What is God the Father like? Is He an all-powerful, vengeful, wrathful God waiting to punish us all? Is He standing at the gate of heaven, tapping His feet, trying to keep people from entering? So many people today have this picture of God. Have you ever heard someone say, “God will get you for that?”

I believe Satan wants us to see God that way, so that we will live in fear of Him. But the Word of God gives us a completely different view of what God is like.

Hebrews 1:1-3

1 God (the Father), after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,

2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

3 And He (Jesus Christ – His Son) is the radiance of His (God the Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

The nature of Jesus Christ is the exact representation of the nature of God the Father. To see what God the Father is like, we simply look at what Jesus Christ was like. When Jesus Christ walked on this earth, everything He did reflected the true nature of God toward us.

If the nature of God the Father was to want to judge the world, then Jesus Christ would have reflected that when He was here. But think about what Jesus was like:

He was kind to children.

He was a friend to taxpayers and prostitutes.

He felt the hurt and sorrow when His friends did not believe, and wept.

He saw the pain and sorry of Mary and Martha when Lazarus died.

Was Jesus wrathful? Was He here to judge? Look what Jesus says:

John 12:47

47 "If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

Don’t look at God the Father as wanting to rain down judgment and wrath on everyone. That is not what He wants:

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

1 Timothy 2:3-4

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

You need to see God as a loving and merciful Father, seeking to save the greatest number of people.