As God's "only begotten" son, we have to figure out how the Son is "only begotten" when God has many other "sons"....his angelic sons.....even Adam is called a "son of God" (
Luke 3:38) because he was created, not born of a woman.
There are a number of very important times when Jesus referred to Himself as a son. One such occasion was when He said to Nicodemus “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18
A complete offering has been made; for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,"-- not a son by creation, as were the angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father's person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority, dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
So being the "image" of his God and Father, (an image is not the real thing but a reflection of it. Like the moon reflects the sun's light, so Jesus reflected his Father's perfect qualities)
We imperfectly reflect our human father's image. We are not exact replicas. However, as like begets like, we humans don't beget lizards or birds that look like us, but humans. God's begotten Son is God begotten. God didn't beget a different species... Remember, like begets like.
In the Bible we find that Christ is called the “Son of God” 48 times, “only begotten” 6 times, “firstborn” 4 times and “the firstbegotten” 1 time. Not once does the Bible even so much as hint that Jesus is only a Son in a metaphorical sense or in the sense He was created. The
firstborn means just that. It cannot be confused with created beings. Adam was not the firstborn. He was made, fashioned from an existing material. 'created' of you like. The true firstborn was the Son of God, then Abel. The Son of God was an entirely different matter, born of the Father and made in the express image...a perfect 'reproduction' if you will. Abel was born in the image of his father, Adam.
John’s gospel is a divinely inspired theology. It was to show that Christ is truly the Son of God. It was this belief that would defeat Satan’s purposes. This was the intent of God in inspiring John to write it ( KJV John 20:31)
With respect to Christ, this helps us to understand why John used the word ‘monogenes’. He used it in opposition to Satan’s continuing deceptions that Christ was not really the Son of God, and the growing number of heresies as you slides to that were becoming common during John's ministry. It was to show that Christ truly is the unique One – the only begotten of God. Regarding John’s usage of ‘monogenes’, the verses in which this word is found are as follows (as in the KJV)
John 1:14
John 1:18
John 3:16
John 3:18
1 John 4:9
John used ‘monogenes’ as a word expressing Christ’s pre-existent relationship with God the Father.
Christ the Son of God - the foundational belief of Christianity. The belief that Christ is the Son of God is the very foundation of the Christian faith. As the apostle Paul wrote “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11 Jesus Himself has also told us “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 This is the very heart of the gospel. As a sacrifice to pay the penalty of sin, God gave His one and only Son. It is God’s sacrifice of His Son which is our atonement with God – not anything that we do. Remember that Jesus asked His disciples “… Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (Matthew 16:13) In answer to this question, the disciples replied that some were saying that He was John the Baptist; some were saying He was Elijah whilst others said He was Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Jesus then made it a far more personal question. He asked “… But whom say ye that I am? Matthew 16:15 Peter replied “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16 Jesus responded to Peter by saying that his confession was not of human origin but that which God the Father had revealed to him (see Matthew 16:17). Jesus then told His disciples that His church would be built upon Peter’s confession – also that nothing would prevail against it (verse 18). He said “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. Matthew 16:18 Some say that “this rock” was Peter himself but this cannot be true. When he denied Christ, “the gates of hell” did “prevail against” him. Peter was no foundation upon which Christ could build His church. He was an easily moveable stone. When Jesus said “this rock” he was referring to Peter’s confession of faith. This was that Jesus was “the Son of the living God”. Jesus was referring to Himself as “this rock”.
That is how I see Christendom's teachings....totally corrupted.
Not totally, else Christ's promise of hell's inability to prevail has failed. There have always been a remnant who have not bowed their knees to Baal.
Can you explain how Jesus' death saves anyone? As you said this is the core of the gospels....so what are the mechanics of salvation? How does Jesus' death "redeem" us? This is something that was talked about in church but no one could make sense of it for me.
I have a handle on it now through study...but how would you answer according to that scripture? Break it down for me.
God, even before creation, would have foreseen the fall. A form of rebellion beginning with the angels under Lucifer's slanders and lies regarding God's government, and continuing on earth in the garden. The government of God was founded on love. Eve believed Satan that God was holding out on her, that He was being selfish. So she wanted to be like God, although she was already like Him. So entered selfishness, covetousness, disobedience, idolatry, theft, etc. Sin. There only one definition of sin in scripture. Transgression of the law. That same law required death for transgression. Only one equal to the law... Equal in sacredness and holiness, could atone for it's transgression. The Son of God, the Lawgiver of Sinai, accepted that death upon Himself in our place. As we place our trust in Him, repent of our sin, and place our lives into His hands that He may transform us into His own image as Adam was before the fall, them we are 'saved'.
You seem to be ignoring a lot of scripture here....It sounds nice that everyone is saved, but that is not the message Jesus presented.
I didn't say everyone was saved. I said Christ shed His blood for everyone, that whosoever will, may come to Him to be saved.
KJV 1 John 2:2
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.