Defining fatherhood!

Father and son looking toward sky with right hand raised like a salute

Defining fatherhood!

Life Today!

©2023 | Bill C. Dotson

Abba

I believe we should get a more complete view of what the word ‘father’ entails. We know that it originated from the heavenly Father. Since his attributes are infinite, it would be a fruitless exercise to say we would just copy all of his. Adam was given the privilege to name everything. He called himself man and he called Eve woman as she was taken from man. Since they lived in the presence of God in the Garden of Eden I believe he had to have known that God was Father, Son and Spirit. This was given emphasis when God said that they were to make man in their image. That is plural.

In the Bible Dictionaries – Easton’s Bible Dictionary, father is the name applied to any ancestor, a title of respect to a chief, ruler or elder etc. “Abba” is the defining term for father in the Aramaic language, spoken by Jesus and Paul as an intimate term to characterize their personal relationships with God. In the English, Abba means “daddy”.

Authority

The position and authority of the father as the head of the family are expressly assumed and sanctioned in scripture, as a likeness of that of the Almighty over his creatures. In a marriage, husband is the father, and wife is the mother. This was spoken of in Genesis 2. 24. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (5.22) the Spirit makes it abundantly clear. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” He goes on to say in verse 25—“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…”

Fatherhood

I researched and found these interesting, albeit not Biblical, descriptions of fatherhood.

K’wan: Best-selling author of multiple best-selling books in the urban fixture genre

“Fatherhood to me means being a nurturer. You’ve produced these beautiful little flowers, from seeds, and now it’s your job to water them and make sure they grow healthy and strong. Make sure they get enough sunlight, are properly watered and keep the weeds away.”

Adam Lyons: CEO and Founder of Psychology Hacker

“To me fatherhood is about setting an example. It’s taking the time to show through my own actions the little man my son should grow into, and to show my daughter the way men should treat her. I’m not their friend, not yet. Though I hope to be. I am a role model for now. Hopefully a friend to them when they’re older. No matter what, I’m someone they can rely on.”

Mark Ecko: Founder of Ecko Unlimited and Complex Magazine. Also a Board member at XQ Super School

“Everything. It is the practice of LOVE. L.O.V.E. If the word was an acronym it would stand for ’Life’s only valid expression’. It is the hardest job… but also the most gratifying job. It has special depth if you are patient, and invest in the meaning of the relationship with the mother of your children. That makes it especially good. It is a layered and rich experience.”

Well said, men, dads. Proverbs also addresses the role of fatherhood. “Train up a child in the way he/she should go; even when he/she is old he/she will not depart from it.” (Vs. 22.6) Train up is best described as ‘disciple’. Primarily, fathers are disciple makers. Disciples of the gospel of Jesus Christ should be their top priority.

Article Notes:
Scriptures taken from the ESV

Abiding Fathers Logo
Dads! Love! Listen! Lead!
Life-Today-banner-2022
Abiding Fathers Logo
Dads! Love! Listen! Lead!
Life-Today-banner-mobile-2022

Abiding Fathers is a Biblical fatherhood discipleship ministry committed to helping men be the dad…God wants them to be. It’s a movement of God that is “International-Relational-Generational”. Join with us. We need you!


Abiding_Fathers_Logo
life today green text

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get Involved

Lead a small group

Take a class

Teach a class

Be a Mentor

Prayer Request