Why do we refer to God as "our father in Heaven"?

Question

Of course, Jesus said it in his example of a Model prayer. But, Why do we consider God as our Father in Heaven? Does that really mean that he is like a parent to us?

Answer 1

You cannot consider him as your Father unless you have been born of His Spirit...

Jesus was talking to his followers when he gave that prayer....not to unbelievers.

"But as many as received him (Jesus), TO THEM he gave the power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his name". - (John 1:12)

Answer 2

To those born in Christ's Image, we call Him Our Father in Heaven. If you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ = Christian, then you haven't called upon Him to be your Father in Heaven. No relationship=no Father, son or daughter. You must go thru the Son (Jesus) to get to the Father(bibllical). What many unbelievers don't understand is that God does Father us in that He wants whats best for us, even if we don't understand it. That if we are warned or even reprimanded by our Loving Father in Heaven, that God must be cruel. Not so!, Look up the meaning of a loving parent or look to our own loving parents if you've had this and know that they did this or that BECAUSE they loved you enough to care about your character, future. The parent who doesn't take the time or effort to love and DISIPLINE ALSO shows a lack of love. Think about it. How much more loving is a Supreme Father in Heaven who thru the Holy Spirit, resides with you forever in your heart for all who call on Him and obey Him and call Him "Master".

Answer 3

I think it is two things. People could understand a father figure, one who cared for and nurtured you. Especially in the time of Jesus, a father was very honored by his family and the ultimate "father", God, would get the ultimate honor.
Secondly, it was "Father" rather than "Mother again because of the times. Back then, men had a much higher standing in society.
Finally, is God like a parent to us? Some would say God can be any and all things. It's up to you really.

Answer 4

i trust that some the position in the bible it states that God is neither male OR woman. "He" is God and does no longer want to be both or. at the same time as the bible grow to be translated, the writers deliberately wrote God as a "He". It basically has some thing to do with translation as in maximum languages, the masculine type of verbs and such different issues is the dominant gender. There for, people in the older age who were translating the Bible, wrote it as "he" because (a) female did no longer have a lot say or authority at this aspect and considering (b) they were adult men. Dont you imagine that again in the day more beneficial people will be appt to adhere to the innovative and prescient of a "male" chief than a "woman" one? in case you understand a touch about the Bible then you quite understand that God is neither.

Answer 5

The parable of the Abrahamic deity as a father is found throughout the Bibles, and reaches back to Pre-Christian interpretations of the Abrahamic deity as father of the people (literally father of the Jewish people) which probably is indicative of an early belief in Abrahamic religion in literal descent from deity, which is a common mythological component of many early religions.

Excuse the run-on sentence.

That being said, the existance of this idea of deity as parent runs through not just Christian mythology, but also Greek, Roman and most other mythologies, so it is interesting to think of what in the human condition might make us all think this way, huh?

Answer 6

Jesus also referred to God as "Mother" in the parables of the lost coin, the widow's mite and the hen gathering her chicks.
Mother/Father refers to a loving close relationship of parent/child. Some one Who loves and cares for us.

Answer 7

Yes, to the fatherless He is a Father, also a Mother. He is the Parent who is perfect for those who parents are not. He is also so much more, the Father of the Universe and of Life.

Answer 8

He created us in his own image and since he takes care of us we call him our father just like we call our elders.His love is great in our lives more than our mothers love,imagine how much we sin against him but he loves us regardless our real parents can get get pissed with our behaviours but God does'nt he does more than our parents, understands and forgives all who comes to him and acknowledge him as the almighty.

Answer 9

In the Beginning there was God. God created the heavens and the earth and all things that are there in. He created man on the 6th day. Shouldn't we call Him Father who brought us forth into His world?

Answer 10

If we receive Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we are adopted into the family of God. He is our Father and we are his children.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to be children of God.

Answer 11

For any believer and servant of Jesus Christ, it so be an no-brain after thought. The Lord God is the creator of heaven, earth, animals,mankind..etc.

Colossians 1:15-20
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.