In the modern world, fathers are too frequently portrayed as bumbling buffoons to be laughed at. What a great distraction from God’s established Truth! The Holy Scriptures provide many Biblical principles about which God wants us to know the Truth from His Word, the Bible. Here are some of them:
Fathers have God’s call to perpetuate the human race.
Genesis 1:26-28: Then God said,
“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
The first purpose of man is given in the command “Be fruitful and multiply!” This command is being violated flagrantly in countries like Canada where the Caucasian population increase is near zero!
God expects fathers to provide for his family.
This enables a mother to devote time to the love, care, and raising the children with his full support. This is his God-given duty.
1 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.” Provision for the family includes physical, emotional, spiritual, material and further needs where leadership is required.
Fathers are required to discipline their children— training; teaching, encouraging and correcting.
Hebrews 12:5-11 (New Living Translation):
“And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, ‘My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
And he punishes those he accepts as his children.
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all.
Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever?
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
God has designed fathers to be the leader in their marriage and the home.
This establishes the principles of order and Godly authority in the home and protects his wife and children as well as setting the example of godly living for all.
1 Corinthians 11:3:
“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
Headship is leadership, guidance, direction; not domination!
God has designed fathers to love the mother of their children.
Ephesians 5:25 – 29,
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. “
What a challenging standard God sets for husbands and fathers!
Look to Him for forgiveness where you fail! He will help you rise to it, Fathers!
Ask Him to give you the strength! You will be an honored father!
By Edward E. Goerzen
If you don’t have a relationship with the God that Pastor Goerzen talks about it, it is quite simple:
Here is a sample prayer that we encourage you to pray if you believe the words in it..
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be. Amen.
If you prayed today and asked Jesus Christ to come into your life and take control, we would love to hear from you using the form below. We can connect you with an online mentor if you’d like and send you some useful online links with more information.
More Articles:
My Dad’s Love Frank shares a true story of how his father’s love affected his life.
A Father’s Prayer for His Children
How to Pray for Children
Ten Things to Teach your Son about True Manhood – by John Grant
How my Son Changed my Priorities. The Ed Becker story