14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,          “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;          

AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.          “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;          And I will welcome you.18 “And I will be a father to you,          And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”          Says the Lord Almighty.

- 2 Cor. 6:14-18

FATHERHOOD OF GODA Special Relationship

• Parents understand how God feels

• Children are blessed by good parents

“…for we also are His children. Being then the children of God,…” - Acts 17:28,29a

1. All Men are from God“let us make man in our image, according to our likeness” - Gen 1:26

But God as Father is uplifting

1. All Men are from GodEvolution offers nothing special

It’s something to trumpet

1. All Men are from God BUT…“Ah sinful nation, people weighed down w/iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.” (Isaiah 1:4)

“2 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:2,3)

“For Israel has forgotten his Maker…”

But they all go astray

2. A Special Relationship“22 “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 “So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’” (Exodus 4:22,23)“27 My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” (Ezek 37:27)

 14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,          “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;          

AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.          “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;          And I will welcome you.18 “And I will be a father to you,          And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”          Says the Lord Almighty.

- 2 Cor. 6:14-18

2. A Special Relationship w/Nations“You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us. You, O Lord, are our Father.” (Isa 63:16)“Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” (Ezek 44:23)God’s people are obedient and holy….

3. The Special Relationship with Christ“this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased” (Mt. 3:17)

“the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:6; 2 Cor. 1:3; 1 Pt. 1:3).

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3:16)

“Abba, Father”

“…no one comes to the Father but through Me” (Jn 14:6) ?

DO WE

4. His People through Christ“10 “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL  AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:   I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,  AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.  AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD  AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” (Heb. 8:10)

“15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Rom. 8:15)

4. His People through Christ“1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 Jn 3:1)

Love

4. His People through Love“For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherdand Guardian of your souls.” (1 Pt. 2:25)

“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THAT PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’ THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.” (Rom. 9:26)

Repentance

4. His People are Born Again“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1 Pt. 1:3,4)

Baptism saves…through resurrection, (1 Pt 3:21)

4. His People are Born Again“26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” (Gal 3:26-29).

“Abba! Father!”

“Our Father who are in heaven...”

5. Men Need Their Father“He is Father of the fatherless” - Ps. 68:5

5. Men Need Their Father“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Lk 11:13)

“Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?” (Heb. 12:9)

6. Responsibility of the Children--Stay faithful to the Truth: “9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.” (2 Jn 9)

--Be Holy: “14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Pt. 1:14,15)

5. Responsibility of the Children--Pray meaningful prayers: “Our Father who art in heaven” (Lk 11:2).--Honor Him: “A son honors his father, and a servant his master; then if I am a Father, where is My honor.” (Mal. 1:6)--Bring others to Him: “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded...” (Mt. 28:19)

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.” – Eph. 6:1-3

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves

esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our

iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are

healed.– Isaiah 53:4,5

GOOD NEWS

GOOD NEWS

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that

whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”

- John 3:16

BELIEVE!BELIEVE!

“You are the Christ, The Son of the Living God.”

– Mt. 16:16

CONFESS IT

CONFESS IT

“God declares to all men everywhere that they should repent” – Acts 17

TURN TO GOD

TURN TO GOD

“Now why do you delay, Arise and be Baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on

His name.” – Acts 22:16

BE BAPTIZED

BE BAPTIZED