God Our Father

by John Koessler

What is God like? This profound, simple question reverberates through the centuries. And it is a question that not only finds delight, but a kind of wonder, in the shocking and surprising answer found throughout Scripture: God is a Father. Answers like that deserve exploration. The idea that God is a father is too full, too rich in implications, to not be deeply examined, explored, and considered. That is exactly what John Koessler does in God Our Father, a fine work of theology that is relentlessly determined to not only be true, but to be authentic, full of devotional inspiration and practical application. This is teaching that leads to love: love for God, love for His ways, and love for the people He has created. Koessler writes in an understandable, pastoral manner, carefully walking the reader through the various aspects of God's character and purposes as Father. His approach is marked by historical sensitivity, breadth of reading, and everyday examples. Along the way he explores such topics as: God as the Helper of the Poor and Oppressed The Father's Role in the Trinity How God Disciplines His Children How to Talk to God as We Would a Father This is theology at its best: warm, wise, and thoughtful. See if it doesn't deepen your own love for God as your Father. Also available in this series: Jesus Christ Our Lord by John F. Walvoord The Holy Spirit by Charles C. Ryrie

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

John Koessler serves as chair of the pastoral studies department at Moody Bible Institute, where he has served on the faculty since 1994. He is an award-winning author who has written thirteen books and numerous magazine articles. He writes the monthly “Theology Matters” column for Today in the Word and is a frequent workshop leader at the Moody Pastor’s Conference. Prior to joining the Moody faculty, John served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He is married to Jane and they have two adult sons. John and Jane live in Munster, Indiana.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this book JK largely appropriates divine attributes to the first person. While that is not wrong per se, it creates confusion when you interpret God=Father and Father=God (instead of Trinity). He does not deal specifically with the relational personal subsistence of the Father (the principal who is not from a principal, the unbegotteness of the Father, the Trinity and the paternal notions), rather he only treats the ousia and calls it a treatment on the Father. So at every turn in the book, if a verse mentions "God", JK leverages it to the Father rather than the Trinity. This book should not be titled "God the Father" but rather "God: The Divine Essence" or something similar. I was disappointed with the section on prayer, that it did not mention the plethora of theologians who have viewed the petition "Our Father" to be an address to the Trinity and not specifically/restrictively to God the Father.