The God and His Family Series consists of 16 episodes. In the New Testament, one of the most common descriptions of God and his people is that of a family. This series is designed to talk about that relationship in detail.
Jesus introduced the concept that God is three spirits in one – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From that terminology, God is a family.
Jesus and the New Testament writers often use family terms to describe the relationship between God and his people. They draw on relationships such as: father, children, sons and daughters, and adopted sons and daughters. These relationships not only imbue privileges, but also confer responsibilities.
It’s hard to see in English but Jesus sometimes refers to God as his Father and sometimes as “Daddy.” Part of the Good News of Jesus is that God can also be our Father and Daddy.
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Luke 23:34 records some of the most well-known words of Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” It is fitting that some of Jesus’s last words before his death had to do with forgiveness for an unbelievably unjust act perpetrated on him.
Forgiveness is a primary part of the Christian life. The basis of Christianity is that God forgives people of their sins if they believe in Jesus. He doesn’t have to, he doesn’t need to but God chooses to give the grace of forgiveness. In light of this, God commands his followers to be forgiving people.
The Lord’s Prayer makes the bold request that God forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. What an incentive to be a forgiving people! Colossians 3:13 says to forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us. Luke 6:37 similarly says to forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Matthew 6:14-15 says, “For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” In Mark 11:25, Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” It’s as if not forgiving people keeps God from forgiving you.
