The Father revealed by Jesus
Jesus spoke of God as his Father in a unique way. He said that seeing him reveals the Father, because the Father was at work in and through him (John 14:9-10). This does not mean Jesus is simply another name for the Father. Jesus speaks to the Father, obeys the Father, and shares eternal glory with the Father (John 17:5).
When Jesus taught his followers to pray, he began with “Our Father”, opening the way for ordinary people to approach God with reverence and trust (Matthew 6:9). God is high and holy, yet he is not unreachable.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
The Bible calls God one, while also showing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit relating to one another. At Jesus’ baptism, the Son is in the water, the Spirit descends, and the Father speaks from heaven (Matthew 3:16-17). Christians often use the word Trinity to describe this biblical truth: one God, known as three distinct persons.
The word Trinity is not found in the Bible, but it is a helpful shorthand, not an attempt to solve God like a puzzle. Paul blesses the Corinthian church by naming the Lord Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit together (2 Corinthians 13:14). Faithful Christians agree that God is one and that Father, Son, and Spirit are fully involved in saving and sustaining his people.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
What kind of Father is he?
Calling God Father does not mean he is a human male with a body. Scripture says God is Spirit (John 4:24). The name Father tells us something true about his relationship, authority, love, and care. Psalm 103 compares God’s compassion for those who honour him to a father’s compassion for his children (Psalm 103:13).
For some, the word father brings comfort. For others, it may stir grief, absence, or harm. God is not a copy of a flawed parent. Jesus points to the Father as perfectly good, generous, and attentive to the needs of his children (Matthew 7:9-11).
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
A Father who brings people near
God the Father’s love is seen most clearly in sending his Son for the world’s salvation (John 3:16). Through Christ, believers are not merely forgiven from a distance. They are received as God’s children, and the Holy Spirit helps them cry out to God with the confidence of sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-6).
So who is God the Father? He is the Creator and holy ruler of all, the Father of Jesus Christ, and the loving God who welcomes people into his family through Jesus. Reading the Gospels is a good place to keep exploring, because Jesus continually shows what the Father is like.