Ephesians 2:8 salvation is the gift

The Word who was God, became The Son.

It is a title, an identifier, rather than an absolute description. In fact that is true for all three, for The Father, for The Son and for The Holy Spirit. The title, The Son, only makes sense as a descriptor of the physical being of Jesus.
I already refuted your position from Jesus, Paul and John with 16 passages I quoted proving the Pre existence of the Son prior to His birth as a man called Jesus. You are holding an unbiblical position by what you were taught by men in the pulpit or from books. You did not arrive at your belief on your own from Scripture alone. I can promise you that Jim.

Let me say this the traditions and teaching of men are hard to reject since we have been taught them for years. This is the same with the Eternal Sonship of Christ. The scriptures I presented fly in the face with Jesus becoming Gods Son at birth. As the 2nd Person of the Godhead He is the Eternal Son just the same as there is the Eternal Father.

The Father did not become the Father at Jesus birth as a man. If anyone believes this about the Father/Son then there is no Trinity. the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Eternal Godhead- always has been always will be Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Neither the Father/Son became Father/Son-They are Eternally Father/Son.

hope this helps !!!
 
I already refuted your position from Jesus, Paul and John with 16 passages I quoted proving the Pre existence of the Son prior to His birth as a man called Jesus. You are holding an unbiblical position by what you were taught by men in the pulpit or from books. You did not arrive at your belief on your own from Scripture alone. I can promise you that Jim.
I am not denying the preexistence of any of the Trinity.
Let me say this the traditions and teaching of men are hard to reject since we have been taught them for years. This is the same with the Eternal Sonship of Christ. The scriptures I presented fly in the face with Jesus becoming Gods Son at birth. As the 2nd Person of the Godhead He is the Eternal Son just the same as there is the Eternal Father.

The Father did not become the Father at Jesus birth as a man. If anyone believes this about the Father/Son then there is no Trinity. the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Eternal Godhead- always has been always will be Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Neither the Father/Son became Father/Son-They are Eternally Father/Son.

hope this helps !!!
Again, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are, all three, identifiers. They are identifiers of the Holy Trinity, the Triune God.

And I will just leave it at that and give you the last word.
 
I am not denying the preexistence of any of the Trinity.

Again, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are, all three, identifiers. They are identifiers of the Holy Trinity, the Triune God.

And I will just leave it at that and give you the last word.
If you believe the Trinity as Father, Son, Holy Spirit then They are the One Eternal God without beginning as Father, Son, Holy Spirit. To say or believe otherwise is not the Trinity, its something else.
 
Take a look at this from a Calvinist website- Desiring God.

Good theology is an invitation to look deeper into the things we believe. When it comes to the most important doctrines, we have the advantage of a rich history of carefully crafted creeds and confessions to help us along the way. For example, we believe that God the Son is “eternally begotten, not made, without beginning, being of one essence with the Father.” What is eternal generation and how important is it?

Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is the very essence of being a Christian. “If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God,” says 1 John 4:15. We confess that Jesus is the Son of God in answer to the gospel message that “the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). But once we have confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, we have good reason to ask ourselves how deep his sonship goes, or how far back it reaches.

The answer is that the sonship of the Son goes as deep as the depths of God; it goes all the way back into the very being of God. There was never a time when the Son was not the Son.

Are There Alternatives?​

The alternatives are unacceptable. For example, if somebody said that Jesus wasn’t always the Son of God, but became the Son at some point during his life — say when the Holy Spirit descended on him, or at the transfiguration, or at the resurrection — that would be the crudest kind of adoptionism. It would limit sonship to a phase of Christ’s life, and cut it off before tracing it back into his essential or eternal being.

Or if somebody admitted that there had always been such a thing as the second person of the Trinity, but that this person wasn’t “the Son” until he became incarnate, that would also be cutting off sonship before it reached all the way back. On this account we would have Jesus the Son on our side of things, but over on God’s side there would be no sonship. But if sonship is only real on our side of things, and corresponds to nothing in the being of God, then how has God made himself known in the sending of the Son?

Eternally Sendable​

When the New Testament tells us that the Father sent the Son (1 John 4:14; John 3:16; Galatians 4:4), it presupposes that the Father always had the Son with him, sendable, so to speak. The Son was always there with the Father; the one God has always been the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is crucial for the depth of the biblical message of salvation that what we encounter in Christ is not just another event or arrangement, but that when we meet the Son, we meet one who “was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2), one who “was with the Father and was made manifest to us” (1 John 1:2).

This was the line of biblical thinking that was classically expressed in the fourth century in the Nicene Creed, which recognizes Jesus as God the Son and calls him “eternally begotten.” The word begotten now sounds old fashioned to most people, but it means “to come from a father.” It is the paternal parallel to the maternal word born: children are begotten of fathers and born of mothers.

By calling God the Son eternally begotten, the Christian tradition is making it clear that Christ’s sonship goes all the way back into the being of God. The Son belongs within that divine being, or essence; to put it in more relational and Trinitarian language, he is of one essence with the Father.

