Understanding the Marginalization of God the Father

In contemporary Christian discourse, there appears to be a disproportionate emphasis on Jesus Christ, the Son, at the expense of acknowledging and understanding God the Father. This shift is particularly ironic given that Jesus Himself frequently emphasized the role and will of the Father throughout His teachings. A fundamental aspect of Christian doctrine is the recognition of the distinct persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each with unique roles yet united in essence. This doctrine is foundational, yet there seems to be a growing eclipse of God the Father in many Christian circles, as highlighted by theologians like R.C. Sproul and echoed in the sentiments of many devout believers.

R. C. Sproul observes, “If there is anything that is in eclipse in the church today, it is the knowledge of God the Father.” He astutely notes the diminished understanding of God the Father within contemporary church teachings, describing it as the most significant theological oversight in recent decades. This observation resonates deeply with my own experience, having emphasized this concern for over thirty years. Ironically, while modern Christian practice heavily focuses on Jesus Christ, it is Jesus Himself who persistently highlighted the Father’s role, particularly evident throughout the Gospel of John (See below). This paradox serves as a crucial wake-up call to realign our theological focus and fully embrace the comprehensive nature of the Trinity as presented in the Scriptures.

Scriptural Foundations of the Father’s Role

Jesus’ emphasis on the Father is evident in the Gospels, particularly in John, where He speaks of doing the will of His Father and representing Him on earth. For instance, John 5:19 says, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” This passage underscores the intimate and inseparable relationship between the Father and the Son, highlighting the Father’s active role and authority.

Moreover, the instruction in Matthew 7:21-23 serves as a stark warning against the neglect of the Father’s sovereign will. Here, Jesus emphasizes that entrance into the kingdom of heaven depends not on merely acknowledging Him as Lord or performing deeds in His name but on doing the will of the Father. This passage should act as a corrective to any practice that places the Father in a metaphorical box, sidelining His will and authority in favor of a more comfortable or familiar focus on the Son alone.

Matthew 7:21-23 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of the heavens, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in the heavens. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’

VERSE 22 could very easily be read: On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not fee the poor in your name, and clothe the homeless in your name, and make donations to the church in your name?’

Theological Implications of Neglecting the Father

Neglecting God the Father has significant theological implications. It risks distorting the Christian understanding of the Trinity, where each Person is co-equal and co-eternal, deserving recognition and worship. The relational dynamics within the Trinity itself model perfect unity and distinct roles, which are critical for sound doctrine and the believer’s spiritual life. When the Father’s role is minimized, it can lead to a skewed understanding of authority and submission, aspects clearly delineated in the Scriptures.

Furthermore, the Scriptures often relate the Father as the ultimate authority figure, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, where Paul describes the subjection of all things to the Father by Christ, indicating the ultimate authority of the Father even within the Trinitarian relationship. This hierarchy does not imply inequality but rather a divine order and harmony that fulfills God’s salvific plan.

Cultural and Spiritual Consequences

The cultural shift towards a predominantly Christocentric focus while neglecting the Father may reflect broader cultural trends that favor a more approachable, less authoritative figure that aligns with contemporary values of friendship and egalitarianism. This can lead to a “taming” of God’s image, away from the biblical depiction of a sovereign, holy, and awe-inspiring Father.

In spiritual terms, neglecting the Father can lead to a shallow faith that leans heavily on emotional experiences of Jesus without a deep reverence for the overarching sovereignty and holiness of God the Father. This imbalance may ultimately affect the believer’s understanding of salvation, sanctification, and the fear of the Lord, which are foundational to Christian living.

The Adversary’s Role in the Marginalization of the Father

Who would want us to remove God’s personal name (how we have relationships), Jehovah, from the Old Testament and replace it with a title (lacks relationship)? Who would want to put God the Father in a box?

Considering who benefits from such theological distortions, it is clear that Satan, the adversary, has a vested interest in Christians having an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of God. By removing “Jehovah” from the Old Testament and diminishing the Father’s role, Satan aims to disrupt the relationship dynamic within the Godhead as revealed to humanity, thereby weakening the believer’s understanding of God’s nature and will.

THE APOSTLE PAUL

Roman 10:13 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
13 for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[1]
[1] Quotation from Joel 2:32, which reads, “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah shall be saved.” In other words, Paul was referring to the Father not the Son.

THE APOSTLE PETER

Acts 2:21 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’[1]
[1] A quotation from Joel 2:28–32

THE PROPHET JOEL

Joel 2:32 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
32 And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved;[1] For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, just as Jehovah has said, The survivors whom Jehovah calls.
[1] Peter quotes this promise of deliverance at Acts 2:21 “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” The apostle Paul quotes this at Romans 10:13 “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

EXCURSION

How Does the Father Feel About His Own Personal Name?

Isaiah 42:8 American Standard Version (ASV)
⁸ I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.

Malachi 3:16 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹⁶ Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.

