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Introduction
This Bible study is written from the perspective of helping you better
understand who God the Father is so that you can step deeper into your identity as a child of God.
Identity is never an easy thing, especially for women. We can have a really hard time feeling secure in who we are for many reasons. Furthermore, as Christian women, we are adopted as children of God. But understanding God as our Parent – as our Father- can presents difficulties for so many of us (myself included) because of negative experiences with our earthly fathers in the past.
In this study, it’s my hope to share with you much of the insight that I have gained on this important issue, not only in seminary or as a professional minister, but also through my personal experience as a disciple of Jesus.
It is because of my relationship with Jesus that God has truly become my Father, my Parent. While I have still room to grow in this reality, I am overjoyed to share with you the wisdom God has bestowed upon my heart and life, and I do pray this Bible study is revolutionary for you.
Seriously, we can never get close enough to God. There’s never a maximum amount we can learn, nor is there a place where we stop growing. To be a disciple is to follow Him every day.
Jesus has so much in store for you, more than you can ever dream of! So I hope and pray that the time set apart for this study is transformational for you. May God do mighty things through the time you have devoted to learning more about His role as your Father.
In Him and His enormous love,
Alexis
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There are questions to help you process and retain the information at the end, and we encourage you to complete those questions after you finish reading.
All Biblical citations are taken from the World English Bible (WEB), which has a public domain copyright and can be freely reproduced.
All other works within this publication are copyright Spiritually Hungry 2019. Reproducing, sharing, copying, borrowing content, or sharing this content digitally or in print, without express written permission, is an infringement of the copyright.
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I Am A Child Of God
During our final semester of seminary, Aaron came home from class one afternoon and said, “So, I’ve been thinking about all I’ve learned about our faith over the past three years here…and there is still one thing I’m not sure I understand that really bothers me.” Given the intensity of our study at Denver Seminary, I expected him to then share some obscure question about Christian theology that is rarely discussed outside of academic circles. I was quite surprised however, by the simplicity of the question he then stated.
“I’m not sure that I really understand who God the Father is,” he continued. “What does He do? I understand I’m His child – but seeing Him as my Father just doesn’t make sense to me…I don’t think I REALLY undestand this.”
It’s a question that many Christians have struggled with over the centuries.
Being a child of God begins with understanding that God is our Parent.
However, with that foundational recognition comes a whole host of issues that can trip us up and prevent us from living as the beloved child of God we are.
You see, we naturally first understand parenthood through the lens of this broken world – and that’s one of the biggest barriers that prevents Christians from genuinely embracing that they are a child of God.
For me personally, I know that understanding myself as a child of God was never an easy thing; I had a really hard time seeing God as a Father.
My biological father abused his role in every sense and created a life of turmoil and destruction because of his decisions and actions. Thankfully, my mother found the strength to kick him out of our house, and eventually out of lives through the loss of his parental rights and a restraining order by court order.
However, as a kid in elementary school, I was the only child that I knew with divorced parents. Even worse, I didn’t know a single family that suffered the level of abuse my sisters and mom did at the hands of their father.
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In turn, I naturally questioned, “Why did I get the father I did? Why do all of my other friends have dads, but I don’t?” These questions haunted me for most of my childhood and adolescence.
As a result, when I began my true walk with Jesus as a teenager, my past experiences with my biological father directly influenced my comfortability with the idea that God the Father.
How could I embrace openly the idea that God is my “Father” when I had such a negative concept of what a father is from my own life experiences?
Whether you have had a good father in your own life or not, we can all struggle with understanding God as our Father because everyone comes from human parents.
Every single one of us was biologically created by a male and a female, and those people, just like you and I, are not perfect.
Yes, some parents are better than others, but every single parent, even if they are well intentioned and loving, makes mistakes. They fall short. They are human.
All of us have experience with parents, whether they are biological parents or not… or were part of our lives or not, and those experiences are variegated and nuanced.
Because of this, we often take our experience as the child of human parents and fuse it with our understanding of being a child of God.
Let me be clear here – there is some overlap between the two. But our God is a parent far and above and beyond
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Jesus teaches us an important truth about our Father God in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 7:9-11 (WEB)
9 Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
This teaching from Jesus is of paramount importance.
Basically, what Jesus is saying is that if fallen, sin-driven, broken parents can provide for their children, then how much more can God – who is holy and perfect – provide for His children.
And a child of God – that’s what you are!
You were formed by God’s hands in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139).
