God the Father

=== New Testament ===
There is a deep sense in which Christians believe that they are made participants in the eternal relationship of Father and Son, through Jesus Christ. Christians call themselves ''adopted'' children of God:<ref name=Paulway>Ian W. Scott, ''Paul's Way of Knowing'' (1 December 2008) {{ISBN|0801036097}} pp. 159–160</ref><ref name=PaulPillar>John F. O'Grady, ''Pillars of Paul's Gospel: Galatians and Romans'' (May 1992) {{ISBN|080913327X}} p. 162</ref>

{{quote|But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.| {{Bibleref2|Galatians|4:4–7}}}}
[[File:Cima da Conegliano, God the Father.jpg|thumb|right|God the Father, [[Cima da Conegliano]], {{circa|1510–1517}}]]
In Christianity the concept of God as the Father of Jesus is distinct from the concept of God as the creator and Father of all people, as indicated in the [[Apostles' Creed]].<ref name= Neville>Robert C. Neville, ''Symbols of Jesus: a Christology of symbolic engagement'', 2002 {{ISBN|0521003539}} p. 26</ref> The profession in the creed begins with expressing belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" and then immediately, but separately, in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood within the creed.<ref name= Neville />