To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 17:01:38 -0500
Subject: HF031 - The Heart of a Father
Hebraics,
In our last study on 'The Imprinting of the Lord,' I spoke of how a
mother with her child reflects emotions that are found in God
Himself. In this study we want to include the Father heart of God.
But I want to direct your attention especially to growth patterns that are
to be found in our Christian walk. The ultimate level is when we take on
the heart of a father.
This is study HF031 - The Heart of a Father
The apostle John gives us a synopsis on four levels of spiritual
growth in a child of God's life. The highest level is where a believer
acquires the heart of a father. In the following Scripture portion, I am
going to insert a Greek term that expresses a level of growth that John is
referencing. Listen:
"I am writing to you, little children [teknoin], because your
sins
have been forgiven you for His name's sake. I am writing to you,
fathers [pater], because you know Him who as been from the
beginning. I am writing to you, young men [neaniskos], because
you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children
[paidion], because you know the Father. I have written to you,
fathers [pater], because you know Him who has been from the
beginning. I have written to you, young men [neaniskos], because
you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have
overcome the evil one." (1John 2:12-14)
I need to point out that John doesn't set these age groupings in
order, though each term he uses is a description of an age. Then
there are two terms that John doesn't use. One is used by Peter,
the other is used by Paul.
For Peter, the term is 'brephos.' Brephos speaks of a new born
baby who is still nursing. (Cf. 1 Peter 2:2 - It can also refer to an
unborn child.) The other term used by Paul, is 'nepios.' This would be a
child who is not a helpless infant, but at the most 3 or 4 years old. Both
these ages are very immature. John does not use them because the people he
is writing to, should be well past the infant age.
Here are the ages that John uses, and their definitions, beginning
with the youngest.
(1) Paidion (children) - The term is generally for a young child. On
the
spiritual level, this is the preadolescent stage where believers have two
primary needs. They need assurance of love and acceptance. But they are
also beginning to discover the father. (Brephos is strictly the
mother-child age.)
Here is an example - My wife is a pastor's daughter. She is a most
excellent woman. When our children were young, Betty would
make certain they remained quiet when daddy was in the study
preparing for a ministry. This could take hours. Betty would bring
me coffee, and the children could play outside. If in the house, they were
to be very quiet.
I would hear a wee knock on my door. When I opened it, there
would be my daughter, every bit of 2 1/2 years old. Shana would
look up at me and say, "Daddy, I don't have nobody to hold me."
Of course, at that moment nothing else mattered. I would sweep
her up in my arms, walk over to the french doors, sit down in a
comfortable chair, with her in my lap, and then begin to talk with
her about the birds, and of God's creation, as we looked in the
back yard. I made sure she knew how very much the Lord loved
her. She was a paidion. (A little child.)
But at the same time, Shana was recognizing that I had a very
special place in the family, which was to be respected.
(2) Teknoin (little children) - This is a technical term for a child
who
is generally preadolescent. (It is often used as an affectionate address.)
This is the 'inbetween' age. As a spiritual age, the teknoin not only
knows the Father's love, but is now at the age where discipline and
instruction are serving to form the child's character in a very real way.
This is where the ancients said that the father was to study his
children to see where their bend in life lay. Proverbs 22:6 speaks of
this; "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he
will not depart from it." [The Hebrew here for child is 'naar,'
which
speaks of a lad.]
Again I recall an incident that speaks of this age. My three children were
helping me rake pine straw. We sat down together beside a pine tree. There
I began to talk to them, and they would talk with me. They were working
with father. We were enjoying one another. I have always made it my
business to speak to my children about God, and His love.
Are we fathers not instructed to do this? Did not the man of God
say, "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on
your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall
talk of them when you sit in our house and when you walk by the
way and when you lie down and when you rise up." (Deuteronomy
6:7)
It is at this age where the young person is having instilled in him or her
true faith. Our children need to hear daddy speak into their lives. He
needs to talk of great things that God has done for him. I have been a
story teller since my kids have been very young.
(3) Neaniskos (young men) - This is an interesting age. The
neaniskos is a young man beyond the age of puberty, but not yet
married. In a spiritual sense, John makes this the warrior age. The
believer has come to grips with how to overcome the enemy, and
has, in fact, become an overcomer in his own rights. He has
listened to his father well.
This is what John is speaking of, when he says, "I am writing to
you, neaniskos, because you have overcome the evil one." This is
the age where the believer is capable of ministering, but is yet
under some supervision.
In the ancient Jewish tradition, an unmarried man was not given a
voice in the community. He had to be married and become a father.
(By the way, there is no Hebrew word for bachelor.) If a man did not
marry, it was said that he diminished the divine image. To the ancient
people of God, not to have children was a tragedy.
(4) Pater (father) - The age depicts the deepening of our spiritual
life, where the believer knows God, and knows the heart of God.
The 'pater' has taken on the heart of a father. He is able to function on
a level of undisturbed peace. The father age is the 'pillars of the
church' age. Lots of folk think they are at this age, but they soon find
out how wrong they are.
Note: Unlike some languages, the Greek doesn't always make a
clear cut distinction between levels of growth. It is best not to get too
technical in defining these age groups.
Coming back to the age groupings - The most difficult time for a
believer is the transition between the teknoin (little children), and the
neaniskos (young man.) This point of time in a believers life can be
likened to the young person who is being pulled in two directions. We all
went through that time of frustration. The child was pulling in one
direction, and the young man was pulling in the other.
Well, lets leave John and listen to a description of the father and
the mother heart of God, that will be found in the fully mature
believer. Paul speaks of this.
Note the mother: "But we proved to be gentle among you, as a
nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children." (1
Thessalonians 2:7)
Note the father: Paul says, "Just as you know how we were
exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a
father would his own children." (1 Thessalonians 2:11)
We may question why John used these age terms in writing to
believers. But I think he explains it as a 'seed' that enters the heart of
each person born from above. In this seed is the power of our growing up
in Christ.
John said, "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His
seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of
God." (1 John 3:9)
Peter called the seed 'the Word of God.' This expression is a term
for Christ Himself.
The early Christian writers said that when a person is born again, it is
as though Christ were being born again in the heart of each believer. And
thus our spiritual growth is a process of the life of Christ 'forming' in
us.
The study is open for discussion. Do you have any insights or
questions you wish to share?
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)