God’s love for you is tender and good, and as we see through Jesus’ teaching, God is the supreme parent.
God is good, holy, and perfect.
With Him
When God is our Parent, He is doing everything right, even if we may not understand it or are able to interpret it.
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While we may carry some baggage, either a lot or a little, in our knowledge of God as our Father, we must not rely solely on our understanding of earthly parents when we look to God as our parent.
Because even good earthly parents are just a shadow of what God is to us – the ultimate and perfect parent.
It wasn’t until I started studying who God is – who the Father is, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is – and really looked into who I am as defined by God through the grace of Jesus Christ, that I was able to take hold of my identity as a child of God.
There is so much theology and truth in the depths of being a child of God. But this truth, and living in the reality of it, requires time and dedication.
Our commitment to discipleship is what enables God to heal our brokenness – the evil in this world that is trying to snatch up our birthright that Jesus paid for with His precious blood.
You are God’s child, and the Bible is very clear on this issue.
When you decided to follow Jesus you were adopted as a child of God. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:15)
Again, it is through Jesus Christ that we become children of God.
Likewise, it is through Jesus Christ that we understand who the Father is.
“All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.” (Jesus speaking in Matthew 11:27)
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Because of Jesus and what He shows to us, we are able to know the first person of the Trinity- God the Father – and Jesus has a lot to say and show us about who the Father is.
First of all, we see from Scripture that when Jesus prays, He prays to the Father (John 17; Matthew 26:39, 42; Luke 23:34, 46 ).
Jesus also had a deep dependency on the Father (Matthew 26:53). We learn to model our prayer and dependency on the Father through Jesus’ teachings and actions. This is just one of many ways Jesus models for us what being a child of God looks like.
Even more so, Jesus teaches us through a beautiful illustration of just who the Father is to us: The Parable of the Prodigal Son.
This parable is easily one of the most beloved and popular of Jesus parables. The story depicts a wayward son and his return back to grace through his father’s love.
But despite its most commonly used title, this parable isn’t about the son.
It’s about the father and his unconditional grace.
Interestingly, Jesus Himself didn’t actually give titles for His parables. People throughout church history have instead applied titles to His parables to better reference and explain them. So, for the sake of better explaining this story to you in this study, I’m going to instead call it “The Parable of the Good Father.”
The Parable Of the Good Father: Luke 15:11-32
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them. 13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. 14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
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15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
20 “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat, and celebrate; 24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants to
27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ 28 But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your
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There is so much meat to this parable that we could literally spend weeks exploring all the lessons, but for this Bible study I want us to focus on the actions and attitude of the Father.
I believe looking at The Parable of the Good Father in this lens will help us stand stronger in our identity as a child of God.
The story all begins with the younger of two sons requesting to receive his inheritance from his very much still alive father.
This action was brazen, and not a normal request. Typically one waits until the relative passes before the inheritance is distributed, but not in this case.
Since the younger son requests his inheritance before his father has passed, this son in effect is basically saying that he wishes his father were dead.
In the act of taking an early inheritance, the younger son emancipates
himself from the family, and from his responsibilities and duties of a son. In the ancient world, taking care of a father as he aged was a responsibility of sons, but by taking the money and leaving, this younger son essentially abdicated those responsibilities entirely.
There could be few things more insulting to a father at the time than a son asking for his inheritance before moving away entirely.
The father in this parable undoubtedly fully comprehended all the nuances of his son asking for his inheritance. However, the father showed no reservations or offense in verse 12, and he gave the money to his youngest son. And at the same time, the father also gives the other part of the inheritance to his eldest son.
The stage is set all in verse 12, where Jesus is immediately trying to show us in the story the character of the father.
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To further reinforce the son’s rejection of his father, the prodigal packs up and leaves for a distant country. Not only does he want his inheritance from his father, he wants to leave the family altogether and live life apart from the rest of the family.
So the younger son leaves and, “prodigals” it up, living life so large and fast that he ends up blowing through all the money. He ends up having to take a job working with pigs, a line of work which was unclean and unlawful for a Jewish person.
Needless to say, things had gotten pretty bad for the prodigal son.
That’s when the prodigal thinks to himself, “Hey, my father’s servants had it so much better than I do! I should return home and seek to be a servant on my father’s property. That’s better than living with pigs!”
The son’s intentions were not motivated by remorse, but rather an opportunity for a better life.
He was not driven to return to his father and the estate because he missed them. Remember, he abandoned his father and family. The prodigal believed that his sonship was ruined and there was no chance of restoration…so much so that it didn’t even cross his mind to return as his father’s child.
