Three Men Call Themselves “Father”

Three men call themselves “father.” The first man goes by this title simply because he has children (thus, verifying the biological connection that he has with his offspring - cf. Heb. 12:9).

The second man calls himself “father” in a spiritual sense but does so as a figure of speech (or, metaphorically) to emphasize the fact that he has converted others to Christ through the gospel. This is how the apostle Paul used the term in 1 Corinthians 4:15 (cf. 1 John 2:1; 3:18).

The third man also calls himself “father” in a religious sense, but he uses this designation as a self-reverent “title.” Regarding this type of thing Jesus said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven” (Matt. 23:9). For one to call himself “Father,” “Reverend,” “His Grace,” (etc.) is sacrilegious - for such reverence belongs to God alone (Ps. 89:7)! To call any man by such a title is to suggest that he is equal with “God”; but, my friends, there is only one God (Eph. 4:6).

Aaron Veyon