Many men desire to be good fathers, but what really matters is whether or not they are godly fathers.

Here are four Biblical principles that, by God’s grace, can be used to lay a sound foundation in helping fathers become godly fathers.

First, godly fathers are first godly men. It doesn’t work for fathers to bail out and say to their children, “Do as I say, not as I do”. Children must be able to see an example of Christ in their fathers. Paul says to his spiritual children in 1Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Until men by faith follow in the example of Christ themselves, they cannot be godly examples for their own children.

Second, godly fathers love their children unconditionally. Unconditionally is a significant word. It implies that love is not merited or earned and that the father’s treatment of his children is not dictated by what they can offer him in return. The father of the prodigal son stood waiting and watching for his son to return to him.

When he finally did return, the father didn’t judge the son or force him to earn back his favor, love, and approval. He simply embraced him and threw a celebratory party for his son (Luke 15:21-24). He could do this because his love for his son wasn’t based upon what his son could do for him but simply and strictly upon the fact that he was his son.

Godly fathers don’t make their children earn their approval, and they don’t use their children’s behavior as a condition for their love.

Third, godly fathers train their children how to love and honor God. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Ephesians 6:4 echoes the Proverbs passage, saying, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Training in righteousness requires learning the Scripture, for the Bible is how a child must come to know who God is and what God wants. In addition to instruction in wisdom and knowledge according to the Bible, there will also be a time for discipline. Sometimes children will test their boundaries or act out, and they need to be corrected and disciplined.

Discipline is not a wrathful outburst or reaction; rather, it is a purposeful, calculated means of imposing consequences grounded in love. Even our heavenly Father disciplines those sons whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6), and the fact that a father is willing to discipline his children proves that he loves them. Fathers who let their children get away with anything and everything fail to demonstrate the tough love that is sometimes needed.

Fourth, a godly father seeks to give his children good gifts. Godly fathers go beyond just giving spiritual gifts such as wisdom and Biblical instruction to seeking to give good gifts of all kinds. Our heavenly Father is the ultimate example of this. James 1:7 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

Our Father is the giver of every good and perfect gift because He knows when, how, and what to give us. He knows what we desire and ask for because He knows and cares for what we really want and need (Psalm 37:4, Philippians 4:19). Fathers, too, ought to be sensitive to their children’s desires and needs. They need to avoid the extremes of spoiling their children by giving into their every whim and being too stingy and holding back from their children.

A child’s view of God will largely be shaped by their father’s treatment of them. So as fathers, take interest in what brings your children joy.

The importance of being a godly father cannot be overstated.

Yet, being human, all fathers will make mistakes along the way. However, even how these failures are handled is a chance to demonstrate Christ and to leave a godly legacy. Children don’t expect their earthly fathers to be perfect, but they need fathers who will do their best by faith to imitate their Father in heaven.

by Pastor Brenton M. Barnett

6 Responses to How To Be A Godly Father

  1. Abaynesh Assefa says:

    God bless you for the wonderful message. I want more advice for being a good mother of my 8 years old daughter and 10 years old boy.

  2. Mcfallen Gondwe says:

    Wonderful and inspired message

  3. Girish Choudhary says:

    Thank you for sharing such an important article. I am going to be a father pretty soon and was looking for some guidance.

    Bless you richly for your act of obedience

  4. omega says:

    Thanks for the remainder to be godly fathers. Great article

  5. Dolores Munoz says:

    Such a timely and wonderful message! As a single mother of two sons now ages 18 and 15 I have many times been told how I was both mother and father to them, I always rejected this because I am a woman and what I know how to do is be a mother, and yes I did raise them in church and I always tried to point them to God as their Father but I will be honest, it would break my heart when in churches we’ve been in, in the past, the boys would be neglected by the men of the church or, on occasion interest was shown it was simply an attempt to get closer to me which I was not interested in…
    We are now in a church were the men of the body have reached out to my sons and have ministered to them and loved them and are teaching them the love of a father. Many times in my oldest son’s life it has been prophesied that he would be a father to many and that he had a father spirit… This blessed me but for him it became tormenting and he began to act out, but when we sat down with our pastor my son shared how he has always carried a burden that it was his fault their dad left and how when he hears such prophecies he would be frightened and upset because how could he be a father when he didn’t even know how to be a son (to a father).
    Oh how our hearts were broken for him and how the men of the church have rallied to come around them even deeper to disciple and love and raise them into manhood with fatherly love and guidance. Yes, I am a mother and yes, this is also valuable for our children but even with a mother who’s heart is for the Lord, trouble can still come because the two were meant to be one in the Lord to raise our children. Our lives happened as they did and none of it was a surprise to the Lord and He has worked so much out for our good because we have loved Him and He is still working things out, for a much greater purpose in His Kingdom.
    For our body, this has prompted more men to step up and seek to be better, godly fathers not only to their children but to the children God has placed in the body and with this will God fulfill the promise of my son becoming a father to many and also my youngest will be able to reach his potential in the Lord because in that moment of weakness and acting out by my oldest God shined His light on a need for His sons and the body responded! Praise and all glory be to our wonderful, loving Father in Heaven! Thank you for all that you do Allworship!

  6. Brenda says:

    Great article!

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