God is Father to those who have faith in Christ. Born again believers are begotten by God the Father in Christ.
By Erasmus Makarimayi
Christianity is the life of Christ in the heart of believers.
It’s not through human conception.
A believer is a new species/creature in Christ, brought forth by the word of faith (Christ), the ever living and eternal Word.
Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
We’re eternally saved, having gone beyond human parentage and genealogy.
Christ was the first begotten in order to bring us all to His Father and our Father.
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Revelations 1:5 clarifies: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”
From the archbishop to the one born again just now, we’re all children of God.
Jesus reveals this while talking to Mary in John 20:17: “Jesus saith unto her, touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
Jehovah God is God and Father to us all.
For the governance and administration of this large family, God put in place gifts (in human beings) for smooth flow.
This entails accountability and oversight.
As we recap, you would not want to make the mistake some do.
They judge a paragraph on the basis of a syllable and a doctrine or message on the evidence of one exclamation mark.
Please be patient, don’t jump to ill-informed conclusions, study the Bible.
Moving forward, please remember that human beings, who are responsible for the natural procreation of fellow human beings are scripturally referred to as fathers too. This gives rise to questions and arguments; is there any basis for having spiritual fathers or fathers in the Lord (Christ)?
In the Greek lexicon, father is pater with several shades of meaning.
It implies nourisher (one who supplies food and sustenance).
It also refers to protector (one who guides and shields).
There’s also a connotation to upholder (a helper in perilous times).
Father is also used for progenitor (oftentimes used for ancestors).
Check 1 Corinthians 10:1: “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.”
Hebrews 1:1 weighs in: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.”
Jesus used the term children also in describing a relationship not in natural terms.
In the Bible, believers were referred to as children of other believers and fathers consequently and subsequently.
Apostle Peter did in 1 Peter 5:13: “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.”
Apostle Paul followed through in Galatians 4:19: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
This obviously was a well-defined relationship of mentorship, guidance and training.
It wasn’t a title, but was a relationship borne out of teaching.
Apostle Paul informs in 2 Timothy 2:1-2: “[1] Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
“[2] And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
It’s mentorship, guidance and training.
Paul was responsible for Timothy’s doctrinal persuasion.
You have to get this clear that he wasn’t the preacher when Timothy received Christ.
He had met him already a believer.
Remember my question last week.
I am a pastor, if mature Christians or other pastors join our ministry, can I call them sons and daughters?
Note Acts 16:1-2: “[1] Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
“[2] Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.”
Paul didn’t dispute as said in 2 Timothy 1:5: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”
It’s further illustrated in 2 Timothy 3:15: “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Paul met him later in life.
Timothy was Paul’s son by doctrinal persuasion.
In the same vein Timothy was Paul’s son by training.
It’s revealed in Philippians 2:19-22: “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. “[20] For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
“[21] For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
“[22] But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.”
Christian faith is a walk.
It’s not speed and haphazard.
It’s a walk of faith that is not rushed or “microwaved”.
Patience and diligence are required.
Has this mentored, guided and trained you?
Please patiently read and reread and grab your copy of NewsDay Weekender next week.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
l All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated. Feedback: [email protected] Fellowship with Pastor Makarimayi on Facebook and on www.twitter.com/PEMAKARIMAYI. Telephone +263 712 332 632
