| Christian Life and Doctrine | June 1962 |
Our Father in Heaven
ONLY in a limited sense did the great Creator of the universe present himself to his ancient people as a father, and speak of them as his children. (Deut. 32:6; Isa. 1:2; 63:16) This limited use of the father and son relationship is the one explained by Jesus in John 8:39-44. Here Jesus, speaking to those who claimed to be children of Abraham, and also of God, explained that if they really were, they would do the works of Abraham and the works of the Lord. While this is of necessity true of all the children of God, the call to sonship of this Gospel Age involves much more.
Actually, the Jewish nation was a house of servants, not a house of sons, although those servants who were living at the time of our Lord’s first advent were given the opportunity of being transferred into God’s house of sons, over which Jesus is the Head. (Heb. 3:4-6) John wrote concerning Jesus that he “came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” (John 1:11,12) This implies that previously the people of the Jewish nation were not sons of God in the same sense as the followers of Jesus—that is, they were not Spirit-begotten sons of God, having a hope of being born on the Spirit plane, and partaking of “glory and honor and immortality.”—Rom. 2:17
The Jewish people themselves, especially their religious leaders, considered it blasphemy for anyone to claim God as Father. This is one of the charges they brought against Jesus, and for which they insisted that he should be put to death. To whatever extent they did think of Jehovah as Father it did not involve that intimate relationship to and with him that is our privilege to enjoy who have been begotten by the Holy Spirit through the Word of truth.
The father-son relationship is a very precious one. It signifies endearment, consolation, protection, the supplying of all needs, and the source of life. It involves privileges which are granted only to those who are children. Our Father is a mighty potentate, superior in authority and power to any ruler this earth has ever known. Ordinary subjects of such an exalted One do not have the privilege of entering into his presence, but as his children we are invited to approach his throne of grace with boldness, with the assurance that in his love he will extend to us whatever help we need.—Heb. 4:16
In the Lord’s prayer “our Father” is addressed as being “in heaven.” This does not imply that he is far away from us, for the Scriptures reveal that in reality he is very near, and that his ears are always open to our cries for help. (Ps. 34:15; I Pet. 3:12) While our Heavenly Father is a glorious spirit being, and not merely a principle, and it would not be proper to think of him as being present everywhere at all times, nevertheless we cannot associate distance with one so great and powerful, for all the messengers and agencies at his command enable him to be instantly near to those who need his special succor and strength.
While we enjoy the close relationship with Jehovah which is involved in being his children, we are not to assume a familiarity with him which overlooks the sacredness of his name and position. We are always, and with great reverence, to hallow his name, never assuming to enter his presence except through the appointed way, which is Jesus.
What is our Father’s name which we are to hallow? Much controversy exists as to the true appellation which the Scriptures apply to the great Creator of the universe. Some make much of the name Jehovah. Others claim that the Creator’s real name is Yaweh. Still others have found different ways of spelling out in English letters the Hebrew word which is translated Jehovah so frequently in our Common Version translation. When we get into other languages, this name is given still different spellings and pronunciations.
We doubt, however, when Jesus said of our Heavenly Father, “Hallowed be thy name,” that he had reference to any given appellation. We believe, rather, that Jesus referred to his person and character, his attributes and reputation. When Moses asked God who he would tell the Israelites in Egypt had sent him to deliver them, the reply was, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exod. 3:14,15) The Hebrew word here translated “I AM” means “existing,” or the “Self-existing One.” The Hebrew word translated Jehovah is a derivative of this same word, and also means “Self-existing One.”
In giving this name to pass on to the Israelites as the One who had sent him to deliver them from Egyptian bondage, God’s purpose was to instill confidence in his people that the ever-living God had not forgotten them, that although hundreds of years had passed, the God who made promises to Abraham still existed, and now proposed to use his authority and power to get them out of Egypt and into the land which he had promised to their fathers. The quality of character revealed by the appellation “I AM” was the important consideration—not how it would appear and sound in Hebrew, or Greek, or English or French.
His Attributes
IF WE think of the “name” of our Heavenly Father which we are to hallow as pertaining to what he is, his qualities and attributes, rather than some special combination of letters, then we reverence him properly. And what are the attributes of our Heavenly Father? We believe there are four principal ones revealed in the Scriptures, these being his love, justice, wisdom, and power. Our Heavenly Father is also sympathetic and kind; he is patient and merciful. He also occupies the highest position of authority and glory in the universe, and we hallow this authority and bow in reverent and humble submission before it.
