Lesson for June 19, 2022
Father’s Day
Indwelling of God, the Father
Most Christians know that when they trusted Christ as their Savior that God the Holy Spirit came to indwell them. Many Christians do not realize that at the same time God the Father and God the Son also came to indwell them. Each member of the Trinity has a specific purpose for indwelling the believer.
God the Father indwells us for a purpose. There are no direct statements in Scripture to tell us exactly what this purpose encompasses. Therefore, we will need to examine the role of the Father in relation to the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the believer. (John 14:23; Ephesians 4:6; II John 9)
How can human beings understand the infinite Persons of the Godhead and their purpose for indwelling us? One method that God the Holy Spirit uses to reveal this truth to us is the use of language of accommodation. Anthropomorphisms and anthropopathisms are two such methods. Anthropomorphisms ascribe to God portions of human anatomy that He does not possess (hands, eyes, feet) Anthropopathisms ascribe to God human feelings, emotions, and thoughts that He does not possess (hate, anger, wrath). This language of accommodation gives insight to God’s divine character, function, decisions, actions, and policies by means of analogy. By using this method, God gives the human mind a frame of reference for understanding Him.
This language of accommodation is used for each member of the Trinity. The term “Father,” for example, is an understandable term for human beings. Father describes the relationship between the first Person (the Father) and the second Person (Jesus Christ) of the Trinity, and also defines a believer’s family relationship with God. Likewise, “the Son” and “the Holy Spirit” describe the roles of the second and third members of the Trinity. (Galatians 4:6-7)
The Bible always designates the father as the head of the household. In the same manner, God the Father is the ultimate in fatherhood and is supreme over all things. The title “Father” demonstrates to us that the first person of the Trinity possesses absolute authority and was the designer of the plan for humanity. (I Corinthians 8:6, 11:3; John 14:24; Ephesians 1:1-14, 4:6)
In eternity past, God the Father planned and designed all that exists. He planned the creation of the universe and the creation of man. He set the boundaries of the seas and set mankind over His creation. His plan called for mankind to be treated in grace and He planned the salvation solution for fallen mankind. The Father is not greater in degree or quality than the other members of the Godhead.
One title that clearly points out the use of the language of accommodation is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Corinthians 1:3, 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 1:3; I Peter 1:3) This title indicates the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Father. This relationship has always existed. (John 17:5,24) The Son is not only the focal point of the Father’s plan; He is the revelation of the Father. (John 1:18)
We see in this relationship the differences in function of two members of the Godhead, the Father and the Son. In order to fulfill the plan of the Father, the Son became humanity and subjected Himself to the will of the Father. This was done for our benefit, so that Christ could go to the Cross as the payment for sin. (Philippians 2:6)
Phrases such as “His only begotten Son” must be understood in light of His function and mission on earth. This mission was carried out by the unique Person of the universe (the God-Man), Jesus Christ. He alone was qualified to be judged for the sins of all mankind, which was accomplished at Calvary. (Hebrews 9:16,28; I John 3:5)
Before Jesus departed this earth, He said that He would pray to the Father and that the Father would send the Holy Spirit. God, in His role as the Father, functions as the ultimate authority over the Son and the Holy Spirit though they are all coequal and coeternal. It therefore makes perfect sense that the Father would give the command for the Holy Spirit to be sent to permanently indwell believers. (John 14:16,17,26; 15:26; 16:7, 12-14)
When Jesus made the statement that the Holy Spirit would be sent, He called Him the Comforter (actually “another Comforter”). Jesus was the Comforter while on earth. This is an interesting word in Greek – “parakletos” – and means, “to call to one’s side or called to one’s aid.” Its common use in Greek was in a courtroom to denote the counsel for the defense or an advocate. The word “another Comforter” (“allos” in Greek) means another of the same kind, signifying that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are one.
All believers of all time are related to God the Father, the Author of our salvation. (Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:5, 3:14-15, 4:6) God is not the Father of all mankind. (John 8:42,44) God becomes our Father by our simple act of faith in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:26)
This relationship shows the function of God the Father towards His children. As believers, we can call God our Father, and like loving human fathers, our Heavenly Father provides what is best for His family. (Matthew 7:11: Romans 8:15) Our blessings on earth and in the eternal state are because of the family relationship with our Father. No family relationship with the Father means no eternal life, and the accompanying blessings. (I Peter 1:4)
Everything that we possess as believers is provided by the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. As a guarantee to us of the Father’s eternal provision, God the Father indwells every believer. The Father is with us constantly to grant blessings beyond compare and above our imagination. He constantly pours out life support blessings to all believers and greater blessings to those who are advancing in the Christian Way of Life. The Father indwells us in order to watch over and protect us, as any good father would do. (James 1:17-18)
The Father indwells us to assure us of His love and care. As a loving Father, He is concerned with our welfare and continually shows His love for us. Like a good Father, He occasionally must discipline His children in order to help them stay within His will. The Father’s correction is always for our good, our benefit. (John 14:21; 15:8-10; 17:26; Hebrews 12:5-11)
The Father indwells us to guard us from the world system and to glorify Jesus Christ in our lives. Christ prayed for all believers. He did not pray that we would be taken out of this world, but that the Father would safeguard us while we were in the world.
Jesus also prayed that He would be glorified through us and that we would share His joy. It is the Father Who provides all of this for believers. Jesus prayed that believers would be sanctified through the truth, which is Bible doctrine. And finally, Jesus prayed that believers would be one, just as the Father and the Son are one. Unity of believers is accomplished in only one way – truth. It is the absolute truth of the Word of God that unites us as Christians.
John 17
“Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed. I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word. Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”