The fact that God is Father does not mean that he has become emotionally imbalanced toward his children in the sense that his fatherness undercuts his sense of fairness and rightness in the face of their wrongdoing. To say it differently, his identity as Father does not negate or minimize his identity as Judge. His instruction to fathers to discipline folly (Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 22:15) characterizes his own ongoing approach to his children. So the reborn must not play off God’s identity as impartial Judge over against his identity as Father. Instead, this awareness gives the born-again exiles the catalyst they need to live in a God-pleasing (holy) fashion in this life, as true children of this Father.
17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,