Fatherhood and the Family

Too often it seems like the media and even those in our own Christian circles, downplay or even deny the positive impact of fathers on families, culture, and community.  There’s only one problem with this assertion: it’s flat out not true.

The truth is that dads matter because of who God is. Fatherhood is absolutely central to the Christian story. Christians need to understand that human fatherhood has to be defended and upheld because it is under constant attack. Why? It represents that which is the very core of the universe: the relationship between God the Father and God the Son. That is why the Enemy despises it. This hate cannot be overstated.

Jesus spoke of His Father over 170 times in the New Testament. In nearly every case He used the word abba, which is understood as a very personal reference to a father – as in “my father” – a clear indication that the relationship between Father and Son was that of total union and perfect love.

This connection is just one of the reasons the crucifixion of Jesus is so powerful. As Christ dies on the cross, the earth turns dark. God has turned His face away from the Son because of the sin He willingly bore on our behalf. The Scriptures tell us that at this moment, Jesus cries out,

“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

This is a remarkable thing, perhaps the turning point of all human history. The communion of the Father and Son was severed. As He breathes His last breath, Jesus does not refer to His father with the intimacy that He has before (“abba”), but with the distance of calling Him God (“Eloi”). This separation is very real, but it is not permanent.

Jesus overcame death through His resurrection. Satan’s obsession to destroy the relationship between Father and Son, and his anticipation of victory in Christ’s death, turned into his ultimate demise in a matter of three days. We can’t miss the fact that this cosmic struggle—and sacred victory—centered on the relationship between the Father and the Son.

Have you considered fatherhood in this way before?

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