Who is God the Father in the Holy Trinity?
God the Father is the first person of the Trinity, who also includes his Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Christians believe that there is only one God in three people. This mystery of faith cannot be fully understood by the human mind but is a key doctrine of Christianity. While the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, several episodes include the simultaneous appearance of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, such as the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
We find many names for God in the Bible. Jesus urged us to think of God as our loving father and took another step forward by calling him Abba, an Aramaic word roughly translated as "Dad", to show us how intimate our relationship with him is.
God the Father is the perfect example for all earthly fathers. He is holy, just and just, but his most extraordinary quality is love:
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4: 8, NIV)
God's love motivates everything he does. Through his covenant with Abraham, he chose the Jews as his people, then fed and protected them, despite their frequent disobedience. In his greatest act of love, God the Father sent his only Son to be the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all humanity, both Jews and Gentiles.
The Bible is God's love letter to the world, divinely inspired by him and written by over 40 human authors. In it, God gives his Ten Commandments for the right life, instructions on how to pray and obey him and shows how to join him in heaven when we die, believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Realizations of God the Father
God the Father created the universe and all that it contains. He is a great God but at the same time he is a personal God who knows every person's every need. Jesus said that God knows us so well that he has numbered all the hairs on each person's head.
God has put in place a plan to save humanity from itself. Left to ourselves, we would spend eternity in hell because of our sin. God kindly sent Jesus to die for us so that when we choose him, we can choose God and heaven.
God, the Father's plan of salvation is lovingly based on his grace, not on human works. Only the justice of Jesus is acceptable to God the Father. Repenting sin and accepting Christ as Savior makes us justified or righteous in the eyes of God.
God the Father triumphed over Satan. Despite Satan's diabolical influence in the world, he is a defeated enemy. The final victory of God is certain.
Strengths of God the Father
God the Father is omnipotent (omnipotent), omniscient (omniscient) and omnipresent (everywhere).
It is absolute holiness. No darkness exists within him.
God is still merciful. He gave humans the gift of free will, not forcing anyone to follow him. Anyone who refuses God's offer of forgiveness of sins is responsible for the consequences of his decision.
God cares. It intervenes in people's lives. He answers prayer and reveals himself through his Word, circumstances and people.
God is sovereign. He has complete control, no matter what happens in the world. His ultimate plan always prevails over humanity.
Life lessons
A human life isn't long enough to get to know God, but the Bible is the best place to start. While the Word itself never changes, God miraculously teaches us something new about him every time we read it.
The simple observation shows that people who have no God are lost, both figuratively and literally. They only have themselves to rely on in times of trouble and they will only have themselves - not God and his blessings - in eternity.
God the Father can only be known through faith, not reason. Unbelievers require physical evidence. Jesus Christ provided that proof, fulfilling the prophecy, healing the sick, raising the dead and rising from the dead itself.
Home town
God has always existed. Its very name, Yahweh, means "I AM", indicating that it has always been and always will be. The Bible does not reveal what he was doing before creating the universe, but says that God is in heaven, with Jesus on his right.
References to God the Father in the Bible
The whole Bible is the story of God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and God's plan of salvation. Despite being written thousands of years ago, the Bible is always relevant to our lives because God is always relevant to our lives.
Occupation
God the Father is the Supreme Being, Creator and Supporter, who deserves worship and human obedience. In the First Commandment, God warns us not to put anyone or anything above him.
Genealogical tree
First person of the Trinity - God the Father.
Second person of the Trinity - Jesus Christ.
Trinity Third Person - Holy Spirit
Key verses
Genesis 1:31
God saw everything he had done, and it was very good. (NIV)
Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you must say to the Israelites: 'I AM sent me to you' "(NIV)
Psalm 121: 1-2
I look up to the mountains: where does my help come from? My help comes from the Eternal, the Creator of heaven and earth. (NIV)
John 14: 8-9
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and this will be enough for us." Jesus replied: “Do you not know me, Philip, even after I have been among you for so long? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. " (NIV)