Abba, Father.

Let's take a closer look at the beginning of Lord's Prayer:

Matthew 6: 9;  ''After this manner therefore pray ye: Our father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name.'' 

At the start of the New Testament Jesus introduces a phrase, ''Our Father'', which is completely uncommon to prayers of the Old Testament.  'Abba' is from the Aramaic and is specifically used to denote not only a father/son or daughter relationship but also to convey the one to one nature, the close relationship that a devoted, caring father has for his children.

But why can we, and how can we speak to our God in this, what at first appears to be an over familiar, wholly irreverent address?

Romans 8: 15, 16 & 17a;  ''For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ;''

''The Spirit of adoption'', the Holy Spirit places the believer  in God's family as an (adopted) son/daughter.  ''Abba'' (Aramaic) again used here to denote the intimate name used only by members of the family. It's use again underscores the intimacy of the believer's relationship with God.  ''Joint-heirs with Christ'' conveys the promise that we as members of God's Spirit filled family of believers shall all share in our inheritance together.

This Spirit of adoption is really very very important; for me it is the crux of the status of our relationship with God in the New Covenant Age going forward:

Romans 8: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11;  ''For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free for the law of sin and death.  So they then that are in the flesh cannot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.  Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised Christ up from the dead shall also quicken [give life to] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.''

"...he is none of his" suggests that any who lack the Spirit are unsaved.  The Holy Spirit abides in all who are regenerated by baptism in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12: 13;  '' For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jew or Gentiles, whether we be bond [slaves] or free: and have been made all to drink of the one Spirit.''). ''...the body is dead'' - in other words - the body is still mortal and subject not only to death but also to the temptation of sin.  ''The Spirit is life'' anticipates the hope of resurrection and eternal life - our inheritance given to us by our heavenly Father.  ''Quicken you mortal bodies'' means that, just like Christ, Spirit filled family members of God will receive new physical forms by the in filling of the Holy Spirit.

One final thought on the importance of the Holy Spirit comes form 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 1: 22  ''Now he stablisheth [establishes] us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest [down payment] of the Spirit in our hearts.''

The sealing of the Holy Spirit has three fold significance in the New Covenant Age:-

• to indicate ownership (sign that one is a member of God's family)
• to indicate authenticity
• to preserve and keep safe.

This last idea is amplified with the phrase ''earnest of the Spirit''.  The Holy Spirit Himself is the down payment, or pledge, of redemption.  The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the surety and the ''security'' of all that is to follow in the final salvation of the believer.

But how do we know for certain that we are filled with God's Holy Spirit?  Next week we'll look at the teachings of Jesus and learn what He and the Bible have to say on the matter of becoming a Spirit filled member of our devoted and caring Father's everlasting family.