The Son Of God

The Son of God is God in the flesh; as it says,

" The Son is the visible image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. " (Colossians 1:15)

We have a proverb that says, "Like mother like daughter; like father like son." So it is with Jesus, the Son of God: He is like the Father God, and perfectly so, and so much so, Jesus says,

" Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me. " (John 14:9)

For the Son is called, Eternal Father; as Isaiah speaks of Him, saying,

" For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. " (Isaiah 9:6)

As it says, "A child will be born to us", then he says, "His name will be called Mighty God, Eternal Father." So the Son reveals the Father God to us, for the Father is in Him. And what was the work the Father did in Christ? As the apostle writes,

"In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us [apostles] the message of reconciliation. " (2 Corinthians 5:18)

For Jesus demonstrated the Father's love for us on the cross, not while we were good, but while we were yet sinners, to rescue us from sin.

"For He is gracious to the ungrateful and the evil. " (Luke 6:35)

And,

"He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:45)

If this is how God treated His enemies, how much more kindly does He deal with those who have been reconciled to Himself? For we are made friends of God through the cross of Christ;

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:10)

Now Abraham was going to offer His one and only son Isaac on the altar to God; for it was commanded by God - not that this thought came from God, but the enemy planted it. Although the command to offer Isaac on the altar came from God, the thought couldn't have come from God; As God says through Jeremiah, the prophet,

"They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into My mind." (Jeremiah 19:5)

So such thoughts do not come from God; all such thoughts come from the enemy, for God is good, and nothing evil ever crosses His mind. But Abraham obeyed God and was about to offer His son Isaac on the altar; but God prevented him, and used it to prove Abraham and point to Christ Jesus to come. And as a result of Abraham's obedience, God promised,

" In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice. " (Genesis 22:18)

When it says, "in your Seed", it does not say, "seeds", as with many, but one, that is Christ; so because of the obedience of one man, comes the blessing to the whole world; and that blessing is in Christ, the Seed to come; and Christ, being one, blesses the whole world by His one act of obedience. For when Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, God provided another sacrifice instead of his son: a ram caught in the thicket. And as a result, Abraham received back his son from the dead, foreshadowing Christ's resurrection; for

" He [Abraham] considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him [Isaac] back as a type. " (Hebrews 11:19)

And Abraham, being a prophet, saw this beforehand and said things like:

"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering." (Genesis 22:8)

And,

" Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you. " (Genesis 22:5)

And afterwards, Abraham perceived through it the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ; as it says,

" Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided." " (Genesis 22:14)

So then, "Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:7) No! But rather God provides the Sacrifice. For Isaac, Abraham's son, submitted to his father's will, and by so doing, points to Christ who laid down His life willingly; for no-one took His life from Him, but He laid it down willingly according to the Father's will. And it is not unrighteousness on God's behalf, for Christ was handed over to death for our sakes, once for all, as the propitiation for our sins. Everything Christ did, the Father was doing in Him; for Christ does the commands of the Father perfectly, resembling His exact likeness. For when we have sons, our sons resemble us in a way, or two, or three, and he resembles his mother in other ways; but how much more do you suppose Christ resembles God, as the perfect son of God? He does not resemble the Father in a way or two, but in His exact likeness; for Jesus resembles the Father God perfectly.

In another instance, Jacob, who came from Isaac, who came from Abraham, also gave up his only son; he had one and only son from his beloved wife Rachel: that is Benjamin. Jacob had two sons from Rachel, but to him, Joseph was dead, although he was only in Egypt; for he believed Joseph was dead. So Jacob let Benjamin, his only beloved son, go into the hands of his brothers to save his family from the famine, for they were going to Egypt to buy food. So Jacob gave up his one and only son, Benjamin, and gained him back from the dead, along with another, Joseph who he received back from the dead as a type. For the Father God gave up His Son, Jesus, to receive Him back again from the dead, and gained many other descendants through Him; as it says,

" If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. " (Isaiah 53:10)

For Christ Jesus died without children, so these offspring mentioned are sons of God after His own likeness, being the Son of God Himself; as it says,

" Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. " (Isaiah 8:18, Hebrews 2:13)

For we who believe have been made sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, being made alive together with Him through faith; as the apostle says,

