Wednesday 25 January 2012

Bible Musings: the Son of God

Oh dear, should I be doing this? Another Bible study, another awkward question I've been asked a few times: Why do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?

I'm not sure I can put the whole answer to that in one reasonably sized post, but let's make a start anyway; and let's start with the negatives.

Jesus is not the Son of God because of the virgin birth. The Son of God was not conceived at a specific moment within the body of a virgin. Neither did God have sex with Mary in any way we would understand it (look up the definition of 'virgin' sometime). Jesus, the human, was conceived supernaturally to be the vessel for the pre-existing Son of God.Jesus was the son of God before the virgin birth - in fact, before anything:
And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (John 17:5)


Jesus is not the Son of God because of anything he did or said. He did and said those things because he is the Son of God. And no, he didn't run around Galilee going 'Look at me! I'm the Son of God!' - if he had done something that stupid he would have gotten himself killed.
For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18)


So if he didn't say it, why believe it? Well, when my car breaks down (and it does) and I call the RAC, and within an hour a big orange van with the RAC logo all over it pulls up behind me, and a man in RAC overalls gets out, calls me by name, fixes my car, and gets me to sign that bit of RAC headed paperwork that they always give you a copy of but you never know what to do with, I don't need him to say 'I'm the RAC bloke'. A person's actions demonstrate who they are.

What do you mean Jesus didn't have an orange van and a uniform? OK, if you want more, here is why I believe Jesus is the Son of God:
But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.
How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin?
The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:30-35)

When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. (Luke 3:21-22)

A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him. (Luke 9:35)

The angel Gabriel said he was, and God himself said he was. Twice. Well that's good enough for me anyway.

There are plenty of verses I could point to where Jesus basically does say he is the Son of God without using those words, but it seems rather superfluous to start adding those into the mix.

So, why do I believe Jesus is the Son of God?
Because he said so.
Because the angel Gabriel said so.
Because God said so.
Because he is the way that God relates to us, and we relate to God.
Because somebody needed to take the rap for all the bad stuff I've done.

Because God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

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