Instead, with nothing to his name, he decides to travel home to beg for a chance to live on the estate as a servant, because, again even his father’s servants lived better than he was currently being treated.
The prodigal believed this would be a hard bargain to
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In his mind, the younger son must have been planning a speech to make his case, saying, “Father, I messed up. I have dishonored you. I threw your love away for quick cash. I turned my back on you and God, but I know you always need workers for the fields and for the lavish parties you throw, could you consider hiring me on as a servant?”
“Yes, that will do,” he thought. “That might just be to able to persuade my father to allow me back.”
So the prodigal son began his journey back to his father’s home.
As he walked home, barefoot and wearing, tattered garments muddy and stinking from the swine, he rehearsed exactly what he would say to his father so that he could get a job on his dad’s estate.
Meanwhile, while the youngest son has been gone, the father has been waiting, hoping for his return.
The father found a vantage point to watch; a place where he could see travelers on the main road. Every day, he would spend his time looking, waiting, and hoping for his son to return home.
And today is the day. Looking into the distance, the father knew that figure, the gate of this particular traveler’s walk. Before he can blink his eyes to check again, the father lept out of his seat and hurried to greet his lost son.
Running in a full sprint, causing a commotion, knocking people out of the way, the father raced down the road toward his weary son.
Approaching his son, the father didn’t say a word. There was no talking, only a massive bear hug, the biggest embrace you could imagine.
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The prodigal son didn’t even had the opportunity to deliver the rehearsed speech he put together to persuade his father to hire him on as a servant before his father tackled him with love.
As the father embraced his son in a hug, the prodigal son manages to squeak out a few rehearsed lines of his pitch.
But the father isn’t even listening. He’s too overwhelmed with joy and eager to take care of his lost son.
The father calls out to the servants, “Get me my best robe! I need a ring for his finger! And my son needs some sandals for his feet! And grab the fattened calf we have been saving…because tonight, we celebrate my son, who was dead and now is alive.”
Wow, does this scene get you right in the gut like it does for me?
This stuff just doesn’t happen in our world. This type of boldly unconditional love really isn’t seen or experienced. This is God’s love.
But before we look at that further, we really need to take note of how many absolutely shocking details there are in this story that reveal the Father’s love.
First of all, we have to realize that the father was waiting and watching every day to see if his son would return. This subtle detail is a profound clue into who the Father is and how steady and stable his love is for us.
Additionally, when the father sees his son off in the far distance, he takes off running.
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Running was not something honorable men did in antiquity. Running would have been seen as outlandish, certainly not a dignified action.
In addition, the garb of the day was a long
But the Father didn’t care about being shamed or foolish! Getting to his lost son as quickly as possible was of the utmost importance to him.
Additionally, before the prodigal son can even say anything, the father embraced him. It didn’t matter to the father what his son had done or why he was even there.
What the father wanted his son to know is that he loved him, missed him, and he is welcomed.
That’s when the father immediately noticed the ragged condition of his son, and immediately began restoring him.
His son needs a new garment, and the Father ordered the servants to get his best robe, signifying honor as depicted in the Old Testament in the story of the Pharaoh and Joseph (Genesis 41:42) and in Rebekah’s giving Esau’s robe to Jacob (Genesis 27:15).
The father also wanted to give more than what was needed to his son by bestowing a ring to the prodigal son.
In ancient times, the ring of the Father would go to the eldest son at the time of the father’s death. Also rings were given as signifying authority as with Pharaoh and Joseph (Genesis 41:42).
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Then the father noticed his son’s feet, which indicated the prodigal son was barefoot. In giving sandals, it also signified bestowing freedom, since slaves of that time usually didn’t have shoes.
Something else very interesting also happens with the sandals. The act of putting on the sandals shows the father serving the son, much like slaves did to their masters. Again, this is just another detail to illustrate how many of the customs and rules of the day the father abandoned in order to love and care for his son as quickly as possible.
And to put the cherry on top of the sundae, The father indicated that a party needs to be thrown to celebrate. He orders the servants to kill the fattened calf, which was traditionally saved for a special event.
But for the father, this was the most special occasion there ever could be, for his son was dead, and now he is alive.
The key to understanding all of this, to understanding the motivations of the father, can be found in a small phrase in verse 20 – “the Father was moved with compassion.”
