God Our Father (Colossians #7)

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Text: Colossians 1:2

We’re going to look at what the Bible says about God as a Father.  God is a father to some, but not all. Because you were born doesn’t mean you have God for a father.  Because you go to church doesn’t mean you have God as a father. Paul addresses the hearers and doers of this Colossian letter as having God as their father: God our father.  Obviously he’s not addressing someone who is not reading this.

Image of the Invisible

• Colossians 1:15, 18 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: … 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
• Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
• 1 John is the book that deals with the image of God manifest in the flesh, the firstborn among many brethren.  And 1 John describes the many brethren.
  • Father and Son 1 John 1:2, 2:22-24, 4:14
  • Son of God 1 John 3:8, 4:15, 5:5, 10, 12-13, 20
  • children of God 1 John 3:10, 5:2

Promise versus Pleasure

• Corruptible seed is produced in the pleasure of the flesh versus Incorruptible seed that is produced by promise of God.
• John 8:42-44 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
• Soul would hit a crossroads of God’s promise and the devil’s pleasures.  That soul choosing lust becomes a child of the devil through the pleasure of the flesh.
  • If it feels good, do it.
  • Live for the moment.
  • Let’s party
  • Follow your heart.
  • Do what feels right.
• Devil is a father based on feelings (as opposed to faith).  And as a person is guided by their feelings they participate with the devil in his work in this world.
• James 3:13-18 wisdoms
• 1 Peter 1:22-25 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
• 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty
• James 1:17-23

From Abraham to the Almighty God

• Genesis 12 God’s blessings are put into Abraham
  • Genesis 15 God promises a seed to inherit the world
  • Genesis 18:9-14 God will produce a child by promise and by faith of two people who can’t have children.
• Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
• Romans 4:19-20 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
  • Before the Lord Jesus Christ it was all about being in Abraham – John 8:33-37
  • But God is not a father because of a birth in the flesh
• Romans 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
• The nation of Israel is the only nation that has eternal security as a nation.  BUT it doesn’t have eternal security as a nation apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Exodus 4:22-23 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
  • The nation of Israel received redemption from Egypt, but most of those Israelites died without ever entering into the promise.
  • God said, “My son” that he may serve me.  The Jews thought they were God’s people just because they were born Jews.
  • John 3:3-10
• God is a father based on his promise and man’s faith
  • Romans 4:13-14
  • Galatians 3:14, 22, 26, 29 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. … 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. … 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. … 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.