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The Father-Son Relationship (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father, referred to as the Absolute Deity, stands as the supreme Source over all, distinct from the Son, Jesus Christ. The Father is the sole Head, greater in function and responsibility, while the Son, though of the God-kind, remains subordinate and submissive to Him. The Father is the God of the Son, as Christ Himself declared both in the flesh and after His resurrection, affirming that He has a God, and that God is His Father. This relationship shows a clear distinction in rank and operation, with the Father as the ultimate authority who sent the Son and prepared a body for Him to fulfill His will. The Father blessed the Son, as the greater blesses the lesser, and through the Son, the Father reveals Himself to mankind. The unity between Them is not in oneness of substance but in the Son's loving obedience to the Father's will. The Father, as the Absolute Deity, has determined to make Himself known through Christ, who serves as the perfect Complement, filling up and completing the revelation of the Father, though They remain two distinct Beings.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Eight)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is the Absolute Deity, the Supreme Being beyond whom there is no other. He is the ultimate, the highest, with no God above Him to whom He must answer or submit. The Father holds the position of greatest authority within the God kind, a classification shared with the Son, Jesus Christ, though They differ in function and responsibility. The Father's ranking as greater is evident in the hierarchical structure of Their relationship, where the Son submits to Him, even while both are equally of the God kind in nature, uncreated and eternal. The Father is revealed as the only wise God, the source from which all things flow through the Son, establishing Him as the Head over all, including the Son, who acknowledges a God greater than Himself. Thus, the Father stands as the singular Absolute God, supreme in authority and function within the divine purpose.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father, as Absolute Deity, is the sole and supreme source of all things, the invisible and eternal King over all creation. He is consistently shown as the origin and ultimate destination of everything, with unmatched authority that no other, including Jesus Christ, can supersede. The Father is the only true God, as affirmed by Jesus Himself, who declared that knowing Him is eternal life. As the Source, He provides all that is needed for His purposes, giving to Jesus the disciples and the words to share with them, demonstrating His role as the foundation of all that is accomplished. The Father, often referred to as the Great God or Supreme God, remains invisible and inaudible, choosing not to reveal Himself directly, while His essence and attributes are manifested through His Son, the express Image who points all toward Him.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is the Supreme God, the Absolute Deity, who stands unparalleled in the universe. He answers to no one, acknowledges no superior, and His will is invincible. Unlike the Son, the Father has no God above Him, maintaining His absolute uniqueness. As the Source and Sender, He is not subject to anyone or anything, and His judgment is perfect. The Father is invisible and inaudible to mankind, dwelling in light which no man can approach, as no one has seen or can see Him. He is the ultimate authority, the One to whom Jesus Christ deferred everything, reconciling us to Him through His role as Mediator. The Father's sovereignty is evident as He upholds all things by the word of His power, constantly monitoring and enforcing His creation's laws. He gives life, breath, and everything else, needing nothing from human hands. This distinct separation from the Son is clear in Jesus' own words and actions, acknowledging the Father as greater, the One who sent Him, and the ultimate Master of His destiny. The Bible establishes a clear hierarchy, with the Father as the Supreme Deity over the Son, who submits to His will, demonstrating that the Father is the One with whom we have peace, to whom we have access, and before whom we stand.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is the absolute Deity, the Source of all things, and the Object toward which all creation moves. As stated in I Corinthians 8:6, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him. He is the Fountain of everything, as Romans 11:36 declares, with all things being of Him, through Him, and to Him. Revelation 4:11 confirms His supreme position, affirming that He created all things for His pleasure. The Father remains invisible and inaudible, a deliberate choice to support His purpose of salvation by grace through faith, as noted in Colossians 1:15 and I Timothy 1:17, where He is described as the only wise God, eternal, immortal, and invisible. This invisibility prevents idolatry and directs focus to the Son, who is the image of the invisible God, ensuring that mankind does not diminish the Father's transcendence by visualizing Him. The Father's role as the ultimate authority is clear in John 5:37, where Jesus states that no one has seen His shape or heard His voice, emphasizing the Father's hidden nature. Though He remains unseen, the Father provides general understanding of Himself through being made in Their image, as in Genesis 1:26, and through figures of speech like anthropopatheia, attributing human-like features and feelings to Him under perfect control. The Father, as absolute Deity, is distinct from the Son, holding a greater position, as Jesus Himself testifies in John 10:29, affirming that the Father is greater than all.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Father and Son are separate; the Father is the source of all power, while the Son serves as the channel through which we interface with the Father.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Seven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Holy Spirit is never venerated as a separate being. Our hope is the indwelling of Christ, used interchangeably with 'Spirit of God' and 'Spirit of Truth.'