father who art in the heavens, let thy name be sanctified.
Matthew 6:14
For if ye forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father also will forgive you yours.
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into granaries, and your heavenly Father nourishes them. Are *ye* not much more excellent than they?
Mathew 6:32
for all these things the nations seek after; for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.
*The teaching & emphasis of Christ in espousing us to spiritual fatherhood is nothing but the Father in heaven.
The apostle Paul, though he states the fact of his fatherhood of the Corinthian saints as the instrument/vessel God used to beget them in the gospel, however, espoused them to nothing but the supreme spiritual Fatherhood of God over all..."One God, the Father of whom are all things"(1st Corinthians 8:6).
From all these, we can clearly see that where men preach and teach spiritual fatherhood, espousing the people of God to men or to themselves in the name of 'spiritual fatherhood' and not to the Father in heaven, another gospel and another spirit is at work & not the spirit of Christ.
Finally in 1st Peter 1:14-17, scripture shows us the practical moral disposition and conduct/walk upon the earth which must go with this knowledge (consciousness & awareness) of the Father in heaven 👇🏽
"As children of obedience, not conformed to your former lusts in your ignorance; but as he who has called you is holy, be ye also holy in all your conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear".
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