When Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Christ after His resurrection, He tells her, “Go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father...” (John 20:17 partial) Jesus refers to the first Person of the Trinity as His Father continually, by far His most common term of address for God. Thie verse cited reveals that God is not only Jesus' Father but also our Father. He does this through adoption into His eternal family. Ephesians 1:5 states that “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Glorious truth! Galatians 4:4-7 amplifies on this theme. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Many have had problematic relations with their earthly fathers. There is a strong, common tendency to project this onto our heavenly Father. But we must separate and distinguish between the two. To God those He has adopted into His family are “beloved children.” (Eph. 5:1 ESV)
Am thankful to God for recent opportunities to work together towards consensus with the brethren in Cambridge in issues large and small. May we continue to seek His will for us as a group. I also thank Him for introducing our brother Vinny to us.
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