²⁵ “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me…”

Six times in this High Priestly prayer and fifty-three times in the Upper Room, Jesus speaks of His “Father.” The family relationship is obvious and we believers are included, which He affirmed on a number of occasions. Early on, He made it clear, “Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, ‘Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.’ ” (Mk 3:34–35). After His resurrection, He reminded us through His comment to Mary Magdalene, “Go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ” (John 20:17).

The writer of Hebrews records for us that, “… both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren…” (Heb 2:11). So now, as Paul writes, “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ ” (Gal 4:6). We can know Him intimately as our “Abba” (which is best translated today as the affectionate “Papa.”

Notice that He is our “Righteous Father.” He is Papa to us, but He is righteous and holy. We cannot selectively relate to God in a one-dimensional way. In an effort to compensate for that, “fundamentalism” presents God as angry and men as rank sinners deserving of His condemnation, but the pendulum swings too easily to embrace a soft, tamed-down God who is all about love and warmth. While God is loving and forgiving beyond our wildest imagination, and is completely undeserved, we cannot believe in a one-dimensional God. He is righteous, and it is before His throne we will all someday stand. He is the perfect and complete combination of love and righteousness.

So while we call Him “Abba Father,” we also call Him “Righteous Father.” As Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (Matt 6:9-13), we are to begin with our relationship to God, “Our Father.” We move to His sphere of being “in heaven,” connecting as it were with eternity (beyond and above time). But we quickly acknowledge His absolute holiness which is connected to His righteousness, “hallowed be Your name.” And “forgive us our debts” because we have transgressed His righteousness. Yes, we approach God as our Father, who is righteous and forgiving. But, we approach as being part of His family, with Jesus as our Brother. We approach in His name, and for His purposes, and for His glory!

Lord, thank You for teaching me how to approach You, as my Righteous Father.