Micah 4:5 American Standard Version (ASV)
⁵ For all the peoples walk everyone in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever.

Proverbs 18:10 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹⁰ The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it, and is safe.

Jehovah chose his own name, one rich in meaning. “Jehovah” literally means “He Causes to Become.” The divine name certainly was not new. The divine name was known and used back in the beginning with Adam and Eve. The patriarchs also knew and used the divine name and received promises from Jehovah. However, keeping in mind the meaning of God’s name, “He Causes to Become,” the patriarchs did not experientially know Jehovah as the one who would cause the promises to be fulfilled. (Genesis 12:1, 2; 15:7, 13-16; 26:24; 28:10-15.) They knew the promises, but Moses was about to experience the results. No matter what was to get in the way of Moses and the Israelites, no matter the difficulties they faced, Jehovah was going to become whatever they needed to deliver them from slavery and into the Promised Land.

Exodus 34:5-6 American Standard Version (ASV)
⁵ And Jehovah descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah. ⁶ And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.

Deuteronomy 32:3-5 American Standard Version (ASV)
³ For I will proclaim the name of Jehovah: Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. ⁴ The Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he. ⁵ They have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish; they are a perverse and crooked generation.

Leviticus 22:32 American Standard Version (ASV)
³² And ye shall not profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am Jehovah who sanctified you,

Psalm 8:1 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹ O Jehovah, our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth, Who hast set thy glory upon the heavens!

Psalm 148:13 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹³ Let them praise the name of Jehovah; For his name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heavens.

Exodus 3:15 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹⁵ And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Malachi 1:11 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹¹ For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the Gentiles, says Jehovah of armies.

Exodus 9:16 American Standard Version (ASV)
¹⁶ but in very deed for this cause have I made you to stand, to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Ezekiel 36:23 American Standard Version (ASV)
²³ And I will sanctify my great name, which hath been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, says the Lord Jehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

And may we be determined to stand firm for what was revealed to us in Scripture, not cowering to fainted-hearted scholarship, who would instead please man than the Creator of heaven and earth. Let us say, as the prophet Micah boldly said many centuries ago,

Micah 4:5 American Standard Version (ASV)
⁵ For all the peoples walk
    each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God
    forever and ever.

The greatest indignity of modern translators is their rendering of the Father’s personal name as a title “LORD” or “GOD,” removing or the concealing of his special personal name. Before moving on, let us say that Yahweh is not an appropriate rendering of the Father’s personal name. First, the Father’s personal name, the Tetragrammaton (יהוה), has three syllables (Je·ho·vah), not two syllables (Yah·weh). Second, many Hebrew kings and others used by God personally in Bible times used part of the Father’s personal name in their name, like Jehoash, Jehoram, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Jehohanan, Jehonadab, Jehoahaz, and even the wife of High Priest Jehoiada; daughter of King Jehoram of Judah, Jehosheba,  among many more. We notice that the beginning of the Father’s personal name is used in every one of these cases. Does anyone find it a bit troubling that the Bibles (JB, LEB, HCSB), which choose to use the so-called scholarly “Yahweh” rendering still spell the above names with Jeho? Why do these same translations not spell Jehoash “Yahash”? We will look at how the Holman Christian Standard Bible (and the HCSB revision, the 2017 Christian Standard Bible) and the Lexham English Bible render the Father’s personal name and how they render Jehosheba, Jehoram, and Jehoash.

If you look at these translations that use Yahweh, look at the names of the kings.

• Jehoash would become Yahoash.
• Jehoram would become Yahoram.
• Jehoiakim would become Yahoikim.
• Jehoiachin would become Yahoiachin.
• Jehohanan would become Yahohanan.
• Jehonadab would become Yahonadab.
• Jehoahaz would become Yahoahaz.
• Jehosheba, the wife of High Priest Jehoiada and daughter of King Jehoram of Judah, would become Yahosheba.

Reviving the Knowledge of God the Father

To counteract this trend, believers must reengage with the Scriptures, seeking a balanced understanding of the Trinity that honors all Persons equally. Educational efforts in churches, seminaries, and individual study should focus on the comprehensive nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through prayer, study, and reverence, the knowledge of God the Father can be restored to its rightful place in the life of the church, ensuring a robust and balanced faith that glorifies the Triune God fully and faithfully.

The Centrality of the Father in the Teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of John

1. John 4:34 – “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.'”

2. John 5:19 – “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.'”

3. John 5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

4. John 6:38 – “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

5. John 8:28 – “So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.'”

6. John 8:29 – “And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

7. John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”

8. John 10:37-38 – “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

9. John 12:49-50 – “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

10. John 14:10 – “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”

11. John 14:13 – “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

12. John 14:20-21 – “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

13. John 14:23-24 – “Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'”

14. John 14:31 – “But I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

15. John 15:8 – “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

16. John 17:1 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.'”

17. John 17:21 – “That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

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