It is (Re)-Written: Doctrine of God
- Dec 3, 2023
- 5 min read
Ep. 2: THE FATHER
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" - Ephesians 3:14
Jesus Christ has a father. Many Christians are taught that this relation is metaphorical. They believe that God's fatherhood of Christ is never a literal reality. Let us put this belief to the test of Scripture. In the following verse Paul writes:
(Ephesians 3:15 KJV) Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
The whole family in heaven and earth is named after the Father. Not the Trinity, not Christ, not the Holy Spirit, but the Father. He is the source of everything.
(1Corinthians 8:6 KJV) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
(2Corinthians 5:18 KJV) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Thus then, the Father is the source of all things. He is also the God of Jesus Christ as Christ referred to Him on the cross:
(Matthew 27:46 KJV) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Some may argue that the Father was role-playing as God to Jesus when Christ was on earth accomplishing redemption for us. However, this claim can be quickly dispensed with when we see Christ still addressing His Father as His God even after resurrection and while in heaven:
(John 20:17) Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
(Revelation 3:12) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
In the above verse for example, Christ promises to write the name of His God on those who overcome. A few chapters later we can accurately answer to any lingering doubt as to who the God of Jesus is, whose name shall be written on the saints' foreheads:
(Revelation 14:1) And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads
(Ephesians 1:3 KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
It should be clear by now that the Father is so called 'the Father' principally because He is the Father of Jesus Christ. Additionally, the Father is the only person in Scripture exclusively referred to as 'the Most High'
(Psalm 78:17) And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
(Mark 5:7) And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Another curiosity is that Jesus Himself taught that His Father is older than Him
(John 14:28 KJV) Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
The word for ‘greater’ as used there is the greek word ‘meizon’ which properly translated means older. Notice the following uses of that word in other verses
(Luke 22:26) But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
(John 10:29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Consequently, because the Father of Christ is ‘older’ than all, He is called the Ancient of days
(Daniel 7:13 KJV) I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
(1Corinthians 11:3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
(1Corinthians 15:27 KJV) For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
(1Corinthians 15:28 KJV) And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
The Father, Jehovah, is the God and Father of Christ, He is the source of all things and everyone, He is the Most High and Older than all. He is the Ancient of days and the head of Christ. Christ has always been subject to His Father because a son is always subject to his father...that is the relation they've always had to one another. This is not a 'role' they took to play on account of sin and salvation. Even in eternity as we have seen Paul say, Christ shall be subject to His Father because He is the Son of God and His Father ante-dates Him.
“The Scriptures clearly indicate the relation between God and Christ, and they bring to view as clearly the personality and individuality of each…[Hebrews 1:1-5 quoted]…God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son.” - [Ellen White, Testimonies vol 8, pg 268, par. 3]
The word 'God' means 'supreme authority'. How does this help with understanding the following verse? "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not" (1 Corinthians 11:31)
Consider the following quote and deduce relevant points for this study
“As Jehovah, the supreme Ruler, God could not personally communicate with sinful men, but He so loved the world that He sent Jesus to our world as a revelation of Himself.” - [Ellen White, Manuscript Releases vol 9, pg 122, par. 3]
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