Who Is Your Father? - Troy Postlethwait

Who is your Father? I’m not talking about your earthly father. I’m talking about your spiritual Father. Is it God… or is it the devil?

You may think that’s a harsh question. But it’s one Jesus Himself asked—clearly, directly, and without apology. In John 8:42, Jesus said, “I have not come of Myself, but He sent Me.” He was talking about the Father—God the Father. And He made it clear: if God were truly their Father, they would have loved Him. But they didn’t. And in verse 44, Jesus said something even more sobering: “You are of your father the devil.”

So today, I’m asking you—do you truly love Jesus?

If you do, it’ll show. There are at least seven clear ways in Scripture to know whether or not God is your Father—and they all flow from whether or not you love His Son.

You Trust Jesus - Can love exist without trust? In a marriage? In a friendship? Of course not. And it’s no different with Jesus. If I say I love Him but I don’t trust His words, His promises, or His commands—then I’m only fooling myself.

Jesus said in John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me.” When He tells me not to worry, when He says He’ll provide for my needs, I have to trust Him. And when I do? That’s proof of my love for Him.

You Obey His Commandments - You know, I loved my parents growing up. And that love made me want to obey them. Love and obedience go hand in hand. And Jesus made it clear—if you love Him, you’ll obey Him.

Some folks call that “legalism.” But let me tell you plainly—if obeying Jesus makes me guilty of loving Him too much, then yes, I’m guilty.

You Delight in His Company - Let me be real with you. When I met my wife, I wanted to be around her all the time. And that’s what love does. It draws you in.

If I say I love Jesus but I avoid spending time with Him—in His Word, in prayer, in worship—then something’s not right.

Some folks won’t crack open a Bible all week. They’ll skip worship, skip Bible study, skip prayer. Friend, how can you love Jesus but not want to be where He is?

You Speak About Him - You know how new grandparents are—they can’t wait to show pictures, share stories, brag a little. Why? Because they love those babies.

If I truly love Jesus, I’ll talk about Him. I won’t be ashamed. I won’t hold back. I’ll find a way to bring Him up—not just on Sunday, but every day.

Look at the apostles—they loved Him so much, they faced beatings, prisons, even death, just to share His name. What’s stopping me from doing the same?

You’re Willing to Suffer for Him - Love is shown in sacrifice. Parents do it for kids. Soldiers do it for their country. And yes, disciples do it for their Savior.

Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, and left for dead. Why? Because he loved Jesus. And he called Timothy—and you and me—to join him in suffering, if needed, for the sake of the gospel (2 Timothy 1:7–12).

So ask yourself—do you love Jesus enough to sacrifice for Him?

You Long to Be Like Him - You’ve seen it—little kids mimicking their parents. They imitate what they see. Why? Because they admire them. They love them.

If I truly love Jesus, I won’t just believe in Him—I’ll want to be like Him. I’ll study how He lived, how He treated others, how He prayed, how He walked in holiness.

That’s what love does—it changes who we are.

You Desire to Please Him - I’ll never forget the night Joanna wanted that Snickers and Pepsi. It was 3 AM. I got up, headed to the store, blew a tire, changed it in the dark, and still came home with that candy bar and soda. Why? Because I loved her, and I wanted to please her.

And I ought to feel that way about Jesus. If I truly love Him, I’ll go out of my way to please Him. Not because I have to—but because I want to.

So now I ask you: Is God your Father?

Because if He is, you’ll love the Son. You’ll show it. In your trust. In your obedience. In your desire to be close to Him, to talk about Him, to suffer for Him, to imitate Him, and to please Him.

And if you don’t love Jesus? Then hear Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 16:22: “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.” That’s not just a warning—it’s a call to wake up.

So how do you become a child of God?

You need to hear the gospel. You need to believe it. You need to repent of your sins and confess that Jesus is the Son of God. And you must be baptized—for the forgiveness of your sins—so you can put on Christ and be united with Him in love.

So I ask again, from the heart—Is God your Father? If you love Jesus, truly love Him, you’ll obey Him. You’ll walk with Him. And you’ll become His.

And if you’ve already done that, but your love has grown cold, or your walk has faltered, the invitation is still open.

Don’t leave this life wondering where you stand. Don’t let Satan claim what God wants to redeem.