When a child is born, it receives the life and nature of its parents. As a newborn, he does not know them and he does not know his relationship to them. In the natural family, the babe soon begins to “know” its parent. Like natural birth so is the new birth. After a soul receives the gospel of their salvation, they are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who gives them the conscious knowledge of their new relationship with God, and they can say, “Abba, Father.” As the child grows and matures, it gets to know the heart and will of its father. When the relationship develops according to God’s will, the child comes to enjoy fellowship with his father as “son,” sharing the same interests. The heart of the father cares for and provides for every need of the growing child. The child needs to learn to be obedient, so there is the “bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” The spiritual father helps the little child to become a young man, who overcomes the world, and then to be a father himself. The “spiritual father” is one who has learned to share with God his Father, the Father’s delight in the Son of His love. May we all keep growing and help one another to grow.