We read that when Moses was in the Mount receiving the Law, “the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”—Exod. 34:5-7
This is a remarkable summary of the qualities which make up the good name of our Heavenly Father. He is “merciful and gracious,” and “abundant in goodness.” These are elements of love. He is also abundant in “truth,” which is suggestive of his wisdom. He is also a just God, for he will “by no means clear the guilty.” In the operation of these qualities God’s power is continuously on display, showing himself “strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”—II Chron. 16:9
The qualities and attributes of our Heavenly Father are revealed through the truth of the divine plan. “God is love,” we are told. (I John 4:8,16) The Apostle John also wrote that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5) We may think of the “light” here mentioned by John as symbolic of God’s infinite wisdom. Thus we see that God is the embodiment of both love and of wisdom.
“Justice and judgment” the psalmist wrote, “are the habitation of thy throne.” (Ps. 89:14) The Hebrew word in this text which is translated “habitation” literally means “fixture.” It is sometimes translated “foundation.” Thus justice is seen to be a fixed, or foundation principle of God’s throne. Nothing that he does can be out of harmony with justice.
And certainly God is all-powerful. Thus he is referred to in the Scriptures as the “Almighty God.” (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11) How much this should mean to us in terms of peace and security! There should be no doubt in our minds concerning our Heavenly Father’s ability to fulfil all his gracious promises of care, of protection, of guidance, and of help in our every time of need, for greater is he who is for us than all who are against us, including our great Adversary, the Devil.—Rom. 8:31; I John 4:4
Exemplified in Jesus
JESUS said to his disciples, “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” They did not understand this, and Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” Jesus replied, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the, Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?”—John 14:7-9
This does not mean, of course, that Jesus actually was the Father as well as the Son. It was simply his way of emphasizing that in him were exemplified all the virtuous characteristics of the Father. He spoke only those things which the Father gave him to speak. His miracles were all performed by the power of the Father. He manifested his Father’s loving sympathy, kindness, and mercy on behalf of the sin-cursed and dying race. The image of God was reflected in him as a perfect man, and also because of the indwelling Spirit of God which he had received without measure at the time of his baptism.—John 3:34
Just as the Heavenly Father demonstrated his love for his human creation by giving his Son to be the Redeemer and Savior, so Jesus willingly gave himself to die, thus manifesting the same love that was displayed by his Father. Jesus’ final demonstration of this divine love was on the cross, where he suffered and died that we, and all who accept this divine provision of grace, might have life.
God’s Children
PAUL wrote, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor.” (Eph. 5:1,2) It is evident from these words that if we are to be God’s dear children we must follow after his example of love as it was exemplified so vividly by the sacrifice of his Son, Christ Jesus, whose offering was, as Paul declares, “a sweetsmelling savor” to the Heavenly Father.
“God is love,” and to be followers of God we, too, must be controlled by motives of love. First we are to love God with all our hearts. Our entire beings must be dedicated to him, to his service, and to his people. We must love his children, our brethren—all the members of his family. Our love for God’s children must be all-embracing and self-sacrificing, urging us on to lay down our lives for them. We are also to love the world of mankind even as God loves the world. Finally, we are to love even our enemies, for this also is a godlike quality.
If our hearts are emptied of self, and filled thus with the love of God and with the love of Jesus, then our Heavenly Father will look upon us as his “dear children.” Are we thus filled and controlled by love, a love that makes us “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven” us? (Eph. 4:33) Are we using time and strength and means in lovingly telling the people of the world about God’s great plan of salvation; that the kingdom of Christ is soon to be manifested for the blessing of all the families of the earth?
John wrote, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (I John 3:10) Again, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born [begotten] of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (I John 4:7-11) John further wrote: “We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”—Eph. 4:16
Are we dwelling in love? Love is not a meaningless platitude. It is more than a pleasant-sounding word. It is a definite principle which manifests itself in certain patterns, or characteristics, of conduct. Paul mentions a number of these. He wrote: “Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth [covereth, Diaglott, Rotherham, Strong] all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth.”—I Cor. 13:4-8
As day by day we continue to look into God’s Word and become better acquainted with the glorious characteristics of our loving Father in heaven, this growing understanding should mold us more and more into his image. Otherwise we are like the man who looked at himself in the mirror, and soon thereafter forgot what he looked like. (James 1:23) Let us not be hearers of the Word only, but doers—doers in the fullest possible manner, by obeying the truth and, motivated by love, laying down our lives in the divine cause. Thus we can boldly lay claim to that precious relationship to our Heavenly Father of being his children.
“And if children,” Paul wrote, “then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8:17) Ultimately, if we continue faithful, this will mean exaltation to the divine nature, and being ushered into the actual presence of our Heavenly Father, where there will be fullness of joy forevermore. It will also mean living and reigning with Christ for a thousand years for the uplifting of the human race from the corruption of sin and death; and this also will be an accomplishment of divine love. How understandingly we are able to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:9,10) And how we rejoice in the near answer to this prayer!