2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be God; even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”

The first thing to understand about the scriptures is, “In the beginning God”! The first thing to understand about the Father of Christ is He is God! To understand the impact of the lesson from this verse is to meditate upon this fact that the father of the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah God! There is no higher consideration for the Christian than to know God. His name, His nature, His person, His acts, His existence. There is no greater cause for blessings to our Saviour’s father than because He alone is God! Of His own nature He is “Blessed” and worthy to be “blessed forever” (Romans 9:5). He “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting” is indeed the “the Blessed One” (2Timothy1:16; Mark 14:61 Greek).

It is good for us to meditate upon the personal perfections of God. We can never do this enough for “Who is like Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11. The scriptures present more than adequate cause for an awe-inspiring and worship provoking effect on the saint who meditates upon the God of the Scriptures.

Considering the former statements, let us look to our text. While teaching upon the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 11:12, Christ uses the word “force” in reference to ‘taking the kingdom by force,’ that is, to have the attitude and desire to literally catch hold and embrace the Gospel and ministry of this kingdom and all it represents. The Christian does well to practice the same when reading God’s testimony, to catch hold of each word. Observe in our text, for instance, the word “even.”  “Blessed be God; even the Father…”. If casually read, this small adverb seems inconspicuous. But its usage within this verse is dynamic, literally meaning to emphasize something surprising or extreme. In this case, it emphatically demands that our attention be drawn to the fact that the sublime GOD, the Sovereign of all, is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Great Jehovah! To know the “Father” of Christ our Lord is to know Him preeminently as “God, even the Father of our Lord.” He is the Lord’s Father. Not by office. Not by adoption. But by pure essence and nature! For “I and my Father are ONE.” One in nature. One in essence - John 10:27-30; 1:1-4,10-14, 6:46 rf Matthew 11:27; Philippians 2:5,6. When struck with the power of this truth that the Lord of the redeemed is God just as God is his Father, how this fills the soul of the saint with fearful humility, awe, and adoration, “Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him”! Psalms 33:8.

Oh, but that is not all. From this relationship of perfection between God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ arises an equal relationship to Christ’s redeemed, “even the Father of our Lord…”. The substitutionary work of Christ on the cross did more than satisfy the penal demands of sin for His people. It also places them in the same glorious relationship with God as their Father as Christ Himself enjoys – John 17:10,11-26. This is vital, for if Christ be not our Lord, then God is not our Father but a wrathful Judge. Therefore, the inspired apostle reassuringly encourages God’s dear child… our Lord Jesus Christ, and God, even our Father, hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace – rf. 2Thessalonians 2:16,17. Yea, behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! Our Lord came to redeem them that were under the law. That we might receive the adoption of sons – 1John 3:1; Galatians 4:5. It is upon this intimate relationship that the adopted children of God have been given free and complete access to the Father’s throne of Grace without restriction and with confident expectation just as their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! God, even the Father of our Lord has blessed His adopted children with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.

Only Begotten of the Father, so God, even the Father, hath also begotten the saints unto a lively hope, to an inheritance, reserved in heaven. And as Christ our Lord has been crowned by the Father with glory and honor, God, even the Father of our Lord has made the children also to be a “crown of glory in the hand of the Lord”. Yea, a crown of glory shall be theirs to possess for eternity that fadeth not away! Ephesians 1:3; Psalms 8:5; 2Corithians 3:6-18; Galatians 4:6; Isaiah 62:3; 1Peter 5:4.

What a large dowry the sons of Grace have from which to draw blessings to bestow upon God! Indeed, blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord and Saviour! It is upon this basis, the Psalmist is made to rejoice, “How precious adoption. But by pure essence and nature! For “I and my Father are ONE”. One in nature. One in essence - John 10:27-30; 1:1-4,10-14, 6:46 rf Matthew 11:27; Philippians 2:5,6. When struck with the power of this truth that the Lord of the redeemed is God just as God is his Father, how this fills the soul of the saint with fearful humility, awe, and adoration, “Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!” Psalms 33:8

Many are the examples in the scriptures of God showing His Love and justifying His children who were undeserving and undesiring. During his reign, King Menasseh caused the children of Jerusalem to perform worse atrocities than the heathen would dare commit. Yet, God humbled him to his knees, brought him to holy fear and repentance, and “Menasseh knew that the Lord, He was God” - 2 Chronicles 33. Consider Saul, the murdering persecutor of the early church who later became Paul the great apostle to the Gentiles, and was given a vision of heaven, the utterance of which was unlawful to declare, and in the end he was numbered with the precious martyrs of the Lord. A host of others could be accounted, and to them all God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, freely and lovingly bestowed upon His saints of old His Divine favor. A favor above all creation, above even the sinless celestial host of heaven! What blessings were in their possession to bestow upon God, even the Father of their Lord But cannot we, the child of grace today, consider our own commentary of Jehovah’s favor and tokens of love equally displayed in us just.

Psalmist, “how precious are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” We exclaim and wonder, oh righteous God were we who are rebellious and prideful an object of your infinite love and marvelous grace? Were we an eternal choice of all your creation to be the very purpose and passion for the death of your dear Son? Did you love and choose us while we were yet deformed and filthy? Then shall not our hearts be inflamed with love to thy name, “GOD, even the Father of our Lord?” How the grace of God should cause our souls to bless His infinite perfections! Oh, how this should raise our best and warmest love and devotion to Jehovah!

Yes, “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” -Psalms 145:3. So infinitely great is our God, we also, just as those saints of old, have countless blessings for Him at our disposal. Even in our perfect, glorified state when we shall see Him as He is and know as we are known (1Corinthians 13:12; 1John 3:20) our praise and blessings have no final stanza. In glory we are still finite creatures and our contemplation is still finite. Such is the eternal difference between the Divine God and His dear saints. But see how it also provides an endless reason for worship, praise and awe from the one to the other! The saints will never experience a decline or void in their own glorified sight and understanding of God. Their apprehension of knowing God will always maintain the experience of being filled and not being emptied, just as the barrel of meal and cruse of oil of Elijah’s poor widow-1Kings17:14-16. Of a truth, God will always be infinite, never completely comprehended. Of the same truth, the fountain of knowing more of Him, both in abundance and in revelation of truth, will never run dry for His children. The song I Want to Love Him More will actually come true! We will love Him more, and more, and it will never stop because we will never come to the end of viewing our Saviour face to face…and of blessing the Blessed God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort”!“…and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever…Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all…Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name”! – Amen