Throughout the New Testament, God is consistently referred to as “Father” (Matthew 5:48; 6:1-15; 7:11; John 4:23; 14:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Galatians 1:3-4; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 3:17), and we are consistently referred to as “children,” “sons,” and “heirs” (Matthew 18:3-4; John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:24-29; 4:1-7; Ephesians 1:3-5; 5:1; Philippians 2:14-15; Hebrews 12:5-11; 1 Peter 1:14-19; 1 John 3:1-3, 9-10). What bearing should these identities have on our relationship with God?
1 JOHN 3:1-3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”