Father and His Family

During college, I worked part time for a professor, Dr. Paul, who had a terrible reputation of being unyielding and strict. As I got to know him, however, I realized he was actually a fair and just teacher. The problem was his reputation had been built early on by the first class he taught at the university, which was made up of poor and lazy students.

One day he invited me to his home. As we walked up the drive, his dog and several kids came running to meet him. The dog jumped on him, followed by his kids. He rolled in the grass, laughing and playing with his dog and kids. I was shocked! At school, he was always so formal and distant. Dr. Paul acted one way at school and another way at home.

Prison Warden or Father with His Kiddos

Imagine a strict and unyielding prison warden who comes home each day to romp and play with his kids. He acts one way on the job with hardened criminals and another way when with his kids. Similarly, our Father God was once responsible for giving and enforcing the Law with fallen people who were prisoners to the Law. Then He sent Jesus to set us free from Law, so that we can become His beloved children in His home.[1]

How can we move from a prisoner of sin to a beloved child in Father’s house? We cannot simply change positions - we must die and be reborn. A prisoner (you and me) can be executed for his transgressions (crucified with Jesus) and born again into the warden’s family (our dear Father God) as his precious little newborn child, fully loved and accepted as the natural born child he or she truly is. As the new creations we are, we can run and jump in our Father’s arms, free to receive His love.

The opportunity to be born again, to be born of the Spirit of God, is a re-creation accomplished by Jesus at the cross. We absolutely must see that we are like Him simply because we are born of Him. When we are born of God, the DNA of God is in you and me. In fact, on the inside, we look just like our Father. Think about it. On the inside, you have your Father’s eyes, your Father’s nose, your Father’s walk, and your Father’s nature. The Lord Jesus Christ is light and He is love.[2] We are, therefore, made of light and love.[3] The light and love we are will never change so long as we belong to Him. You could even say that you are of the substance of God.

Moving from being a child of God in Father's house toward a mature son of God is a matter of growth. Servants, however, cannot see themselves as part of the family and cannot come to rest as sons do. Even though we know we are born of God and created in His image, this revelation of our identity in Christ is not always enough. The problem might be we have an orphan heard toward fathering or mothering or we do not yet know our legitimacy in our families and communities. Coming to rest might first require a season of healing.

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A child secure in Father's house. Learn more
Our identity in Christ. Learn more
Healing from the orphan heart.
Our legitimacy in community. Learn more
A season of healing.

[1] Galatians 3:23

[2] I John 4:8, I John 1:5

[3] I John 4:16-17, Ephesians 5:8