The One We Hardly Know

It was a great time as we talked about the Holy Spirit. But these believers had fewer things to say about the Holy Spirit than they did about Jesus Christ. Why? What would you add?

God the Father. Then I asked the question I was waiting to ask, “Who is God the Father? What did He do? What does He do for you and for other Christians?” I waited for answers to the question. Someone finally said that He spoke at the time Jesus was baptized. Another person started to speak and stopped. Then there was silence in the group. On another occasion, I asked a different group of adults the same questions. This time someone said, “He plans everything.” Then came the silence.

Many Christians do not know God the Father because He is the one we hardly know! It is not possible to love God the Father if we do not know Him, and if we do not know what He is like. Does He love you? What does he do for you? Or, is He only impersonal and serious?

Would you like to know something more about God the Father? Would you like to know what He does and something about His emotions? If so, come on a short journey, and open your heart to Him.

Life In Himself. One of the most amazing statements that Jesus made about God the Father is found in John 5,

For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself . . . (NASB) John 5:26

The Father has life in Himself. This is hard to understand since all of us were born. We are here on this planet because of a man and woman whom we call father and mother. Some day we will die and return to dust unless Jesus Christ returns first. We had a beginning and most of us will have an ending.

But this is not true of God the Father, because He has life in Himself! He has always existed. He was never born, and He will never die. He never had a father or mother. He did not need a mother or father. The truth is - He created mothers and fathers. He enables mothers and fathers to give life. In Him is life and he has enabled His creatures - men and women - to start physical life. He is life and He is the source of life.

He did not come into being by some cosmic power, because He is self-sustaining. He did not evolve, because He has always been the same according to Hebrews 13:8. He has always been.

God the Father is self-existing. Since Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God, they are also self-existing. Notice Jesus’ words that the Son also has “life in Himself.” This is one great mystery of God. He is self-existing as God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.