Three men call themselves “father.” The first man goes by this title simply because he has children (thus, verifying the biological connection that he has with his offspring - cf. Heb. 12:9).
The second man calls himself “father” in a spiritual sense but does so as a figure of speech (or, metaphorically) to emphasize the fact that he has converted others to Christ through the gospel. This is how the apostle Paul used the term in 1 Corinthians 4:15 (cf. 1 John 2:1; 3:18).
The third man also calls himself “father” in a religious sense, but he uses this designation as a self-reverent “title.” Regarding this type of thing Jesus said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven” (Matt. 23:9). For one to call himself “Father,” “Reverend,” “His Grace,” (etc.) is sacrilegious - for such reverence belongs to God alone (Ps. 89:7)! To call any man by such a title is to suggest that he is equal with “God”; but, my friends, there is only one God (Eph. 4:6).
Aaron Veyon
