Our Relationship with Our Father

(Developing The Mind of Christ - Study # 2)
Our relationship with the Father is personal and intimate 1. He knows each one of us and He alone knows the plan He has designed for our lives.2

The ultimate goal of His plan of course is expessed in Col. 1:28b - "to be presented to Him, mature, (AMPLIFIED: full-grown, fully initiated, complete and perfect) in Christ. 3

Throughout His teachings, Jesus revealed His Father not as Almighty God, Ruler and Judge, (though He certainly was) but as "Abba", 'Poppa' or 'Daddy' 4. This was the manner in which Jesus experienced His heavenly Father and yet there was another dimension to their relationship 5. Though we are all sons and daughters of our Abba, by virtue of our new birth, 6 (greek - 'teknos'), we are intended to 'grow-up', into another kind of 'sonship', (Greek -'huios' )(Hebrew - 'Ben') as those equipped and qualified to operate the family business, to establish the Family Name, "God and Sons Incorporated" with Jesus Christ CEO.7 The primary objective of God's plan is to fulfill His promise to Abraham, and populate heaven with more children than "stars in the sky"8.

He needs mature sons and daughters to accomplish this.9

I Cor. 13:11 describes this perfectly. 'To become a man and put away childish things'10
Examining the context we see Paul was endeavouring to move the Corinthian church beyond the 'milk' of the gospel, 11 and inspire them to earnestly seek, know and practise the deeper things of God, the incorporation of which equip us to fulfill our Father's will and pleasure 12. The same pleasure he expressed when Jesus entered full maturity through His baptism and declared Himself ready and willing to accomplish everything He had been instructed to do 13. It becomes personal when we accept our own commission, and receive the anointing we need to live as Jesus lived, to walk as Jesus walked 14.
This is our Father's great delight 15 .

Footnotes: 1 Matt.6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 2. Rom.11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 3. Col:1:28b that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:4 Gal. 4:6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father..5 Rom. 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. John1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 6.- John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, Gal.4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father., 7.- Col.1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Eph. 3:15, Heb. 2:10. 8 Gen. 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 9 - Eph.4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, Philp.2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;:10 I Cor. 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.11.- 1 Cor.3:2: I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.12.- 1 Cor.2:10: But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 13.Matt.26:42: He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.14 1 John. 2:6: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.15 Isa.58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God., Eph.1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Questions:

1. How can I come to know God's plan for my life, my calling?
2. Can I really know God personally as my "Abba", my daddy?
3. How do I 'grow-up' and become a mature son or daughter?
4. Do the gifts of the Spirit help me acheive this goal?
5. Is a person who doesn't appear to be growing still a christian?
6. Does God love me any less if I don't strive for maturity