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Introduction
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Every epistle in the New
Testament was written for a
particular situation. In
Colossians there were those
who taught that Jesus was
one of many mediators
between God and man. Their
doctrines included that God
was too high and holy for
man to approach Him,
consequently there was a
considerable number of
varying ranks by which one
approached God. Colossians
has three major truths: |
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a) |
The undebatable deity of the
Lord for God is His Father. |
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b) |
The uniqueness of His
humanity in His devotedness
to God as His God. |
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c) |
The identification of the
believer with Christ is so
close so that God is also
the believer’s Father. |
It is because of the “b” and “c”
above that in this epistle the
apostle was guided by the Holy
Spirit to put these two balancing
truths in close proximity. This is
the only time where it is written,
“God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ” (Col. 1:2) and “God and the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”
(Col. 1:3). One can see the change
of wording for in verse 2 it is
written, “God our Father”
whereas in verse 3 it is “God the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Thus the Fatherhood of God is spoken
of in two ways which poses a
question, “What is the difference
between God being our Father and God
being the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus?”
What is the difference when the Lord
refers to God as “God” or as
“Father”? When the Lord speaks of
God as “Father” it is emphasizing
deity
and the eternal
relationship. When the Lord speaks
of God as “God” it is always in the
context of His humanity, but in a
variety of contexts. Being the God
of our Lord Jesus the emphasis is on
His relationship which started at
His incarnation (Psa. 22:9, 10). It
was a manifestation of His life’s
attitude to God as a perfect man
(Heb. 10:7, 10). When the suffering
for sins was over he cried, “My God,
My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
(Matt. 27:46).
In the New Testament the Lord is
spoken of as, “The God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ”. There are
other similar scriptures which tell
of the relationship of God as the
Father and God as God, such as God
as Father through our Lord Jesus (Jn.
20:17); “God the Father” (Gal. 1:1,
3; Eph.6:23; Col. 1:2-3; 1 Thess.
1:1; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; 1 Pet.
1:2; 2 Jn.1:3; Jude 1:1).
Scriptural References
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1) |
When the scriptures read,
“God our Father” |
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a) |
This is a phrase that occurs
11 times in the N T. Nine
times to N T churches in
Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor.
1:2; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2;
Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2
Thess. 1:2 and twice to
persons and pastoral letters
in 1 Tim. 1:2 and Phil.
1:3. Other similar verses
are found such as 1 Thess.
3:13. |
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2) |
God the Father of our Lord
Jesus |
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a) |
This expression occurs six
times, always in the New
Testament.
While the proceeding words
change slightly, the
expression of the truth is
still the same, the Godhood
and Fatherhood of God to
Christ. |
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b) |
A clause which has similar
expressions are: |
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i) |
“That ye may with one mind
and one mouth glorify God,
even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:6) |
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ii) |
“Blessed be God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all
comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3) |
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iii) |
“The God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which is
blessed for evermore,
knoweth that I lie not” (2
Cor. 11:31) |
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iv) |
“Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in
Christ” (Eph. 1:3) |
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v) |
“That the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the
spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge
of him” (Eph. 1:17) |
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vi) |
“We give thanks to God and
the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, praying always for
you” (Col. 1:3) |
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vii) |
“Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which according to
his abundant mercy hath
begotten us again unto a
lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus
Christ” (1 Pet. 1:3) |
Observations
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I am not aware of any human
individual in the scriptures
ever calling God “My Father”
except the Lord. Sons and
grandsons spoke of the “God
of my father”, but that is
not the individual saying it
themselves |
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a) |
Only He could say “My
Father” in the distinct ways
the Jews understood it which
was claiming deity, perfect
equality with God (Jn.
5:18). |
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b) |
Again, the clause “Our
Father” was never used by
the Lord when with a
congregation praying (Jn.
11:41). When on His own He
spoke to God calling Him
“Father” (Matt. 11:26);
“Holy Father” (Jn. 17:11);
“My Father” (Matt. 10:33);
“Abba, Father” (Mk. 14:36);
“Righteous Father” (Jn.
17:25); “O Father” (Matt.
11:25); “My Heavenly Father”
(Matt. 15:13); “O My Father”
(Matt. 26:39). |
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c) |
When speaking of our
relationship to God as
Father the Lord said, “Your
Father” (Matt. 5:16); “Thy
Father” (Matt. 6:4; “Our
Father” (Matt. 6:9); “Your
Heavenly Father” (Matt.
