The Fatherhood of God is something that bothered theologians for a while in the past and in the process of defining it, some where labeled heretics.
While we have moved on and the theology of the Godhead can be said to be fairly resolved, there are still instances where one has to wonder if anything has been learnt at all.
Now I do not address those that as a matter of policy, principle and doctrine have issues with the fact that the Christ is the son of God or the same as the son of God, that is a discussion for another time. The issue here is focused on those that believe He is and that the Father is His father just like He is our father.
In most cultures around the world the place of the father is not disputed. Fathers are usually placed on a pedestal and you could almost say worshipped.
Children may easily overcome their mothers’ authority in some instances but when a Father is available, the respect that the Father commands when they play their role as expected is one of the most persistent around the world after all these years.
Well it can be explained that it is because most cultures are patristic which is true, more importantly, I believe it is because it is a natural ordained role for men to play a particular purpose in the family that this exists.
Where am I going with this you may ask. Well believing that when we come from where we agree, we can look at the things we don’t agree about.
That we call talk about the fatherhood of God shows that we have an understanding that He has a relationship with us, a relationship in which He has the Fatherly role. This is not something that just dropped on our laps, it is by virtue of learning and experience that we have come to see this role as how we can interact with him especially when we observe the teachings of Jesus Christ His Son. This write up is not to discuss our knowledge of the theology of the Trinity. It is to address the practice in some quarters with respect to Hallowing the Name of God and our relationship with Him.
A typical prayer in these quarters starts with a very loud shout of F-A-T-H-E-R two or three times which is then rapidly followed by a litany of requests. The impression you get is that of Rulers of a house commanding and demanding the presence of a slave.
But for understanding the meaning of the English word father you would think it was a subordinate being called.
The issue is this, if we have learnt from a young age to respect the fathers we have at home and even in our old age and improved social condition or otherwise still deal with them with utmost respect and even fear, how then has it become proper to shout out the name of the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, the immortal and invisible wise God. We cannot seriously say that this approach to prayer in anyway demonstrates respect for the name. Moreover how can we claim we respect Him or have any reverence for Him since we threat Him worse than we should.
The people of Berea we were told in the book of Acts when back to verify if the things they were told by the preachers were true. If we could only borrow a leaf from them we would realize that its not everything we hear or see come out of the pulpit is worth emulation.
Blessed by the name of the Lord God Almighty.
God Our Father
July 25, 2013 by Jide Ajayi • Issues •
The Fatherhood of God is something that bothered theologians for a while in the past and in the process of defining it, some where labeled heretics.
While we have moved on and the theology of the Godhead can be said to be fairly resolved, there are still instances where one has to wonder if anything has been learnt at all.
Now I do not address those that as a matter of policy, principle and doctrine have issues with the fact that the Christ is the son of God or the same as the son of God, that is a discussion for another time. The issue here is focused on those that believe He is and that the Father is His father just like He is our father.
In most cultures around the world the place of the father is not disputed. Fathers are usually placed on a pedestal and you could almost say worshipped.
Children may easily overcome their mothers’ authority in some instances but when a Father is available, the respect that the Father commands when they play their role as expected is one of the most persistent around the world after all these years.
Well it can be explained that it is because most cultures are patristic which is true, more importantly, I believe it is because it is a natural ordained role for men to play a particular purpose in the family that this exists.
Where am I going with this you may ask. Well believing that when we come from where we agree, we can look at the things we don’t agree about.
That we call talk about the fatherhood of God shows that we have an understanding that He has a relationship with us, a relationship in which He has the Fatherly role. This is not something that just dropped on our laps, it is by virtue of learning and experience that we have come to see this role as how we can interact with him especially when we observe the teachings of Jesus Christ His Son. This write up is not to discuss our knowledge of the theology of the Trinity. It is to address the practice in some quarters with respect to Hallowing the Name of God and our relationship with Him.
A typical prayer in these quarters starts with a very loud shout of F-A-T-H-E-R two or three times which is then rapidly followed by a litany of requests. The impression you get is that of Rulers of a house commanding and demanding the presence of a slave.
But for understanding the meaning of the English word father you would think it was a subordinate being called.
The issue is this, if we have learnt from a young age to respect the fathers we have at home and even in our old age and improved social condition or otherwise still deal with them with utmost respect and even fear, how then has it become proper to shout out the name of the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, the immortal and invisible wise God. We cannot seriously say that this approach to prayer in anyway demonstrates respect for the name. Moreover how can we claim we respect Him or have any reverence for Him since we threat Him worse than we should.
The people of Berea we were told in the book of Acts when back to verify if the things they were told by the preachers were true. If we could only borrow a leaf from them we would realize that its not everything we hear or see come out of the pulpit is worth emulation.
Blessed by the name of the Lord God Almighty.