PATERNITY IN CHRIST
“For when you would have ten thousand teachers in Christ, however, you do not have several fathers, since it was I who begot you in Jesus Christ by the Gospel.” 1Co 4:15
A father according to Paul is the one who generates you in Jesus Christ through the Gospel. One who does not know the gospel cannot be a father in Christ. To beget here comes from gennao which means to bring to life, to convert. This is a conversion that brings you to life by teaching the too good to be true news of God’s love.
Since the word father himself comes from pater which means the one who influences the thought of the other in order to bring him to his lifestyle. Fatherhood according to Paul is achieved at the level of what is known as the mindset. Because it is from this thoughts machine that we draw our concepts, reasonings and ideologies that determine our mode of perception. And we interact with our world as we perceive it.
You therefore understand that a father in Christ is much more than a person who shares with us some biblical verses or advice to get us out of a specific situation. He is the one who brings us to Christic life by the exact doctrine according to the Pauline revelation.
Affirmation: Father, thank you for this wonderful person whom you used and continue to use to bring me to the life of Christ by the exact doctrine, by presenting Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery. Amen!