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Fatherhood When we pray, "Our Father Who Art in heaven,'' what do we mean? What is the relationship between God as Father and earthly fatherhood? Our society's present definition of fatherhood is a far cry from the understanding that the church had in the past. In order to understand fatherhood, and the fatherhood of God, we must go to the only source of truth; God's Word. As we enter this discussion of fatherhood, we do so in light of the cross. Our understanding of this topic is in the light of the forgiveness and eternal salvation Jesus has won for us by His death and resurrection. Because of Christ, manhood is defined, not as a macho image, but by servanthood and self sacrifice. The greatness of a man is measured, not by what he gains for himself, but by what he gives to others. In this light, let us examine the scriptural teaching on fatherhood. In scripture there is no distinction between the term for earthly fathers and that of our heavenly Father. The difference is only to whom the word refers. Thus, to an extent, the expectations and responsibilities of the two are similar, since they are both called "father''. Obviously we cannot compare the righteousness of earthly fathers (which is like filthy rags) to that of our heavenly Father. But we can and must apply the principles of fatherhood to both, in the knowledge that fatherhood was intended in Paradise and that Christ has restored us in this relationship to the extent that God is our example of what fathers should be in the church. The following are specific references to give you some idea of what the scriptures say about these relationships.
Questions: 1. How are the responsibilities of fathers a reflection of God and what does it mean in our practice? 2. How does God's example of fatherhood apply to us in motivation and practice? 3. What are the consequences of neglecting these things? 4. In what way is our physical providing a confession of our faith, and who is affected by it?
Questions: 2. What does the fatherhood of God teach about why fathers meet spiritual needs? 3. What are the consequences of neglecting these things? 4. In what way is our spiritual providing a confession of faith, and who is affected by it?
These references only scratch the
surface. Yet they teach us about our Father in heaven and what He expects of
earthly fathers. The headship of fathers in the family is their
responsibility to God. The exercise of that headship is their loving
service to their families. The relationship God has with us should be reflected
in the relationship of fathers to their children. This is not intended to be a
yoke around their necks, but an act of love by one who has been liberated by the
loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 1. What are the qualities or responsibilities in both realms? 2. What is the motivation for this relationship? 3. How does our understanding and practice of fatherhood affect our understanding of God's self revelation? 4. What is the proper response of children to Christian fatherhood and how is this response arrived at? 5. How does Christ on the cross affect fatherhood? 6. What steps can we encourage toward better fatherhood? Rev. David Shadday is Pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church-Indianapolis, IN. What's New / Resources / Services / Links / Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||