Part 1 · Belief 3 — The Doctrine of God
The Father
What we believe
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father.
Draft lesson — pending pastoral review. This guided lesson is being prepared and has not yet been approved. Study it prayerfully alongside the Scriptures, and check back as it is finalized.
Of all the names God could have asked us to call Him, He chose the most tender: Father. The God who flung the stars into space and holds every atom together invites you to come close and say "Father." That single word changes everything. It means the One who is over all is not distant or cold, but a parent whose heart is set on you. Many of us carry wounds from the word "father." The good news is that the Father in heaven is the original — the true one our earthly fathers were only ever meant to echo, and He will never fail you.
The Father who made you
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Everything that exists came from the Father's hand and is held together by His power (Revelation 4:11). That includes you. You are not an accident of blind chance; you were thought of, chosen, and made. "It is he who made us, and we are his" (Psalm 100:3). Before you ever knew Him, He already knew you — and counted you worth making.
Holy, just — and overflowing with mercy
When God showed Moses His character, this is how He described Himself: "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6). He is perfectly holy and just — He never winks at evil. Yet in the same breath He calls Himself merciful and gracious. Both are true at once. He is too holy to ignore our sin, and too loving to abandon us in it. The cross is where that holiness and that mercy meet.
Seen in the face of Jesus
If you want to know what the Father is like, look at Jesus. "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Everything kind, patient, and welcoming in Jesus is the Father showing Himself to us. And Jesus told one story above all to reveal Him: a father who runs down the road to embrace a son who had wasted everything (Luke 15:20). That running father is your God. The qualities we adore in the Son and the Spirit are the Father's own heart, made visible.
Search the Scriptures
Gen. 1:1; Deut. 4:35; Ps. 110:1, 4; John 3:16; 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:28; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 John 4:8; Rev. 4:11.
Reflect
This week, try beginning your prayers with just one word: "Father." Don't rush past it. Sit there a moment and let it be true. If the word is hard for you because of an earthly father, tell Him so — and ask Him to show you the Father He really is. He is not waiting for you to be good enough; He is already running down the road.
Check your understanding
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