What does it mean that God is "Father"?
God is Father first in his eternal relationship to the Son — the Trinity. By creation he is Father of all humanity in a general sense. By redemption in Christ, believers are adopted as his children and call him Abba, Father.
Within the Trinity, the Father has eternally fathered the Son. This is the bedrock of fatherhood — perfect love, eternal delight.
In creation, "we are God’s offspring" (Acts 17:28) — all humans bear his image. But the gospel offers more: to be adopted into his family.
Through Christ, believers receive "the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’" (Romans 8:15). That is the closest, dearest name we can call him.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.