In this section of our site, we do our best to try to answer some basic questions about God's Fatherhood of the human race and God's Fatherheart for every person in the world. We are not theologians so please know that all we are trying to do, is to create a biblical framework for this amazing reality!
Did God father the human race?
The simple answer is a resounding... YES! In the first book of the Bible, we read the creation story in Genesis 1-2 where on the sixth day, God created man and woman in His own image (Genesis 1:26-28) with the intention that the human race would be an extension of His family. Luke 3:38 says that Adam was God's son, so Eve would have been God's daughter too.
Though ultimately Adam and Eve's heart changed towards God, the Bible says that God never changes (Malachi 3:6) so God's Fatherheart towards them would have continued even after they left the garden. Throughout the Old Testament, we see golden threads of God's Fatherheart for humanity in the way He continually pursued a relationship with us.
In Psalm 139, King David writes about God's intimate involvement in our creation process of every human being and Isaiah declares God's continual fathering of the human race when he writes in Isaiah 64:8... Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. NIV
Not only did God partner with our parents in our creation, but He has always hoped that one day, we would call Him 'Father'. We read this longing in God's heart towards Israel in Jeremiah 3:19... “I myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. NIV
And of course the New Testament name of God that Jesus revealed was the name 'Father' which He taught us to call God... even before the New Covenant began! And if there was still any doubt to God's fathering involvement in all creation, the Apostle Paul clearly declares it in 1 Corinthians 8:6... yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. NIV
To read more about this topic, read our reflection called... God's Fatherheart For The World.
Though ultimately Adam and Eve's heart changed towards God, the Bible says that God never changes (Malachi 3:6) so God's Fatherheart towards them would have continued even after they left the garden. Throughout the Old Testament, we see golden threads of God's Fatherheart for humanity in the way He continually pursued a relationship with us.
In Psalm 139, King David writes about God's intimate involvement in our creation process of every human being and Isaiah declares God's continual fathering of the human race when he writes in Isaiah 64:8... Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. NIV
Not only did God partner with our parents in our creation, but He has always hoped that one day, we would call Him 'Father'. We read this longing in God's heart towards Israel in Jeremiah 3:19... “I myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. NIV
And of course the New Testament name of God that Jesus revealed was the name 'Father' which He taught us to call God... even before the New Covenant began! And if there was still any doubt to God's fathering involvement in all creation, the Apostle Paul clearly declares it in 1 Corinthians 8:6... yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. NIV
To read more about this topic, read our reflection called... God's Fatherheart For The World.
What's the difference between being God's offspring and His heirs?
One of the biggest misunderstandings of God's Fatherhood of the human race comes from not discerning the difference between being God's offspring through creation and His children and heirs through redemption.
In Acts 17:22-34, we read of an account when the Apostle Paul preaches to a group of pagan philosophers on Mars Hill and affirms God's fathering connection to the human race when he quotes one of their own poets that says... 'We are his offspring'. Of course Paul goes on to call these same people to repent of their pagan ways but it is the idea that all of humanity is God's offspring that can cause confusion in how we see God relates to us as Father.
The Greek word for offspring is 'genos' which means born, country(-man), diversity, generation, kind(-red), nation, offspring, stock. It is a word that can describe things that have a similarity (kind) and it can describe someone who is generationally linked to another person. It is more of a technical description of a relationship rather than a family father/child heart connection.
But it is interesting that there is a different word used to describe those who have been born again. John 1:11-13 says... 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (teknon) of God-- 13 children (teknon) born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. NIV
The Greek word that John describes here for the word 'children' is the word 'teknon' which means a child (as produced): — child, daughter, son. This word is used most often, especially in the writings of the Apostle John to describe our familial relationship to God as His children.
The reality is that God has always been Father because that is who He is. And in His fathering love, He created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6) including every person in the human race. And in that sense, we all came from God, we were all fathered by God and He loves each and every one of us equally with His Fatherheart.
But the gospel that Jesus came to bring us into is one where we can be transformed in our relationship with God through the simple act of faith. Be believing and receiving God's free gift of salvation in Christ, we go from being an offspring (genos) of God, to being born anew to be a child of God (teknon, huios) by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in Romans 8:15-17.
If you would like to read more about this answer, read our reflection titled... From Offspring To Heir.
