“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6
A research study done by Baylor University found that 95% of Americans believed in God. The problem is who people think God is varies widely.
31.4% of Americans believe in an Authoritarian God, who is engaged in the world but is very judgmental. This view is held primarily by African-Americans and evangelical Protestants. This God is visualized by a high level of involvement in daily life and world affairs. People who believe in the Authoritarian God believe God helps them in decision-making and punishes the unfaithful.
25% believe in a Benevolent God. He is engaged in the world but not
judgmental. He is very tolerant. The Benevolent God view (held primarily by Catholics) view God as a positive force in the world, active in daily life but not condemning of individuals’ actions.
23% believe in a Distant God, who is not engaged in the world and who doesn’t care what we do. This view (held by many Jewish and unaffiliated) view God as not active in the world nor especially angry. He is seen as a cosmic force that set nature into motion and then exited the scene.
Finally, 16% believe in a Critical God, who is judgmental but not actively engaged. The Critical God view, again held by many African-American and mainline Protestants) stays mostly out of world affairs but critiques mankind from afar and will judge people in the afterlife.
Unfortunately all of these characterizations distort the true character of the God of the Bible. Just as Satan did with Eve in the Garden of Eden, these views present a perverted view of God so that God’s goodness and kindness are under-emphasized and His hatred of sin is over-emphasized.
God’s desire is that we know Him. This involves salvation but it is much more. Knowing God is understanding and appreciating who He is and what He is like. This means one of the most important things we can study are the attributes of God – to really know who God is.
When we come to God for salvation, we must recognize our sinfulness and God’s holiness. We understand that our sin separates us from Him forever. We understand an absolutely holy God cannot, will not, allow sin into His presence. But after salvation we begin to understand another part of God’s character, His attributes. He deeply loves us. Because of who He is, He loves every person in His fallen creation. Therefore He came Himself, in the person of His Son, to pay for our sin, to forgive us and amazingly to adopt us into His family. Upon accepting His free gift of salvation provided by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, we are not only forgiven but adopted into His family. We become His children and He is our Father. God uses this example so that we can grasp our relationship is to Him, and Him to us. It is the basis of how He interacts with us. As a
loving Father He desires the best for His children. He wants us to mature and to live in a way that pleases Him – Godly, righteous character.
There are several important points about how God uses the term Father to teach us about His relationship with us.
First, the father-child relationship shows our absolute helplessness and dependence on God. This is the core of the believer’s humility. We stand in awe that the great God of the Universe would adopt us into His family. Then when we look at what He calls us to do we realize we are not capable unless Almighty God works in and through us.
Second, the name Father tells us God provides all our needs. Everything we need, He provides. We lack nothing good.
Third, He trains us. Like an earthly father, God has standards He wishes to teach us and he has a vision for what we should
become. He is not concerned with what others do or don’t do, He wants us to learn His ways. So He communicates and teaches.
Fourth, He guides us through the difficulties and challenges of life. He guides us into what will benefit, what will strengthen our
faith and what will make us into the sons he desires. Then He guides us away from danger. (In both cases He wants us to listen.)
Fifth, He disciplines us in love when we rebel against Him. While He loves us, He will not condone sin in
our lives. So He lovingly but forcefully deals with acts we perform that are not in rebellion to Him.
Sixth, He wants a relationship with us. He wants us to know who He truly is. “To know Him.”