There was a sitcom in the 1950’s titled “Father Knows Best.” Since the 1980’s, family sitcoms usually follow the format of “Father Knows Nothing,” but that is fodder for another article.
God is the spiritual Father of His people. Does God know what is best for us? Regardless of how restrictive or unfair they may seem; God’s commands are always for our good. “And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day” (Deut. 6:24, emphasis mine - HR). What assurance do we have that God’s commands are for our good? How do we know He has our best interest in mind?
God is all-knowing. Sometimes children will respond to their parents or grandparents by saying, “Wow, you know everything!” The praised individual knows this isn’t true, it just seems that way to a child who has yet to learn. However, as deity, God has the unique advantage of really knowing everything. “His understanding is unsearchable” (Is. 40:28). More specifically, God knows everything about us (Ps. 139:1-6; Heb. 4:13). We can trust His instruction because it originates from One who has a complete knowledge of everything.
God designed us and the world around us. “God, who made the world and everything in it…” (Acts 17:24). The engineer who designed and built a product knows best how it is to be used and maintained. God designed our bodies and minds. He designed the world in which we live. This fact puts Him in the position of knowing what is best for us.
God has experienced everything. There is a certain amount of wisdom that comes with experience. Those old enough to have seen the results of actions and decisions know the best way to live and respond to given situations. Our God has watched all of human history unfold. “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18). He has seen the blessings and consequences of every decision ever made. If for no other reason, we owe God the benefit of the doubt based on His experience. If the gray headed person is to be honored (Lev. 19:32), how much more honor and respect should we give to God?
God loves us. God may possess all knowledge, but how can we be sure He has our best interest in mind? God has proven His goodness and love to us in different ways. First, He gave us life. Second, He takes care of us. “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17, c.f. Ps. 103:2-5). His love is shown in that He cares for those who are evil and unjust (Matt. 5:44-45). Third, He sacrificed His Only Begotten Son for us. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). This is the crowning piece of evidence that God truly wants what is best for us.
Many people today reject God’s commandments as being out of date or too restrictive. This isn’t anything new. Mankind has always despised God’s authority and rejected His instructions. Even some Christians are unwilling to submit to God’s commands regarding various aspects of their lives (morality, obeying civil authorities, abstaining from every form of evil, shunning evil companions, etc.).
We don’t want to be like Israel of old. “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea’” (Is. 48:17-18). When will we learn that God’s commands are for our good always? When will we realize that God knows best?