Who’s The Father?

DNA Helix

This past week, CBS This Morning had a segment on an adoptee who found her birth father through DNA, along with a sister that she could be very close to. The New York Post had an article where she learned from DNA that the man she thought was her father wasn’t. DNA pretty much defines who are ancestors are. At present, DNA tested correctly hasn’t found to be wrong.

So, who is the Father? Jesus taught us to pray to Him:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)

There doesn’t appear to be physical DNA that proves God is our father, so how do people know we are truly His child – or another father described in the Bible:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44 KJV)

The father of lies.  Have you ever told one? Even one that was supposed to be a kindness to another person? Yep, that’s still not truth. Does that separate us from God? The Bible says it does:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)

Paul knew well enough this truth, and spent a couple of chapters before this verse explaining why this is truth. This is not so much an indictment as a statement of fact from people who care. As the Pulpit Commentary puts it:

It does not look down with contempt upon human nature. But it deals with facts as they are. And yet, if it speaks of human nature as sinful, it is in terms of pity and compassion and desire to save.

It is not said in judgment, but it acknowledges that God has placed standards, and we all have failed to live up to them. That’s why He provides both mercy and grace. All we have to do is have faith.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)

Please note that works do not/will not provide salvation in God’s planning. However, as verse 10 shows, we were created for good works and God’s plan ordains that we should do them. There is a huge difference between doing good works because we love God and doing good works thinking we will please Him. And no chance at all that good works without believing in Him bring salvation. That is so terribly clear, yet I hear people say: “No, they doesn’t believe in God, but they’re good people doing good for others.”  Please, please, please find the verse in God’s word that initiates that belief.

So far, there were two things given by God for our use in reaching Him.  The Ten Commandments and the books of the Law, which Jesus filtered down to two essentials:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

That takes care of the Law compliance, but we’re told Jesus fulfilled the law as the Son of God. He explained about faith – about believing – which has always been essential, even with the Law:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:14-19 KJV)

Yes – John 3:16 in context. Not everyone will be saved. Some are condemned only because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Jesus had to explain this to a religious leader of the Jews.

Do you require additional explanation? Do you believe? That really determines who is our Father, doesn’t it?