We are all fallen fathers. There are no perfect fathers in case you think that there are. The fall has made sure of that. Every father has strengths and weaknesses. Often the immediate family members are most aware of these, especially the weaknesses.
The Bible has many examples of fallen fathers: from Adam to Abraham, from Jacob to Judah, from Samuel to Solomon, and not to forget that man after God’s heart, David. You would want to add your name in that list because it does look impressive, and you should, to be honest, because we too have our weaknesses as fathers.
The big difference for us who live in the new covenant is that there is hope for us. We have Christ who dwells in us to give us the hope of transformation and glory. We all with unveiled faces can behold and contemplate the Lord’s glory in His finished work. And the Spirit promises us He will do a work of transformation for those who have faith and patience. We will be transformed into Christ’s likeness from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). We will be better fathers as we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This transformation is a long process. In the midst of that process there will be many shortcomings, failures and lapses. However, we can be comforted that God’s grace is there to provide forgiveness and can redeem the consequences of our poor parenting, imperfect example, and bad decisions. He can work all things for His good and His glory (Romans 9.28, 29).
It’s good to be a Christian father because we can look to a heavenly Father to help us.