I Believe in God the Father

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Romans 8; Lord's Day 9
Psalters: 374, 145, 85, 347
  1. The idea.
    1. Fatherhood has always been in God – it did not begin in His being a Father to those He has chosen unto salvation.
      1. Fatherhood is a part of the essence of His being God – in the relationship of the First Person to the Second.
      2. Also, the Triune God is Father of the Mediator.
    2. To reveal His Fatherhood outside of Himself God created the heavens and the earth as the setting for this revelation.
      1. God made the heavens and the earth after the pattern of the heavenly.
      2. This sonship is the sonship of redemption, having been bought from the power of sin.
  2. There are four steps God took in making some sinful human to be His adopted children.
    1. First, He predestinated us unto the adoption of Christ by Jesus to Himself according to the riches of His. (Eph. 1:5).
    2. Then, in the fulness of time God sent His Son to redeem us, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4:4,5).
    3. Then God’s Son gave His Spirit (the Spirit of adoption) to testify with our spirits that we are God’s children (Rom. 8:14-16).
    4. Our adoption is to be fully realized when we are glorified in heaven (Romans 8:23).
  3. The Father gives great promises to His children.
    1. He promises that His children are heirs of an inheritance of eternal glory in us (Rom. 8:17,18; I Peter 1:4).
    2. He promises that along the way to glory He will provide them with all the things needed for both body and soul (Phil. 4:19).
    3. God as Father promises to make whatever evils (bad things) He sends turn out to my advantage.
  4. How can we be sure and possess this great comfort?
    1. We can rely on our Father, in every circumstance of life, so entirely that we have no doubt.
    2. Because our Father is able and willing.