Lesson for June 20, 2021
Father’s Day
A Godly Father
The Bible has a lot to say about godly husbands and fathers. Being a father is so much more than being the father genetically. A godly father must be a believer in Christ and must be growing spiritually in order to fulfill this extremely important role in the family. Knowledge of accurate Bible doctrine will enable a man to fulfill his responsibility as unto the Lord. Here are some characteristics of a godly father found in the Word of God.
A godly father is to be a spiritual leader. In order to lead a family unit successfully, a man must have a good working knowledge of God’s Word. It is only in the Bible that God reveals to mankind the proper role of a man in marriage and the family. There is a lot to know about raising a family and the dynamics of the relationship with your wife and your children. It’s not an easy job, but it is a rewarding one when done in accordance with God’s principles. Colossians 3:18-21, “Wives, be subject to your husbands (recognize his leadership role), as is fitting in the Lord.Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged.”
A godly father is to be a teacher. A godly father must be able to teach his children the Word of God. Sharing the Gospel message with his children should be done when they are old enough to understand it. He must also set an example of godly living as a testimony to his children. Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
A godly father is to be a disciplinarian. A godly father must establish his authority in the home without being a bully. Instead, a godly father must be able to discipline his children with love and without harshness. Once again, using the Bible as a guide and what it teaches about how God disciplines His children is the blueprint for disciplining children. A father should never discipline his children out of anger, which can do severe damage to a relationship. God’s discipline is first gentle, then firm. Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof,for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”
A godly father is to be an example. Setting the example of righteous living should be as much a testimony to a father’s family as it is to the outside world. Talking about God without fear or shame in front of your family should be a normal, comfortable conversation. Leading your family spiritually sets the example for the next generation. Joshua 24:15, “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
A godly father is to be a provider. It is also the responsibility of the godly father to provide for the physical needs of his family. Working to earn an income and being a good steward of what God provides the family in grace are honorable and godly traits. A godly father’s work ethic prepares his children to follow in his footsteps and will result in a generation of responsible adults. I Timothy 5:8, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
A godly father is to love his wife. One of the greatest things a godly father can do for his children is to love their mother. Open affection, caring and loving words should be observed by the children in a marriage. There should be no doubt that the father loves and respects his wife and puts her first in their marriage. Happy wife, happy life! Ephesians 5:25-33, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”
A godly father is to be an encourager. A godly father should always be encouraging his child to succeed. The positive reinforcement from a godly father will reap great benefits for the children as they grow up. When the spiritual life is taught correctly to the children in the home, and they are encouraged to pursue it by a godly father (and mother) there is great hope that they will continue to build upon what they were taught by their parents. I Thessalonians 2:11-12, You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
A godly father is to love his children. When children know they are loved, they are normally much more willing to follow the instructions of their father. Loving a child as Christ loves them means treating them the way you want to be treated. A loving relationship between parent and child engenders trust and confidence and means that both the parent and child will remain close even after the child as left home as an adult. Luke 15:20-24, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men. So, he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
A godly father is to be compassionate. Parents often forget what it was like to be a child under the authority of another person. Compassion for what a child faces at school, at social activities and within the family unit will go a long way in solving issues that arise. We are all human and we all make mistakes, even as children. So, a godly father will handle any situation the way God does. Psalm 103:13-14, “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who respect Him.For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.”
A godly father is to be forgiving. As a loving, compassionate, spiritual leader in the home a godly father will be quick to forgive. He will forgive as God has forgiven him. He will teach his children how to acknowledge or admit their sins to God and receive His forgiveness. He will also teach his children the importance of forgiving others. Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
The Story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 illustrates the attitude that a godly father should have toward his children, especially when they stray from the sound teachings they were given from the Word of God. The story of the Prodigal Son is a perfect illustration of forgiveness and recovery. It is a great story for a father to share with his children. The prodigal son is a perfect example of a believer who has been out of fellowship with God for a long time..
In the story, the younger son (the prodigal) made a legitimate request of his father. He requested a portion of his inheritance, which legitimately belonged to him, and his father gave it to him, and also to his older brother. The younger son then gathered his belongings and left for a faraway country to spend his inheritance. Immediately, this young man began to waste his inheritance in “riotous” living. This part of the story would be analogous to the person who becomes a believer and fails to grow spiritually, showing no interest in God or His Word. Instead, he succumbs to the trends of his sin nature and spends his time out of fellowship with God. This believer has entered into the early stages of reversionism. When the prodigal son ran out of money from his inheritance and famine struck the land, he had to take a job feeding pigs. This, of course, was not what he had been accustomed to, either at home or while he still had money. As his slide into reversionism continued, the prodigal son stooped to desiring the food that was being fed to the pigs. What a picture of a believer who has hit rock bottom spiritually and can no longer be distinguished from an unbeliever. The son decides to return to his father. The father in our story sees the son coming home and runs to greet him with loving embraces and kisses. This is a vivid portrayal of how God forgives us. God’s righteousness and justice insure forgiveness through Christ’s payment for our sins. When we name our sins to God, it is as though He is lovingly embracing and kissing us, as He welcomes us back into fellowship. This is truly the grace of God in action.
The word for forgiveness in Greek is “aphiemi,” which means “to send away from or to send forth.” Theologically, forgiveness means the deliverance from the penalty of sin. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all sin (pre-salvation and post-salvation). (II Corinthians 5:21; I John 2:2) At salvation, the believer’s pre-salvation personal sins are forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7) After salvation the believer’s personal sins separate him from fellowship with God and the filling of the Holy Spirit and must be dealt with. (I John 1:8-10) Confession or admission of known sin is the only way to appropriate God’s forgiveness for post-salvation sinning. (I John 1:9) The divine mechanics go back to the Cross where all sin was judged and forgiven. Human mechanics simply agree with the judgment that took place on the Cross. Confession is an extension of propitiation (God is completely satisfied with the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross).
The final part of our story illustrates the reaction of some believers when they see how God forgives and restores. The older brother who had stayed with his father became jealous when he heard that his brother was greeted with a huge party instead of discipline. As believers, we should always rejoice when someone returns to fellowship with God and begins to execute the Christian Way of Life once again. There is no place in the Christian life for petty jealousy and a judgmental attitude. Forgiveness is a grace function of God. God treats us in grace by forgiving us the debt that we owe due to sin. God’s forgiveness is based on His character, not because of any effort or goodness on our part. Therefore, the believer is to have this same attitude of forgiveness towards others. (Philippians 2:1-4)