More than ten years ago, a drunk driver who killed a pedestrian and injured another sparked an outroar online for his statement: “My father is Li Gang”. After the accident, not only did he not promptly step out of his vehicle to assess the situation, he was also prepared to flee the scene. After he was seized, his first reaction was to shout, “Do you know who my father is? My dad is Li Gang!” Although the ‘Li Gang’ that was mentioned ultimately could not help his son escape from legal consequences, this begs the question for reflection: Even the worldly people today are able to comprehend clearly who their father is in the face of crisis. Then what about us as Christians? Do we know who our Father is? Does our Father also know who we are?

Who is our Father?

The term ‘Abba’ originates from Aramaic for ‘Father’. Galatians 4:6 mentions that we as children call out to God with “Abba, Father!”, just as Jesus did in Mark 14:36, which highlights the intimate relationship we share with God. God is indeed a gracious Father, but at the same time He is also a just and holy God. Not everyone can call upon Him as “Father”. Galatians 4:6 tells us that those who are able to call upon Him as “Father” do so not according to their own merit or understanding, but because the Spirit of His Son—the Holy Spirit—dwells in our hearts, crying out on our behalf, "Abba! Father!"

We were once under the law, enslaved to those which by nature are not gods when we did not know Him (Gal 4:5,8). The same is true for those who do not know God in this world today. Their eyes are veiled and they cannot see God in His fullness, nor do they know Him. They set their minds on earthly things; their god is their belly (Phil 3:19), and their father is the devil (John 8:44). Yet through Christ’s redemption and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, those who believe in the Lord have attained a new identity, and their relationship with God has been restored, enabling them to be reconnected to the Source of life.

Whose child am I?

Today, countless Christian denominations exist — approximating over 45,000 worldwide, many of whom also address God as “Father”. Yet not all who claim to be His “children” are acknowledged by Him. Matthew 7:21 tells us that "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven", and God clearly says that they “practise lawlessness”. The key issue lies in whether we follow the will of the Heavenly Father, which is true and everlasting. So, what is God’s will? It is to love Him wholeheartedly and love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39) — not merely in outward actions but from the inner heart.

Moreover, the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭16)‬. Do we each purify our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit? Do we walk according to His guidance every day? If we have not received the Holy spirit, do we earnestly seek Him? Would the Father deny the Spirit to those who ask fervently? (Luke‬ ‭11:13‬) The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, who makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬). He also gives us a new heart — the heart of the Son of God (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭15‬‭).

The universe’s most unbreakable and eternal relationship will always be: God is my Father, I am His child. Abba! Father!