Role of the Spiritual Father
Today’s Focus: Paradigm Shift Needed for Maturity
Scripture: Titus 2; John 1:12; 1 Timothy 5; 1 Corinthians 4:15-17
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
The goal for the spiritual father is maturity of the son. They mature the son by the Word of God and by displaying the ways and character of the Father in the Earth. Paul recognized the paradigm shift that the church needed 2,000 years ago and it is not really until now that we are starting to see this shift happening before our eyes. Let me give you the scripture and then explain because if you truly want to handle the gifts of the Spirit and responsibility in the Kingdom of God you must mature, but maturation is not just in knowledge but also in character.
1 Corinthians 4:15: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Now you may have missed it but Paul is telling the Corinthians about the shift that is needed for them to mature and come to the full stature of Christ. What is the shift? Paul told the church at Corinth you have ten thousand teachers or instructors in Christ YET HAVEE YE NOT MANY FATHERS. Paul is saying, look there are a lot of teachers in the church but there are not fathers to put on display the ways and nature of the Father to bring you into maturity. Now just to prove this Paul does something. The scripture goes on to say the Paul is sending his beloved son Timothy to them. Now wait, Paul is sending his son Timothy who God has assigned to him to bring him into maturity. So Paul sends his son in the gospel to the Corinthians to do what?
1 Corinthians 4:17: FOR THIS CAUSE, have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, WHO SHALL BRING YOU INTO REMEMBERANCE OF MY WAYS WHICH BE IN CHRIST, as I teach every where in every church.
How would Timothy bring into their remembrance the ways of Paul which be in Christ? By demonstrating it through His discipleship and relationship he had with his spiritual father Paul. Now I said all of that to this vital point for the Body of Christ.
There are thousands and thousands of teachers of Christ but how many are demonstrating and putting on display the ways and character of the Father? How many of these instructors are maturing the Body from the standpoint of being mature themselves and given grace to mature others? The church must shift from institution to relationship! Let me say this one more time! The church must shift from institution to relationship. This is where the grace of God is. It is in the relationship between a father and son. Every believer has a spiritual father. The question is do you know who it is and are they the one that God has assigned to you? For this to work, you cannot pick them out of emotion! The Father must place the person in your spirit and the Father will also pick the spirit of the father to accept you into their household. What does that mean? It means the church must also shift from institution to a household model. The sons of God cannot be seen as members but sons, just like your natural family. This is why one of the qualifications of the bishop is to make sure his house (family) is in order and under subjection before bringing other souls unto him. We must re-focus on personal relationships between a father and son and the mother and daughter that Titus 2 and 1 Timothy 5 speaks about. It is all about family! God does not want your religion. He did not reconcile you for you to be religious. He reconciled you to become a son (John 1:12). This requires us to put down all these titles and allow God to order our relationships in the House and when you shed religion and pick up the concept of the House of God, you will see the freedom and be able to mature and walk in your maturity being the radiance of the Father’s glory in the Earth, allowing Him to draw and reconcile sons back to Him through you. The spiritual father has been placed in the earth to mature you to that place. This is not something you can do alone. Relationships ordered by the Holy Spirit is the key to maturation!
Are you willing to shift?
Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
