God the Father
We believe that God the Father began to assume his place as Father in relation to the Son and Holy Spirit in the council of the Godhead before creation and time (Ps. 2:7-10 [show]Psalm 2:7-10
[7]I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
[8]Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
[9]You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."
[10]Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
); that, although equal in nature, the Son and Holy Spirit have been subordinate to the Father since the council and will remain in that relationship until eternity future (I Cor. 15:28 [show]1 Corinthians 15:28
[28]When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. (ESV)), and the subordination is for the purpose of executing the divine purpose (John 4:34, 5 [show]John 4:34
[34]Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. (ESV)
John 4:5
[5]So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. (ESV):17-18, 14:16; Eph. 1:3-14 [show]Ephesians 1:3-14
[3]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4]even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5]he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6]to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. [7]In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8]which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [9]making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ [10]as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
[11]In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, [12]so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. [13]In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14]who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (ESV)). The Father is the ultimate source of all things (I Cor. 8:6 [show]1 Corinthians 8:6
[6]yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (ESV); Ephesians 3:9 [show]Ephesians 3:9
[9]and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, (ESV)); sustains a Fatherhood relationship to spirit beings (Job 1:6 [show]Job 1:6
[6]Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. (ESV); Heb. 12:9 [show]Hebrews 12:9
[9]Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (ESV)); sent the Son into the world (John 3:16 [show]John 3:16
[16]"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)), and with the Son sent the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, 15 [show]John 14:26
[26]But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (ESV)
John 14:15
[15]"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (ESV):26), but the Father is never the sent one. The Father enters a Fatherhood relation with men through their spiritual new birth (John 1:12-13, 3 [show]John 1:12-13
[12]But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13]who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (ESV)
John 1:3
[3]All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (ESV):1-7); indwells believers (John 14:23 [show]John 14:23
[23]Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (ESV); Eph. 4:6 [show]Ephesians 4:6
[6]one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (ESV)); makes them partakers of the divine nature (II Pet. 1:4 [show]2 Peter 1:4
[4]by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (ESV)); calls them his born ones (I John 3:9 [show]1 John 3:9
[9]No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (ESV)); forgives their sins (I John 1:9 [show]1 John 1:9
[9]If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)); and answers their prayers (John 16:23 [show]John 16:23
[23]In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. (ESV)).