The way we might understand human compassion might lead us to expect the father to allow his son to speak with him, repent and ask for forgiveness. Then, we’d expect time for the father to pray about what to do and, before allowing the son to come back on a probationary period, watching closely that he didn’t trip up or take for granted his liberties.
But this story isn’t about a good earthly father or human love. It is about our Father God! This is how He is with all of us, giving unconditional love, unbelievable love.
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There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38).
No matter what we do, all we have to do is make our way back to God, and before we even return God meets us and celebrates just as he did with the prodigal son.
This is God our Father. This is who loves you and is with you all moments of the day. This is who is on your side. The perfect Parent who always knows what is best and is filled with divine love for you.
But there’s more we can learn from this parable in the father’s interaction with the older son.
We learn from the story that while the prodigal son was doing outlandish and crude things, the older son, even though he too was given his inheritance, stayed and remained a loyal son to his father.
He didn’t squander anything, but instead continued to work hard.
The older son might have had to take on a double load of work because of his brother’s abandonment. So you can understand why this brother was livid when he found out that his wayward brother had return home and his status in the family was reinstated.
When the older brother realized there was a party going on and why he refused to come in and to take part
So the good father did what the good father does – he went out and tended to his eldest son, where he met a fiery exchange.
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In a heated monologue, the older son reminded his Father of his faithfulness, his respect and honor, and how he never once received a party for he and his friends.
And in another twist, the father responds by saying in response, “My son, everything I have is yours and always has been. If you want a party, we will throw a party, if you need a break, take a break, if you want jewelry I’ll give you my jewelry, but tonight…oh tonight is for your brother!”
The father’s response continued, “You see, my oldest son, your brother was gone forever. He was lost, dead, and buried. But a miracle has happened, he found his way home! He is now alive and we must celebrate.”
And with final notion, Jesus ends the parable. It’s up to the eldest son to decide if he will too accept the invitation of his Father’s endless, compassionate, and grace-filled love.
It’s important to take note of this final story about the eldest son, because as believers and followers of Jesus – the oldest child represents us. Perhaps at other points in our walk we were more like the prodigal son, living outside of God’s grace and love when we were not followers. But now we are children of God.
The feast is ours and everything in it is available us. The Father is saying to each of us, “Will you step into your identity as my child and live in the land I have created and made for you?”
And it really is that simple! We have to accept the invitation… but not just once, or twice, but every single day, moment by moment. We have to choose to take God’s hand and enter the celebration that is going on all the time in the Kingdom of Heaven.
We do this by never losing sight of God, never forgetting what He says about us, over us. This is how God rewrites our script, especially when the world speaks ill, hurtful things to us.
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One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn as a follower of Christ, as a child of God, is that the only thing that truly matters is what God says of me, not others.
I am still on my journey of allowing God’s voice, truth, and love speak over me, as sometimes the actions and words of others can be very hurtful.
But I must choose to believe what God says over me above all else, especially when the people attack my worth or identity. And it happens to all of us, it is especially hard for a lot of us women.
When things like these happen, I run to my Father’s arms. I implore Him to speak truth over me, and mend my hurting heart. And the more I do this, the quicker the results are, and the faster I am rerooted in His truth about who He says I am.
And that’s where I leave you in this study. We have gone over a lot about our good Father. His love is unstoppable, His truth is freeing, His compassion -well it knocks you over.
The father in the parable is the Father that has so much in store for you, more than you or I can imagine. The more we acknowledge and accept His embrace the more we bask in the goodness of His love.
Whether you had good or not-so-good earthly parents, this fact remains God the Father is so much more.
Making It Stick
Optional Extended Reading:
-Read some of Jesus’ other teachings about His relationship with His Father in John 17; Matthew 26:39, 42, 53; Luke 23:34, 46.
Processing Questions – Answer In Your Own Words
- What is the lens through which we first understand parenthood? (P.3)
- Why does everyone need to focus on a better understanding of God as our Father? (P.4)
- How is God as our Father different than human parents? (P.5)
- How does a person become a child of God? (P.6)
- What were some of the ways Jesus relied on His Father? (P.7)
- What were the implications of the prodigal son asking for his inheritance early and leaving the country? (P.9)
- What was the prodigal son’s thoughts about what would happen upon his return home? (P.10)
- What had the father been doing the entire time his son was gone? (P.11)
- What detail about the father’s actions and acceptance of his returned son are most surprising to you? (P.12-15)
- As disciples, which of the two sons represents us, and what are the implications for our lives? (P.16)
- And what does all of this mean for you and your relationship with God?