The Everlasting Father
Today’s Focus: Concept and Principal of Spiritual Fathers: 3 Facets of the Culture of the Son
Scripture: Hebrews 2:12-15; Romans 8:12-17
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Hebrews 2:12-15: Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
This is a very unique passage of scripture because in this passage we see the 3 facets of the Culture of the Son. We see brother, son and father. Now let me show you. He displayed being a brother in verse 12 (Saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren). He displayed the son in verse 13 (I will put my trust in Him). Who is Him? The Father. He displays the father in verse 13 (Behold I and the children which God hath given me). Amazing isn’t it. I never saw it neither unto the Lord showed me through my spiritual father. Let’s back up because there is so much here that must be brought out in explaining spiritual fathers.
The first part of the above scripture shows us Jesus declaring the name of the Father to His brethren. The word brethren is the Greek word “adelphos” meaning brother from the same womb. So Jesus is making it clear that we are brothers from the same womb. Jesus came to give us our identity back and by doing it He shows us who we are from, the Father. Now your identity is crucial to understand because without identity there is a lack of purpose and when there is a lack of purpose there is oppression and abuse of power.
God is a Spirit and Genesis 1:26 states that God made man in His image and after His likeness. So if man is in the image of God, what is man? Man is a spirit. Your flesh does not define your identity. The Spirit of God defines your identity. So you are spirit first, flesh last. This is the first thing that must be reconciled by apostolic fathers into the Households and their spiritual children. The spiritual fathers should show and teach the Spirit-first mindset that is needed to live the new and living way. Let me close with this scripture and probably one of my personal favorites:
Romans 8:12-17: Therefore brethren (adelphos) we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. FOR IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE: But if ye through the Spirit do mortify (to discipline by self-denial) the deeds of the body, YE SHALL LIVE. For as many as a re lead by the Spirit of God, 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 (Son), whereby we cry Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children (sons) then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together
The spiritual father’s actions should always point back to the one whom they originate from. Jesus, the Everlasting Father, pointed back to the Father in word and in deed. We will continue to look at the 3 Facets of the Culture of the Son in the next message.
Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
