Jesus is the Everlasting Father (Isa. 9:6)

Yesterday, we thought briefly about the fatherly basis of the kingdom of Jesus, that he as King would be kind and generous to his people. No doubt, there are many ways in which he will do this, but here are three examples.

 

The first example of fatherly care shown by Jesus is his willingness to pardon his subjects. This response is revealed at different stages in their history. They experience it for the first time when they come to him as rebels in great need of his forgiveness. When they confess their sinfulness to him, he immediately pardons them. The basis of their pardon is his work on the cross when he paid the penalty required of them for their sins. Although the price was high for him, he freely forgives them.

 

Then they experience his fatherly character as he pardons them throughout their lives in this world. Although forgiven by him when they come initially to him, they are not made sinless. This means that they will continue to sin, even when trying to obey his laws as their King. Sometimes they sin and dislike their own actions; at other times they may sin because they have become cold in heart towards him. Yet when they repent of their sins, he shows his fatherly care by forgiving them again and again.

 

A third way in which King Jesus will show his fatherly care with regard to the pardon of his people will take place in the future, on that momentous day when he will sit as Judge of all intelligent creatures. It will be awesome day, when he appears in glory. Although he will be so exalted, his heart will burn with great desire to announce, and that publicly, concerning each of his people, that their sins have all been pardoned. Sometimes we try and imagine the looks on our faces when this great announcement will be made, but we should also think about the look on his face as he makes this amazing declaration. It will be a wonderful insight into how fatherly the heart of Jesus is.

 

A further way of revealing his fatherly care concerning our sins will be the way that Jesus will not refer to them throughout the endless ages. We will refer to them as we praise him for paying the penalty for them. Yet he will never say to any of us, ‘You lived a terrible life,’ or ‘You were such a failure.’ Instead we will be treated as those who have been pardoned.