God Our Heavenly Father

Genesis 1:26-28; Matthew 6:24-33

GOLDEN TEXT: “Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.”—Matthew 6:9

THE Scriptures teach that there have been two, and only two perfect men—Adam and Jesus. Adam was created in the image of God: that is, with similar mental powers of reason, memory, judgment and will, and the moral qualities of justice, benevolence, love, etc. “Of the earth, earthy,” he was an earthly image of a spiritual being, possessing qualities of the same kind, though differing widely in degree, range and scope. To such an extent is man an image of God that God can say even to the fallen man, “Come, let us reason together.”

The perfection of man, as created, is expressed in Psalm 8:5-8: “Thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and hath crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madst him to have dominion over the works of Thy hand: Thou hast put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, yea, the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea.” David in the Psalms refers to man in his original estate, and prophetically intimates that God has not abandoned His original plan—that He will remember him, redeem him and restore him to Isis image, and make him again king of earth.

The apostle (Hebrews 2:7) calls attention to the same fact—that God’s original purpose has not been abandoned; that man, originally grand and perfect, the king of earth, is to be remembered and visited, and restored. He then adds, we see not this promised restitution yet, but we do see the first step God is taking toward its accomplishment. We see Jesus crowned with glory and honor of perfect manhood, that He, as a fitting ransom or substitute might, by God’s favor taste death for every man, and thus prepare the way for the restitution of man to all that was lost.

There is a wonderful contrast between man as we now see him, degraded by sin, and the perfect man that God made in His image. Sin has gradually changed his features, as well as his character. Multiplying of generations, by ignorance, by sensuousness and general depravity, have so blurred and marred humanity, that in the large majority of the race the likeness to God is almost obliterated.

But though thus defiled and degraded by sin and its penalty, death, working in him, man is to be restored to his original perfection of mind and body, and to glory, honor and dominion during and by the Millennial reign of Christ. Thus our Lord declares that He came to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10) And the only exceptions will be those who refuse to take of the water of life when it is offered to them. Those who will not come into harmony with God, even under those most favorable conditions of the Mediatorial reign of Christ, will be cut off in the second death.

In the second section of our lesson, the Lord is pointing out an important truth to His disciples, namely that it would be impossible for them to serve both the Lord and their selfish human interests which He speaks of under the term “mammon.” He states the principle that a servant can only serve one master, that either he will love the master whom he serves, and hate the other one; or, at least, that he will hold to and serve the one and will disregard or neglect the other. In this He is pointing out the absolute necessity that in an effort to serve God one must make a full consecration and thus he wholly devoted to that one objective—the knowing and doing of God’s will.

The Master then points out some of the thoughts which might interfere with faithfully following in His footsteps and in doing God’s will. One would be anxiety with respect to our human life. He reminds His followers that the fowls of the air neither sow nor reap nor have any storehouse, but that God sees that they are fed. Then He calls their attention to the fact that God is interested in their welfare, saying, “Are ye not much better than they”—the fowls.

Likewise, the Lord calls attention to the lilies of the field, making that famous statement which has so impressed itself upon Christians, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these flowers. Then He exhorts the brethren to consider this great fact of how the lilies grow. They grow by absorbing the provisions which God has made for them, in the rain and in the sunshine and the earth, and just so His followers were to grow by drinking in the abundant grace exhibited toward them through God’s Word, His Spirit and His providences.

Thus considering, and looking through the little affairs of life, and noting the designed character as revealed in them, the mind is prepared for the still greater revelation of God’s goodness as set forth in His Word, which assures us of His sympathy for humanity in its fallen condition, and of His willingness to assist in man’s recovery from sin and death, along lines in harmony with justice and love. The heart that thus considers makes progress, grows in grace, in knowledge, and in love.

QUESTIONS:

In what sense was Adam created in the image of God?

What did the apostle mean when he said, “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels”?

How did Jesus illustrate the Heavenly Father’s care for His children?

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