Father, Abba, Father
October 22, 2010

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11)

"They are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8:14-15)

Charles Wesley's great hymn "Arise, My Soul, Arise" concludes in the fifth verse with a stirring testimony of the joy of salvation.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear.
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear.
With confidence I now draw nigh, (repeat)
And, "Father, Abba, Father," cry.
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"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).  As our text explains, once we have received the spirit of adoption, we are the sons of God--He owns us as His child.  This is a "new" thing.  We who formerly were estranged from our Creator have been reconciled to Him.  "Old things," such as the bondage to fear, are "passed away." The close-knit ties are strong, "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. . . . I will not fear what men shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Now that He is our Father, we have direct access to Him.  "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you" (James 4:.  As an earthly father desires the best for his children, "how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11).  "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And . . . we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

This father/child relationship goes deep.  The term "Abba, Father" reflects a most sensitive and loving bond, perhaps best rendered "O Sweet Daddy."  "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). JDM

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