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“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” was a popular evangelistic catchphrase for many years. The statement’s goal was to welcome all people to hear the good news. The statement ultimately communicated a universalist message, however, and failed to capture the true message of the gospel. I once heard the story of an evangelist speaking these words to a man who drank from a six-pack of beer on the beach. After hearing that opening statement, the man simply replied, “Sounds great,” and immediately opened another can of beer. Doesn’t the man’s response make sense? His response showed that if God already loved him, then there was nothing else that he needed to hear or do. The lack of clarity had led to confusion.
We need clarity when we consider the fatherly love of God. Zacharias Ursinus made this point in his commentary on question and answer 26 of the Heidelberg Catechism, regarding the opening statement of the Apostles’ Creed (“I believe in God the Father, Almighty”). He pointed out that the name of the Father has three distinct meanings: first, regarding Christ as His only begotten Son; second, regarding all creatures as the Creator; and third, regarding His elect and adopted children. Ursinus’ second and third points precisely distinguish between the Father’s providential love for all people as His creatures and the Father’s redemptive love for His chosen children. We will consider these two concepts to understand what the Father’s love can mean to us.
all people as offspring of the creator
Scripture points us to God’s providential fatherhood over all mankind in a few key passages. In Luke 3, not only do we see that Christ’s genealogy goes all the way back to Adam, but in verse 38 we are even told that Adam was “the son of God.” Furthermore, Isaiah would call to the Lord, saying, “You are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isa. 64:8). These passages give insight that God has a fatherly role over all humanity. Yet the best passage to consider regarding God’s fatherhood over all His creatures comes in Paul’s apologetic in Acts 17.
Paul approached the Greek philosophers in Athens by quoting their own poetic words. In Acts 17:28–29, he declares:
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone.”
Paul used the Greeks’ poetry to point toward the powerful Father of all offspring, the Father of all creation. Paul used their poetry to stand against their philosophers who taught either that God is united to all other matter (the Stoics) or that God is completely disconnected from the world (the Epicureans).
Furthermore, Paul used Greek poetry to call out the absurdity of their idolatry. As their poets had pointed to the power of one creator who controls all things, Paul called them to realize their need to know the identity of the one true God. Paul reminded the Athenians that all mankind is left without excuse in denying the Father of all people by turning toward idols of gold, silver, or stone. The Father reveals Himself through His creation and His providential hand. As Paul clearly explained to the Romans:
His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Rom. 1:20)
Paul’s words to the Romans and Athenians are still words for all mankind to hear today. Despite sinful mankind’s desire to ignore God, deny Him, or outright disprove Him, the general revelation of the heavenly Father continues to leave mankind without excuse. As scientists continue to examine creation, intelligent design is verified. The events in life continue to point us to the providential Father who created and cares for all mankind.
To state that all people are offspring of the Creator may give us a degree of daily comfort, but we are given no enduring comfort. In Acts 17, Paul spoke of the Father of all humanity as an appeal to the unbeliever. He did not speak to the church with some universal claim for salvation. Paul called the men in Athens to acknowledge the God of creation that their poets had proclaimed and to know Him in full. Then Paul did not end his message with Greek poetry. He also pointed them in verses 30–31 to repentance and Christ. He told them about a righteous man who had risen from the dead. Only those who knew this Christ could truly be children of the heavenly Father. The same is true for us today.
god’s people as children of the father
The Father’s redeeming love for His adopted children is far richer than the providential care that He extends to all His created offspring. The Father’s salvific love extends beyond time, adopts us as His own, and comes from a promise that cannot be broken. First, His redeeming love extends beyond all time. The Father saves His elect children, as those chosen before time began (2 Tim. 1:9). The eternal aspect of election emphasizes the greatness of God’s love for His children. As Paul would proclaim to the Ephesians, “He chose [or “elected”] us . . . before the foundation of the world . . . in love” (Eph. 1:4). The eternal dwelling of God preceded the creation of time itself. Before creation began, God had already made the eternal decree of election, and Christ was appointed as the Head of the elect (see Canons of Dort 1.7). Time is surpassed by the greatness of our Father’s love.
Second, the Father’s redeeming love welcomes us into His family as His adopted children. Christ pointed to the truth of adoption by stating that any who belong to Him belong to His Father as well (John 14:23; 16:27). Paul explicitly described adoption by stating, “You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Rom. 8:15). Additionally, Paul confirmed both election and adoption by declaring that “He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:5). In both these passages, Paul also shows us how adoption is even possible. Only after Christ cried, “Abba! Father!” could we call Him “Abba! Father!” (Matt. 27:46). Only those who belong to the only begotten Son of God can be adopted as children of the Father. The eternal and familial love of the Father is for only the children who belong to Christ Jesus.
Third and finally, the Father’s love comes as a promise that cannot be broken. In our present culture, the family unit decreases as an illustration of solidity and increases as a picture of instability. We find divorce rates rising, more single-parent households, and alarming statistics on child abuse. The solid family unit continues to be under attack. Yet we can always find strength and comfort when we belong to the family of God. All who belong to the heavenly Father will not be abandoned, abused, or ignored by Him. God has made a promise that we will be His people and He will be our God (Gen. 17:7–8). His covenantal promise assures us that this family unit cannot be broken, despite our sinful efforts. When our Father looks on His children, He sees the righteousness of His only begotten Son. Christ has taken our sins on Himself, that we might be pleasant in our Father’s sight. We will be His children and He will be our Father.
conclusion
All humanity may find some form of comfort by knowing that the Lord of creation providentially watches over and cares for all His creatures. Yet the only way to receive the love of the heavenly Father in full is by belonging to Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, take immense comfort if you read these words as a child of God who belongs to Christ the Savior. And if you doubt your status as one of God’s children, look to Christ, believe in Him, repent of your sin, and find assurance that our heavenly Father remains faithful to all His adopted children, both now and forever.