THE FATHER

To Christians the meaning of the word Father does not mean an actual physical father. First, it has a metaphorical meaning. God is the source and the creator of all creatures. So He is called the Father of all creatures, especially the intelligent ones. As the prophet Moses said, "Is He not your father and your possessor" He made you and brought you up." (Deuteronomy 32:6), or as Isaiah the prophet said, "O Lord, Thou art our Father." (Isaiah 64:8) In the New Testament the apostle Paul declared, "Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him." (I Corinthians 8:6) The word father in this context is stated in much the same way as used in the Arabic "Father of blessing" (Abu al-Khair Abdu al-Barakat) and "Father of God" (Abu al-Fadi), and others. These should not be understood in terms of a procreator or actual parentage but rather metaphorically.

Secondly, there is the legal meaning. In the case of adoption, the word father does not mean that he gave birth to the adopted son; rather he accepted him as a son and granted him all legal rights. He considers himself responsible and obligated to him as a real father. The apostle Paul speaks about this, "You have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15) and in Galatians 4:4, he uses the term "to obtain adoption." So God's fatherhood in our adoption is based on divine legal rights.

Thirdly, there is the essential meaning. This is the meaning which can only be applied to God's Trinity. May He be exalted! As a word bursts from the mouth, the son emanated from the Father before all ages. Jesus who is the Son became flesh through the blessed Mary because He was from the very beginning a spirit from God the Spirit. It is stated in John's Gospel, "And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) Jesus viewed God as His Father, in this unique, essential meaning which cannot be applied to any one else. "Neither does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." (Matthew 11:27)

Lastly, there is the spiritual meaning. After God had poured His Holy Spirit into the hearts of all believers through His Son, they were born again, a spiritual birth. They were converted by this friendly, divine Spirit. These believers "were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God." (John 1:13) Jesus Christ taught us to say, "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name." It is not the right of any man to call himself a son of God and call God his Father unless he obtains legal adoption. The anointing of the Holy Spirit reveals to us the secret of the name of God the Father. We do not believe in the fatherhood of God in a physical sense; but in purity of holiness, we believe in the birth of Christ and the descent and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers.