Who is God the Father?
The Father is the first Person of the Trinity: fully God, the Creator and sovereign Lord, who loves the world so much that He gave His only Son, and who draws us into His own family as adopted children. Jesus came to reveal the Father to us.
This question arose from studying What is the Trinity?.
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Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The Father is the one true God
Jesus' own definition of eternal life is this: 'that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.' For us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things come. He is not 'the god behind the gods'; He is the God.
This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;
He is revealed in Jesus
Philip asked to see the Father, and Jesus replied, 'He who has seen me has seen the Father.' No one has ever seen God, but the only Son, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known. We do not guess at God's character; we look at Jesus and see the Father.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
His heart is love: He gave His Son
'God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son.' This is not an abstract principle; it is the measure of the Father's heart. He shows His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Even when we wander, the Father runs to meet us.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
“He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
He has adopted us as His children
In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. We are no longer slaves or strangers; through the Spirit we cry, 'Abba, Father.' 'See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!' And that is what we are.
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.
Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
You come to the Father through Jesus
Jesus is 'the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' Through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit, and through Him we may ask the Father in His name, and the door is open. The Father who sent the Son welcomes all who come through the Son.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
Why does He still call me son/daughter when I fail?→“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.”What does it mean that God is love?→“He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.”How does God's love differ from human love?→“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”How does God discipline His children?→“For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?”How do I experience the love of God day to day?→“and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”How can I know God's affection for me is real and not just a doctrine?→“He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?”What is the difference between God's discipline and the devil's accusation?→“I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.”What does it mean to abide in Christ's love?→“Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.”How do I receive love when I don't feel lovable?→“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Why did God create us?→“neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.”Can you prove God exists?→“The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.”Why does God harden hearts?→“but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;”Explore further
Who is the Holy Spirit?→The Holy Spirit trail“I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,— the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.”What is the Trinity?→The Holy Spirit trail“Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”Who is Jesus?→Jesus Christ trail“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
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