" When we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved. " (Ephesians 2:5)

" When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions. " (Colossians 2:13-14)

So we are resurrected with Christ through faith in the work of God. For God sent His Son into the world and gained back many more descendants through Him, even descendants among many nations of the world, even to the offspring of His offspring - these are them who are begotten by the Word of Truth. As it says, "As for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring," says the LORD, "from now and forever". (Isaiah 59:21) And this is the Word given to us who believe, even among the Gentiles. (See more about Benjamin and Isaac)

For the Father grafts us, even Gentiles, into God's household through faith in Jesus; as He says also in Hosea, "I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,' AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED.' AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,' THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD." (Rom 9:25-26) For Christ Jesus makes us sons of God by the Spirit of His Son, conforming us into His likeness as we behold Him; as it says, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29) And then it says, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) Now, we are the body of Christ; and the body performs the acts of the mind, and Christ is our Head. A member that goes astray has lost connection with the Head (Colossians 2:18-19). For we have a choice: either knowledge or life, as it was in the beginning. Christ Jesus is our life, and the knowledge of good and evil is the law. But our victory is won for us by Christ Jesus; and we enter into this victory by setting our minds on Him. For if we set our minds on spiritual things, the members of our bodies will likewise conform to the message of our head. And we set our minds on our Head, Christ. For our hand does what the mind says, and our foot does what the mind says, even to every finger and every toe. So if we set our mind on spiritual things, namely Christ Jesus, He will grant us the strength to present our members as servants to righteousness (Romans 8:5-8, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:2). This is the way of faith: setting our minds on Jesus Christ. As it says about the mind of the flesh: "The day when you post your watchmen, Your punishment will come. Then their confusion will occur.” (Micah 7:4) But then, it says about the mind of the Spirit: “As for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7) For the mind set on the flesh is set on punishment and wrath, but the mind set on the Spirit is set on the LORD, the God of salvation. (See more about the Father and the Son, the Son and the Church)

Now, a son conforms himself to the pattern of the father, for a son does the things that the father does; as it says,

"Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." (1 John 2:5-6)

So do not be deceived: if we walk after devils, we show ourselves as sons of the devil; but if we pattern ourselves after God, we show ourselves truly as sons of God (John 8:30-47). This proves us and gives us confidence on the day of Salvation. We really are sons of God if we have believed, and true sons pattern themselves after the Father, and by this we may know that we believe. We have been begotten of God by the eternal Word of truth when we believed. And "we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.” (Gal 5:5) When a son does not act like the father, the father says, "You are no son of mine," although in truth, the son is still a son; but what he is really saying is: "You were raised better; you're not acting as you've been taught," that is, "You're not acting like your father". A son can rebel against his father and go his own way (Luke 15:11-32), but the son can never stop being a son; but in such a case, the son is dead to the father, and the father to the son. We are really sons of God; as Paul says, "In Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'” (Acts 17:28-29) So he affirms the truth in the saying, which says: 'We also are His children'; but many, although being sons of God, have turned to their own way, resembling unruly beasts more than God; as it says, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts." (Ecclesiastes 3:18) So although we are sons of God, many unbelievers do not pattern themselves after God, for they have not seen God. For children imitate their fathers by sight: they do what they see their father doing. But heathens have not seen God, but we who believe see the Father through faith in Christ. We do not need to be told what to do, for we do what we see. Even if we are told what to do, we do what we see. We do what we see in Christ, as Christ reflects God; as John says, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18) And we are made to see God through faith in Jesus Christ; as Jesus cried out,

" He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. " (John 12:44)

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14) For children follow after their parents, namely by what they see; and we follow after Christ by faith in what we see in Him. We follow Christ as Christ follows God, as Christ often said,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19)

For the Spirit of God leads, and as obedient children we follow;

"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

For He leads us to the kingdom of God, even eternal life.

