YOUR SPIRITUAL FATHER

In this generation that validates ministers of the Gospel on the grounds of who their spiritual father is…

In this generation that compares themselves with themselves on the grounds of who one is submitted to, whom they’ve also labeled spiritual covering, amongst other numerous defective reasons and bases for their comparisons…

It’s truly about time we define things correctly by strictly viewing through the spectrum of God’s Word!

Friends, it really doesn’t matter how long error or falsehood may have thrived in a system, it will ultimately give way for the truth of God’s Word to prevail…it’s only a matter of time.

(By God’s grace in my next post with precise scriptural elucidation, I’ll deal with some imported terminologies that have beguiled the body of Christ for so long.)

Now speaking of the word Father, there was actually a context within which the Lord Jesus said to the multitude as well as his disciples who listened, saying; that they should call no man upon the earth Father (see Matthew 23:9),…that context will be expounded sometime in a different write up if God permits.

However, it suffices to say, that in the context of fatherhood beyond a biological or natural descent, or by adoption as an adoptive father, there’s such a person who scripturally fits into the status of a spiritual father to another. However, it is scripturally in the context of a significant activity in Christ orchestrated by the Gospel.

A spiritual father is strictly in relation to a birth in Christ by the Gospel.

Having a man as your “spiritual father” in relation to the Gospel in Christ or by new birth, simply means such a man had begotten you through the Gospel.

In basic terms it simply means such a man was solely instrumental to your Salvation.

It means your spiritual father is the exact person who led you to Christ, taking responsibility for you.

Let’s see this clearly from scriptures:

For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation].

1 Cor 4:15 AMP

For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

1 Cor 4:15 NKJV

Did you see that clearly in scriptures?

God’s Word is always precise and articulate in the delivery of truth.

Firstly, Paul the Apostle established the premise for his fatherhood saying; …”for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”

That’s the exact scriptural premise for fatherhood in the lights of a spiritual father.

This must be attributed to the person who fundamentally led you to Christ, being responsible for you.

Yes, this status is not just for any person, it is strictly for the man in Christ who have begotten you through the gospel.

Secondly, prior to the above emphasis, it is critical to note that the reference scripture also says; “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers”…

The scripture says; “you do not have many fathers”.

I’ll say that again; “you do not have many fathers”.

There are indeed people who brag to have many spiritual fathers in their lives, and some others who are in the habit of hopping from one man of God to the other, claiming to have changed their spiritual father to a newer powerful spiritual father.

Again I repeat; “you do not have many fathers” according to the ordinance of scriptures.

The scripture reveals that so far as it relates to a birth in Christ through the Gospel preached, you have only one spiritual father.

Let’s see another translation that puts it clearly for your perusal:

For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.

1 Cor 4:15 NLT

Did you see that?

It says; “you have only one spiritual father.”

You see, God’s Word remains our sure standard for vetting truth as absolute inspite of the prevalent erroneous norm of our generation.

There are in existence many instructors in Christ and many fathers of faith (in the Lord Jesus Christ), they should all be acknowledged and greatly honoured as such generally speaking, but when it comes to you, the scripture says; “You do not have many fathers”! “You have only one spiritual father”!

I’m hoping you caught that!

Within the premise of the Corinthian believers that Paul addressed, it was Paul the Apostle who introduced the Gospel to them which brought them into Christ by new birth in Salvation.

Thus, He affirms himself as their father having begotten them through the Gospel.

In simple terms I reiterate; that the sole person who was instrumental in bringing you into Christ by the preaching of the Gospel is your spiritual father.

That very person who in Christ Jesus had begotten you through the gospel is your spiritual father.

It is therefore unscriptural to attribute many persons to yourself as your spiritual father, or substituting a tutor in Christ or mentor for your spiritual father.

They’re not the same in that they have independent meanings scripturally.

You may indeed have many tutors in Christ, the scripture says; yet you do not have many fathers! you have only one spiritual father!

That spiritual father of yours may actually be unpopular and may not be a big name in the natural, nor the pioneer of a global ministry that multitudes are part of, but that’s the true person God’s Word affirms as your spiritual father who had begotten you through the Gospel of your Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

That’s your “spiritual father” indeed.

All others may be your instructors in Christ, or tutors or even mentors who may have played or currently are playing major roles in your life, but that very person in Christ who had begotten you through the Gospel is your spiritual father!

Paul spoke to the Corinthian believers in the lights of recognising and acknowledging him as their spiritual father, so as to be imitators of him in the followership of Christ.

You also need to acknowledge such a person of great significance in your life and honour him as such (him generically speaking: gender insensitive).

Yes! recognise, acknowledge and also honour him/her who played that significant role to have begotten you through the Gospel upon which you now thrive.

I hope you get the entire message…

God bless you!

Much Luv

Jubilee Swithin