"Father" is not a name. Most certainly, Father is not a name to be used when calling upon the name of the Lord. And yet, this morning, in one of the blogs I read regularly, there it was -- a message stating that Father is a name. I suspect that this same religious organization promotes this perspective in order to justify their own religious traditions. That is, God exists in three persons. Or, as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. However, regardless of the underlying motivation, there is only one name for God in this current dispensation of grace. His name is Jesus.
"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Further, it is important to note that the words "Father God" are not ever used in the scriptures. Neither is the reference -- "God in three persons." Why is this?
Because God is one God. "In the beginning, God." (Genesis 1:1) And this very same God delivered of His own accord the greatest love story ever told. That is, this very same God who created man and woman in the beginning shed His precious holy blood on the cross so that we might experience His love, His grace and His mercy.
How do we know this? Because throughout the old and new testaments, this one God reveals Himself as the Father in creation, the Son in redemption and now as the Comforter who leads and guides us into all truth. The same God that Mary understood when she said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour ... and holy is His name." (Luke 1:46-54)
The same God that Zacharias prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for He hath visited and redeemed His people." (Luke 1:67)
If not God Almighty, then who redeemed His people? If God Almighty Himself did not become flesh as stated in John 1:1-18, then when did God become our Saviour?
"And [Mary] shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23)
Under the old covenant, God used different names to reveal Himself to His people but He always referred to Himself as one God.
"I [am] the LORD: that [is] My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images." (Isaiah 42:8)
"Ye [are] My witnesses," saith the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I [am] He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me." (Isaiah 43:10)
"I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no Saviour." (Isaiah 43:11)
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; "I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside Me [there is] no God." (Isaiah 44:6)
"Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? Ye [are] even My witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any]." (Isaiah 44:8)
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, "I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things]; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by Myself ..." (Isaiah 44:24)
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: "I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else." (Isaiah 45:18)
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
Under this new covenant of grace -- beginning when the veil was torn from top to bottom -- we are given a new name. His name is Jesus.
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13)
"For it pleased [the Father] that in Him should all fulness dwell." (Colossians 1:19)
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation." (II Corinthians 5:19)
Jesus saith unto him, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], "Shew us the Father?" (John 14:9)
Why is this important? Because in the book of Revelation, we read that Jesus is coming for a people who hast not denied His name. A people that has kept His Word and hast not denied His name. A people that hath hold fast His name and in so doing, hast not denied His faith.
"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name." (Revelation 3:8)
"And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted." (Revelation 2:3)
"Thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith." (Revelation 2:13)
Paul writes: "But hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour." (Titus 1:3)
God our Saviour. The same God who loved us from the beginning loved us enough to become our Saviour. His name is Jesus -- the only name whereby we must be saved. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, which is and which was and which is to come. (Revelation 1:8; Revelation 22:18)
So the next time the religious culture tries to tell you about Father God, or Daddy God, or God in three persons, ask them to verify their doctrinal teachings from the scriptures.
God is not the author of confusion. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:16) Stand in the offering plate.
"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Further, it is important to note that the words "Father God" are not ever used in the scriptures. Neither is the reference -- "God in three persons." Why is this?
Because God is one God. "In the beginning, God." (Genesis 1:1) And this very same God delivered of His own accord the greatest love story ever told. That is, this very same God who created man and woman in the beginning shed His precious holy blood on the cross so that we might experience His love, His grace and His mercy.
How do we know this? Because throughout the old and new testaments, this one God reveals Himself as the Father in creation, the Son in redemption and now as the Comforter who leads and guides us into all truth. The same God that Mary understood when she said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour ... and holy is His name." (Luke 1:46-54)
The same God that Zacharias prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for He hath visited and redeemed His people." (Luke 1:67)
If not God Almighty, then who redeemed His people? If God Almighty Himself did not become flesh as stated in John 1:1-18, then when did God become our Saviour?
"And [Mary] shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23)
Under the old covenant, God used different names to reveal Himself to His people but He always referred to Himself as one God.
"I [am] the LORD: that [is] My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images." (Isaiah 42:8)
"Ye [are] My witnesses," saith the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I [am] He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me." (Isaiah 43:10)
"I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no Saviour." (Isaiah 43:11)
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; "I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside Me [there is] no God." (Isaiah 44:6)
"Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? Ye [are] even My witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any]." (Isaiah 44:8)
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, "I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things]; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by Myself ..." (Isaiah 44:24)
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: "I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else." (Isaiah 45:18)
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
Under this new covenant of grace -- beginning when the veil was torn from top to bottom -- we are given a new name. His name is Jesus.
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13)
"For it pleased [the Father] that in Him should all fulness dwell." (Colossians 1:19)
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation." (II Corinthians 5:19)
Jesus saith unto him, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], "Shew us the Father?" (John 14:9)
Why is this important? Because in the book of Revelation, we read that Jesus is coming for a people who hast not denied His name. A people that has kept His Word and hast not denied His name. A people that hath hold fast His name and in so doing, hast not denied His faith.
"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name." (Revelation 3:8)
"And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted." (Revelation 2:3)
"Thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith." (Revelation 2:13)
Paul writes: "But hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour." (Titus 1:3)
God our Saviour. The same God who loved us from the beginning loved us enough to become our Saviour. His name is Jesus -- the only name whereby we must be saved. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, which is and which was and which is to come. (Revelation 1:8; Revelation 22:18)
So the next time the religious culture tries to tell you about Father God, or Daddy God, or God in three persons, ask them to verify their doctrinal teachings from the scriptures.
God is not the author of confusion. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:16) Stand in the offering plate.
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