But do you not know, beloved, that God first rescued His firstborn Israel from Egypt by a mighty hand, but later, they hardened their necks and kicked against Him and rebelled against Him for years. And as a result, God handed them over to the Babylonians and the Assyrians, even defiling His own temple on their account. And they were sons of Israel, God's chosen people, saved by grace; but they were rejected by God because they rejected Him. For they were constantly forgetting God, and they were closing their ears and not believing in Him. The LORD God set up testimonies for them and their children so that they would not forget Him. However, as it says in the Psalms, “They forgot His deeds And His miracles that He had shown them.” (Psalms 78:11) And “They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel.” (Psalms 106:13) And "They did not believe in God And did not trust in His salvation.” (Psalms 78:22) And as a result, “They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood.” (Psalms 106:37-38) So why would we imitate the ancestors who imitated devils, and not God? For Jesus is our example, and Jesus is the Way; Jesus has loved us, even more than Himself. Do devils love you more than God? Devils desire the sacrifice of devils, but God desires righteous sacrifices, and He provides the Sacrifice; so therefore,

" As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. Because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth. Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. " (1 Peter 1:14-19)

(See more about Sons and Slaves)

Now, "Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate." (1 Timothy 6:13) Although he had power to crucify Him, and power to let Him go; Jesus Christ stood for the truth and testified to the truth. No one took His life, but He laid it down willingly. He said to the people numerous times, "I came from the Father", and "the Father and I are One". And when the time came, the very hour which He came for, He confirmed His testimony, even with His own blood. As it is written about Him,

"The indictment which my adversary has written, surely I would carry it on my shoulder, I would bind it to myself like a crown." (Job 31:35-36)

For Jesus was blameless, but the indictment which the adversary had written against Him states:

"JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS." (John 19:19)

And even though the indictment meant carrying the cross on His shoulder, and binding a crown of thorns on His head, He went to the cross and confirmed His testimony with His own blood. This is what it means when it says, "This is the one who came by water and blood." (1 John 5:6-9) For He was blameless, but confirmed His testimony with His blood; and the accusation the adversary had written against Him, Jesus did not deny, but He affirmed, even though it meant death. He testified not by word only, but by deed and truth, by water and blood, by carrying the cross and wearing the crown of thorns. And through the cross, He confirmed to everyone the truth - He did not deny, but He confirmed it. If anyone speaks lies, before the end of their life, they confess them, or if their life depends on it, they would put a stop to their lies; but Christ did not shrink back even when faced with death, but He testified to the truth. For it was for the end of His life that He came; and by the cross, He affirms to all that He is the Son of God, confirming by His own blood; and it stands today as a witness to all, that Christ Jesus is the Son of God; He transformed the cross, a device of torture, into a signal of salvation. For what was once an object of horror, has become a sign and symbol of redemption: it is now hung around necks and pierced on ear lobes; it is now carried on the shoulders; it is now put on tops of buildings and set up as markers for graves. Are men so sick that they put tortuous symbols on themselves? But rather God is so good that He has turned the detestable thing into a glorious sign of redemption and salvation. No-one can do such a thing, except God, who turns the corrupt into the believing, the detestable into the gracious, the abominable into the saint. Christ did so, so that we would not lose heart or grow faint.

The world thinks the truth is hidden: in the depths of the ocean, in outer space, in the center of the earth. They spend countless billions of dollars to explore where no man has gone before, searching for the truth. Yet, God is widely known and everyone knows His name; for no-one needs to ask, “Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!” (Proverbs 30:4) For He has made Himself renown to all His creation. We can discern the signs of the sky, but we cannot discern the truth? Whose coming split our calendar in half? Or who makes a week seven days? Who is it that hallows the seventh day? The same writings that quote wisdom, that we have all come to agree upon, even quoting it without knowing its original source, also speak of the truth. Who is it who lived a great while ago, but yet died, and is proclaimed as resurrected from the dead? That which once was a sect, a heresy, a false teaching, which was fought against, has now become world-wide good news. For who can fight against God and succeed? If this thing is not of God, it wouldn't have withstood. God sees to it that no-one can come near Him by their own self-will or effort, so that no-one will be able to boast in His Presence. But rather, it says,

"The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. " (Romans 10:8-13)

For the way of life is through the knowledge of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ; and He is Grace and Truth; He has descended to us and He has ascended; and He sends forth the Spirit of Truth; and He will come again with the clouds in the heavens - He is always and forever! Every question is answered in a single saying:

"THANK GOD! THE ANSWER IS IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD." (Romans 7:25)

Therefore, believe in the Son! And worship the Lord your God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is living in the heavens, exalted for you.