February 23 – LD 8, Day 5: Faith in God the Father

Luke 3:22, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased”

It is not so easy to quote texts from the Bible that specifically demonstrate the First Person of the Trinity. The above quote is an example. God could not say the statement, “Thou art my beloved Son” unless He was the First Person speaking to the Second Person. Nevertheless, on the foreground is not the first and second Person but God triune as Father speaking to Jesus as the Mediator of the covenant. Behind this statement nevertheless, is the wonderful truth that God is the first Person of the holy trinity. As we pointed out before, as Father, he assumes the leading role in the creation, not only, but also in the sending of His Son and the sending forth of the Holy Spirit. God as Father has an important role in all aspects of creation, redemption, and sanctification.

The point is that if He were not the first Person as Father, He could not be involved as He is in all aspects of salvation.

There is something important about God the Father.

He has made a human analogy within the human family. A father is the one who initiates the formation of a new family by taking the initiative in marriage, by taking a wife. Living with such a wife in love, children are conceived and brought forth. This father nurtures and cares for these children and meets their needs. This is a reflection of God our Father.

Because God is Father, He initiates within the God-head a covenant of friendship. Love emanates from the Father to the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Already apart from creation, and long before time began, the Father functions in originating (humanly speaking) the divine friendship which is the pattern for covenant friendship with His creatures when time begins.

In the creation, He functions as Father, giving origin and persistence to His creation.

Even after the fall, the Father takes on His great role of “fathering” children out of sin and death and who by nature are children of the devil, and makes them His dear children.

God as Father ultimately takes to Himself the perfect family in the perfect creation through Jesus Christ His Only Begotten Son.

When the Father said to Jesus, “Thou art my BELOVED Son”, we embrace our Father with joy.