In Acts 17:22-34, we read of an account when the Apostle Paul preaches to a group of pagan philosophers on Mars Hill and affirms God's fathering connection to the human race when he quotes one of their own poets that says... 'We are his offspring'. Of course Paul goes on to call these same people to repent of their pagan ways but it is the idea that all of humanity is God's offspring that can cause confusion in how we see God relates to us as Father.
The Greek word for offspring is 'genos' which means born, country(-man), diversity, generation, kind(-red), nation, offspring, stock. It is a word that can describe things that have a similarity (kind) and it can describe someone who is generationally linked to another person. It is more of a technical description of a relationship rather than a family father/child heart connection.
But it is interesting that there is a different word used to describe those who have been born again. John 1:11-13 says... 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (teknon) of God-- 13 children (teknon) born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. NIV
The Greek word that John describes here for the word 'children' is the word 'teknon' which means a child (as produced): — child, daughter, son. This word is used most often, especially in the writings of the Apostle John to describe our familial relationship to God as His children.
The reality is that God has always been Father because that is who He is. And in His fathering love, He created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6) including every person in the human race. And in that sense, we all came from God, we were all fathered by God and He loves each and every one of us equally with His Fatherheart.
But the gospel that Jesus came to bring us into is one where we can be transformed in our relationship with God through the simple act of faith. Be believing and receiving God's free gift of salvation in Christ, we go from being an offspring (genos) of God, to being born anew to be a child of God (teknon, huios) by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in Romans 8:15-17.
If you would like to read more about this answer, read our reflection titled... From Offspring To Heir.
What is The Trinity?
If we understand the character and nature of who God is, we will see there are three manifestations of God's Person in the Bible... Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 2:18). This is a mystery that is beyond our ability to adequately explain, but there is such unity in the community of love which we call 'The Trinity', that though each Person in the Godhead is fully unique in their expression, they are at the same time, completely one in heart.
Yet the Father is not the Son, and neither is the Son the Father, and the Holy Spirit is neither Father nor Son, but at the same time, The Spirit reveals the character and nature of both Father (Matthew 10:20) and Son (Galatians 4:6-7). That it is so important for us to nurture an intimate relationship with Father, Son and Spirit.
Think of it this way. The Father draws us to Jesus (John 6:44-45) by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) and then Jesus brings us back to the Father (John 14:6) by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15-17). It is in the very center of this community of eternal love that we find ourselves in our union with Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23).
To find out more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... The Triune Heart of God.
Yet the Father is not the Son, and neither is the Son the Father, and the Holy Spirit is neither Father nor Son, but at the same time, The Spirit reveals the character and nature of both Father (Matthew 10:20) and Son (Galatians 4:6-7). That it is so important for us to nurture an intimate relationship with Father, Son and Spirit.
Think of it this way. The Father draws us to Jesus (John 6:44-45) by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) and then Jesus brings us back to the Father (John 14:6) by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15-17). It is in the very center of this community of eternal love that we find ourselves in our union with Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23).
To find out more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... The Triune Heart of God.
Why are some people called 'the children of the devil'?
There are a few passages in the New Testament that refer to those who are disobedient as being 'children of the devil' (1 John 3:10) or 'children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-2). Jesus Himself, told the Pharisees that because they wanted to kill Him, that the devil was their father (John 8:41-44). These Scriptures have led to some confusion in the past because they seem to be saying that God has fathered the obedient ones, and the devil has fathered those who are disobedient.
But is this what they passages are saying? ...Absolutely NOT! The devil is a created being and he couldn't father anything. When Jesus called him the 'father of lies' in John 8:44, He was referring to the devil's ability to lie and deceive people. In essence, he is a counterfeit father. This idea of whose children we are refers more to whose fathering influence we submit to. It definitely does NOT change the Father of our origin (Isaiah 64:8) which is God Himself (Genesis 1:26-27).
To find our more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... Nature vs Nurture.
But is this what they passages are saying? ...Absolutely NOT! The devil is a created being and he couldn't father anything. When Jesus called him the 'father of lies' in John 8:44, He was referring to the devil's ability to lie and deceive people. In essence, he is a counterfeit father. This idea of whose children we are refers more to whose fathering influence we submit to. It definitely does NOT change the Father of our origin (Isaiah 64:8) which is God Himself (Genesis 1:26-27).
To find our more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... Nature vs Nurture.