6:32); “Their Father” (Matt.
13:43). |
When the Lord speaks to God calling
Him Father what does it signify?
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It evidently means
that the man
Jesus was God’s eternal and
co-equal. This is shown by
the understanding of the
Jews when the Lord, speaking
of God said, “My Father
worketh hitherto, and I
work” (Jn. 5:17). The next
verse reads, “Therefore the
Jews sought the more to kill
him, because he had not only
broken the sabbath, but said
also that God was his
Father, making himself equal
with God” (Jn.
5:18). This equality is
clearly presented in the
following verses: |
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a) |
“But what he seeth the
Father do: for what things
soever he doeth, these also
doeth the Son likewise (Jn.
5:19). |
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i) |
Equality and identicalness
in activity. |
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b) |
“For as the Father raiseth
up the dead, and quickeneth
them; even so the Son
quickeneth whom he will” (Jn.
5:21). |
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i) |
Identical in resurrecting
power. |
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c) |
“That all men should honour
the Son, even as they honour
the Father. He that
honoureth not the Son
honoureth not the Father
which hath sent him” (Jn.
5:23). |
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i) |
Equivalent in worthiness of
honour |
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d) |
“For the Father judgeth no
man, but hath committed all
judgment unto the Son” (Jn.
5:22) |
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i) |
Corresponding with God in
justice |
Christ ever was, is and will be
the Son of the Father
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Christ was, is and ever will
be the “Son”. He was the
Son before He left Heaven. |
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a) |
“The Father sent the Son” (1
Jn. 4:14). “When the
fulness of the time was
come, God sent forth his
Son, made of a woman, made
under the law” (Gal.
4:4). |
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b) |
He was the Son in His
incarnation, for Isaiah
wrote, “Unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is
given” (Isa.
9:6).
Careful note should be
given to the language, not a
son born, but “a son is
given”. (also Rom. 8:3). |
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c) |
He was the Son while here on
earth at the beginning of
His ministry (Mk. 1:11) and
at the closing days of His
ministry at His
transfiguration (Matt.
17:5). |
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d) |
He was the Son in
resurrection (Acts 3:26;
13:33). |
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e) |
He was the Son in
glorification (Heb. 1:5-9). |
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f) |
He was and is the Son in
Priestly position (Heb.
5:5). |
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g) |
We wait for His Son from
Heaven (1 Thess. 1:10). |
When we speak of God our Father
it is ideally:
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When we speak to God or
about God and refer to Him
as “Father” it ideally is in
the awareness of a real and
living relationship. That
relationship is to be lived
out in these mortal bodies,
for at conversion we were
put into the Spirit of God
and He in us which results
in the life characteristics
of Christ being seen in us.
Writing to the Romans Paul
wrote: |
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a) |
“For the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the law of
sin and death.” (Rom. 8:2) |
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b) |
“But ye are not in the
flesh, but in the Spirit, if
so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man
have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because of sin;
but the Spirit is life
because of
righteousness. But if the
Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in
you, he that raised up
Christ from the dead shall
also quicken your mortal
bodies by his Spirit that
dwelleth in you.” (Rom.
8:9-11) |
Calling God Father results in:
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a) |
In the consciousness of the
fulness of His love. (1 Jn.
3:1) |
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b) |
It is an awareness of the
responsibility placed on us
to convey His likeness. (1
Jn. 3:2) |
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c) |
In the consciousness of His
perfect discipline as the
Father of spirits. (Heb.
12:9) |
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d) |
In the awareness that as the
Father of Lights there is no
variableness or anything hid
from His sight. (Jam. 1:17) |
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e) |
In the reality of being
conformed ultimately to His
likeness morally (1 Jn. 3:2)
that results in purity of
life now.
(1 Jn. 3:3) |
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f) |
A blessing of righteously
provided and bestowed
righteousness without
works. (Rom. 4:11; Gal.
1:4) |
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g) |
The solemnity of prayer,
seeking to know His will
before asking. (1 Jn.
5:14-15) |
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h) |
The awareness of the glory
of the One to whom we are
speaking: |
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i) |
His unapproachability
without Christ (compare
Moses when the Tabernacle
was finished). (Ex.
40:34-35) |
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ii) |
The life preserving approach
via the holy all sufficient
permanently perfect
sacrifice of Christ. (Heb.
4:16; Jn. 3:3) |
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