By Chinedu Emmanuel

John 20:17 “Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”

Our Lord Jesus came to reconcile many sons and daughters with the Father. We have all fallen short of God’s glory, and Jesus’s purpose was to restore our connection with God our Father, bringing us back to His glory and acceptance.

Heb 2:10 “God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory.”

Christ conveyed a message that declared a profound truth: God is now our Father. When He guided His disciples in prayer, He instructed them to speak to God as their Father, beginning with the words, “Our Father in heaven…” To the Jewish audience, this was seen as blasphemy. They couldn’t fathom how a person could claim to be a child of God. In their theology, this assertion seemed to suggest equality with God because a child of God would naturally inherit all the qualities of their divine Father. Their anger ran so deep that they even entertained the thought of taking the Lord’s life due to His audacious assertion. We are also sons of God by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Members of His family call Him Abba Father.

John 1:12-13 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

The Holy Spirit testifies that if you are in Christ, you have become a child of God and can address God as “Abba Father.” “Abba” signifies an intimate connection with the Father, and it’s a reverential name that reflects the deep esteem and reverence you hold for Him as your Father.

Romans 8:15-16 emphasizes that we’ve received the Spirit of adoption, allowing us to address God as “Abba, Father,” and this special privilege brings us specific benefits from God. Galatians 4:6-7 further underscores that, as sons, we’ve received the Spirit of God’s Son in our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father.” Consequently, we are no longer servants but sons, and as sons, we become heirs of God through Christ. This means we share in the inheritance of all God’s blessings with Jesus, becoming heirs of our Father. Romans 8:17 further clarifies that as children, we are also heirs and joint heirs with Christ, though it may involve suffering together to be glorified. These verses highlight the incredible bond and inheritance we have as children of God.

Jesus testified to the fact that anyone who believes in Him becomes a child of God. No additional actions are required. Despite being human, we possess His indwelling Spirit, the very Spirit that designates us as God’s children, as mentioned earlier. God wishes for us to embrace Him as our Father. He desires to have this father-child relationship with all believers. He wants us to talk to Him like we are indeed talking to our daddy who loves us dearly. A father who loves us enough to send His son to die in our place just so He can bring us to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18).

We must understand that the Father loves us with the same depth of affection that He has for the Lord Jesus. He doesn’t play favorites and doesn’t show partiality to anyone. We all enjoy equal access to Him and share equal privileges as His children.

These Bible verses emphasize this profound love:

John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.”

John 16:27 “For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”

Engaging with God in this manner removes fear, frustration, and religious barriers from our hearts, drawing us closer to Him. Romans 8:15 affirms that, as we belong to Him, we should relate to Him as a loving Father: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.'” Approaching God in this way helps us shed fear, frustration, and the trappings of religion from our hearts, bringing us into closer communion with Him. Romans 8:15 underscores that, as His children, we are encouraged to address Him as our loving Father: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.'”

However, many believers struggle to accept God as their Father because, at the point of their spiritual rebirth, they weren’t certain they were coming to a loving Father. Instead, they encountered a different image of God – one seemingly devoid of love, challenging to please, and difficult to approach. Consequently, they relate to God out of fear rather than love, attempting self-punishment to gain His favor. Some believe Jesus’ sacrifice isn’t enough, and they must add their efforts to be accepted as God’s children. This mindset leads them to think that God won’t answer their prayers unless they fast, emphasizing their self-righteousness while disregarding the gift of righteousness freely offered to all who come to Christ. Some even dismiss it as false doctrine.

Romans 10:3-4 highlights the consequence of this ignorance, as some seek to establish their own righteousness instead of submitting to God’s righteousness, failing to recognize that Christ fulfills the law’s requirement for righteousness for all who believe.

Christians holding such beliefs think that engaging in certain activities will bring them closer to God, but this perspective is actually a deception fostered by the enemy. The adversary’s intention is to prevent us from realizing that God is our Father. To achieve this, he distorts our perception of God with a false image, depicting Him as a God devoid of love and light, unconcerned with showing mercy. This distorted image of God appears to lack grace entirely, instead emphasizing uncompromising judgment without any hint of mercy.

Colossians 2:20-23 (NLT) questions why believers continue to adhere to worldly rules after they have been set free from the spiritual powers of this world through Christ. Such rules, which include prohibitions like “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” are merely human teachings that lose their significance over time. While these rules may appear wise due to their demands for dedication, self-denial, and bodily discipline, they offer no assistance in conquering one’s sinful desires.

Recognizing God as our Father, who loves us deeply, is essential for establishing a meaningful relationship with Him and experiencing the Fatherly blessings He has for us. Luke 12:32 reassures us, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” The relationship between Jesus and God exemplified a pure father and son relationship, characterized by intimacy rather than religious rituals.

To learn how to relate with God, we should observe how Jesus interacted with the Father and follow His example. Listen to the words of Jesus concerning His relationship with the Father, where He enjoyed the privilege of having all things committed to His hands and being shown everything the Father does. As co-heirs with the Lord Jesus, we share in these privileges and gain insight into the mysteries of the kingdom and the blessings freely given to us in Christ.

Connecting with God as our Father opens the door for the Holy Spirit to transform our lives, as Ephesians 5:1 encourages us to be imitators of our Father. However, recognizing Him as our Father is the first step. As we draw near to Him, He reciprocates, mirroring the idea that we take the initial step.

The parable of the prodigal son illustrates the depth of the Father’s love, a love that surpasses human understanding. It’s a grace that God alone can provide, and the Holy Spirit can reveal this profound love to us. God’s love is unique, transcending all worldly comparisons. God is love, and your Father loves you unconditionally. Take a moment today to address Him as “Abba Father” and express your love; He eagerly awaits to hear it from you.

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain Of The Living Word Church, East Orange, New Jersey.