THE PRINCIPLES OF FATHERHOOD
"As for Me, behold, My Covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for.... " Genesis 17:4-5(NKJV)
BIBLE READING:
LUKE 11: 1-13; JAMES 1:17-27; 1 JOHN 2
It is imperative that we begin with an understanding of the meaning of the term "father" because one of the greatest dangers to society is the misconceptions surrounding the Concept of Fatherhood. Definitions often determine interpretations, hence the need for us to start here. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for “father” is "Ab" or "Abba" meaning “Daddy”. In the New Testament, the Greek word for father is "Pater". So, you have Ab and Abba in Old Testament Hebrew and Pater in New Testament Greek. The term "Father" denotes Source, Nourisher, Sustainer, Supporter, Founder, and Protector. It also means Progenitor, Ancestor, Founder, Author, Teacher, and Creator. Father is not necessarily a name but is more like a title resulting from a function. The Lord God Almighty is our Father through our Creation and became our Redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Source of all Creation, restoring us to Himself as our Father through the Sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, “the Everlasting Father” Who produced a new generation of recreated beings in human vessels (Isa. 9:6).
A Principle could be defined as "a Fundamental Law that governs function and behaviour." We must have a clear understanding of the Basic Laws of Fatherhood in order to become effective fathers. Every father is the source who sustains, protects, nourishes, and provides identity for that which he produces. The following are some of the Basic Principles of Fatherhood:
(1.) The Father is the Source of the Seed: Simply put, the father is the host of the sperm or life-giving cell. He is the source of human life, whereas the woman is the incubator of life.
(2.) The Father is the Nourisher of the Fruit: The seed of every tree gets planted and then eventually becomes another tree that bears its own fruit according to its kind. Whatever comes out of the seed is the fruit hence we, as fathers, are responsible for nourishing that same fruit. The seed supplies the tree that sustains the fruit, which in turn produces more seed. According to the Holy Scriptures, the male is the source of the female: “For man did not come from woman, BUT WOMAN FROM MAN” 1 Corinthians. 11:8 (NKJV). Put in a different way, the man becomes responsible for whatever came out of him. Since women came out from men, men are responsible for their women and how they treat them. Whenever a woman goes out with a man, she’s supposed to feel protected physically, emotionally, and Spiritually.
(3.) The Father is designed to protect his Fruit: Remember that whatever comes out of you is an integral part of you. If a man hates his wife, then he also hates himself. "A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, AND THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH." So they are no longer two, but one (Mark. 10:7–8). God’s Word tells us to love our wives as ourselves (Ephesians 5:25–33). If a man loves his wife, he also loves his own flesh. This is why any man who walks about slapping, kicking, and cursing himself ought to be considered an unhinged lunatic. Fatherhood is a Wonderful Responsibility because you are the progenitor of all that comes out of you. Hence, you must protect the same since father means protector.
(4.) The Father determines the type of the offspring and influences its quality: Because the father carries the seed within him, he also carries the type of “tree” his offspring will become. He has the power to influence the eventual quality of that tree by his own character (Isaiah 37:31).
(5.) Fatherhood entails Quality Management: Every father has a God-given duty to maintain his offspring. The Fatherhood Principle involves management and maintenance. Every father is responsible for the security, sustenance, and development of his own seed. Every authentic father teaches his seed. A father will always take responsibility for his seed and establish his seed in knowledge. In other words, every source must train and instruct its resources. That is the Concept of Fatherhood. That means as a father, you are responsible not only for making babies but also for training those babies and teaching them to walk in the ways of the Lord. Otherwise, you're merely a sperm donor.
It’s very difficult to lead children to the Lord if you are an absentee father. It’s hard to take people to where God is if you are not heading in that direction yourself (Acts 1:1). You cannot lead your family to a place where you are not going. As Christian believers, we are not called only to father natural children but also Spiritual children. We father Spiritual children whenever we raise disciples for our Lord Jesus and make it our lifelong goal to bring them to Sonship (Psalms 112:2).
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, please grant us a Deeper Understanding of the Fatherhood Principles and grant us the Grace to apply them to our lives in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.