I want you to meet my Father by Dean Gotcher

I want you to meet my Father.
It is what the gospel is all about.

Dean Gotcher

While the gospel message truly is about the only begotten son of God, it is also as much about His Heavenly Father. After all it is the Heavenly Father who sent Him to 'redeem' us from judgment and 'reconciling' us to Himself instead. Though equal with God, Jesus humbled himself and took on the form of man to not only show us the Father-son relationship he has with His Heavenly Father but also make possible a Father-"sons of God" ("adopted" children of God) relationship we are to have with His Heavenly Father as well (to know Him as He knows Him).

God is righteous in and of Himself. Being made of flesh (thus drawn by our nature to the world), we are not. Therefore while Christ could claim equality with the Father (being born of the woman and the Holy Spirit), we can not (being born of man and woman, of the flesh only). Therefore righteousness can only be imputed (ascribed, assigned) to us through faith in Him. Unlike Christ, the only begotten son of God, we can not know the Father, other than as one who gives orders for us to obey and who chastens us when we disobey. The importance of the words "one" and "only" in regards to God, is that God is complete in and of Himself, having no other as equal. There is only one Father, one Son, and one Spirit, all holy, pure and righteous in and of themselves, making them one. Thus His Word to us (revealed) must be preached and taught as given, untampered with "human wisdom,"* (needing no dialoging of men's opinions to a consensus, i.e. engendering a "feeling" of "oneness" based upon human "sense experience") to be understood (His Word, along with the Holy Spirit confirming Him and His Word, giving us direction for living our lives each and every day, according to His will).

It is with this understanding that the statement (in a question form) by the twelve year old Jesus, "I must be about my Father's business." is so profound. The "business" of Jesus is not about "growing churches" but rather about 'redeeming' man from eternal damnation (because of man's sins, i.e. his disobedience to His Father's will) and 'reconciling' him to His Heavenly Father. This is the "business" of the redeemed, the reconciled, to do the same, in doing the Father's will, preaching and teaching the Word of God "as given" (that man will become convicted, come under contrition, humble himself, repent of his sins, be converted, and turn and follow after Jesus the Christ, the Lord) and living accordingly. It is upon this "rock" that the church is built, that our Heavenly Father reveals His Word to us every day, His Word that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God." While we can not comprehend the Father, as children can not comprehend their fathers, through Christ we come to know Him as He is, holy, pure, righteous. A Father who loves those who are His, redeeming them from His judgment upon them for their love of the world, reconciling them to Him, and chastening them to produce "a peaceful fruit of righteousness" in their lives. The gospel message is Jesus stating: "I want you to meet my Father." "I want you to know Him as I know Him." "I want you to know His love for you."

* What happens with the introduction of "human wisdom," i.e. dialectic 'reasoning,' is that God's word becomes tampered with man's carnal desires. His lack of knowledge on how to live life, as a child before his Father, his carnal desires become his only means to understanding, i.e. his mind darkened to, i.e. incapable of the Father's understanding, unable to understand his Father's love for him, he can only turn instead to those who he can understand, to those of common nature, in love with themselves and the pleasures of this world. Eventually, with enough "help," i.e. finding identity in himself, identity with that which he has in common with the world, i.e. with society, i.e. through the dialoging of his opinions (there is no Father's authority in dialogue, only equality) with others of like "feelings" and "thoughts," i.e. through self-social 'justification,' with himself working together with others of like mind (desires) can he negate the Father's authority, the "establishment" from "society."