Why Use Terms Outside the Bible?​

It might seem safer to restrict ourselves to purely biblical language, and not go any further than affirming that he is the Son. But after we have quoted the biblical language, the value of using a few key terms that are not drawn directly from the Bible is that we can use them to specify what we understand the Bible to mean.

That is exactly the step we take when we say that the Son is eternally begotten. We are specifying that when we say “Son,” we don’t mean just anything that might be associated with any kind of sonship. We don’t mean that this son is younger, or has a divine mother, or is under parental authority, for example.

Affirming his eternal begottenness shows that we are not freely associating every possible aspect of earthly sonship with the divine Son, but picking out this particular eternal relation with the being of God. The Son is from the Father: coeternally, coessentially, coequally. Eternal generation means we don’t bring all our ideas about sonship and apply them to him; we learn from the eternally begotten one what he means by calling himself the Son of God.

Why This Is Important​

How important is eternal generation? Its fundamental value is that it tells the truth about who God the Son is according to Scripture. Even if it were a truth with no further practical implications, that would be enough, because confessing the Son’s eternal generation would help us keep our balance not just in christology but in everything we say about God the Son.

But it is also a doctrine with practical implications, mainly because of how closely connected it is to the doctrine of salvation. We have talked about the importance of tracing sonship all the way back into God in order to confess more accurately that Jesus is the Son of God. Grounding sonship in God’s own being, in the one who is “eternally begotten, not made, without beginning, being of one essence with the Father,” also means that our adoption is grounded in God.

When God saves sinners, he does so by coming to us in our extreme need and bringing us into his own life of blessedness and communion. God opens up the divine life to us without compromising his deity or obliterating our creaturehood, because God the Father sends God the Son and God the Holy Spirit to encompass us in the Father-Son-Spirit life that is our only possible source of salvation.

Adopted into an Eternal Sonship​

The sonship into which we are adopted as human sons and daughters is a sonship that, in the person of God the Son, goes all the way back into God. What the second person of the Trinity is by nature, the redeemed become by grace: sons. There is a linked chain of sonship that is joined to God on one side and our salvation on the other. The only-begotten Son becomes the incarnate Son and brings about fellowship with adopted sons. The more clearly and surely we confess the eternal begetting of God the Son, the more deeply we will understand our regeneration as adopted sons.

The doctrine of eternal generation is a treasure of Christian theology. In addition to being a biblical truth, eternal generation also happens to be the deeply traditional position confessed by the church down through the centuries. And it reaches all the way down into the experience of salvation and the Christian life, which is a life of sonship grounded in the eternal depth of the eternal Son.
 
If you believe the Trinity as Father, Son, Holy Spirit then They are the One Eternal God without beginning as Father, Son, Holy Spirit. To say or believe otherwise is not the Trinity, its something else.
Question, for I am not in this one.

Does not a Father precede a Son?

I am a full blooded American Trinity believer. 3 in one, not 1 is three.
 
Question, for I am not in this one.

Does not a Father precede a Son?

I am a full blooded American Trinity believer. 3 in one, not 1 is three.
Not in the Godhead but in humanity. If God is Eternal and God is the Father,Son and Holy Spirit there was never a time when the Son was not the Son, the Father, the Father and the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. The Father/Son/Holy Spirit are the 3 Eternal Persons in the Godhead.
 
YES, but not as the Christ but as HE was from Eternity = the LORD


Genesis 3:8 - And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.


No, not before Abraham in human form.

Oh my goodness, what is wrong with you and Civic? I post for you Jesus' confirmation of the OT Prophesies concerning His work after HE is killed, raised from the dead and ascends to His Father, and you accuse me of claiming Jesus is still suffering for sins. I give you the chance of admitting this error, and moving on, but you doubled down on the falsehood. I reply to Civic, and he completely ignores my entire post, creates a question I didn't even ask, they copy and pastes sermons from his preferred "Gamaliel's" on a jihad to demean me by answering a question I didn't even ask. And now, in response to my questions to you, your entire answer is based on the false and quite frankly absurd implication that I am saying the human Jesus came to Adam and Abraham, which I also never did.

It is a cleaver tactic to force others into defending themselves of false claims, to avoid having an actual biblical discussion on the issue. Civic is a master at this tactic.

But why not just address what is written, and ask the questions answered instead of constantly trying to one over on everyone.

So YES! The Spirit that is the Christ, the Light of This World, the Word "of God", was sent into this world at creation, "By His Father and my Father", to teach humans "in the way that they should go". From Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Joshua and Caleb and to Zacharias and Simeon. I believe this because it is written in Scriptures.

Is. 48: 16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened "to my commandments"! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

This Same Spirit, prophesied to become a human and dwell among men, did so in the person of Jesus, in my view. He came, in part, to save Israel, and those who would sojourn with them, who had been led astray by this world's religious system, by men who "professed to know Him" but had rejected His Judgments and were disobedient to His Commandments.

And the Entire Bible teaches this. The promoters of this world's religions don't, but the Christ Inspired Holy Scriptures do.

1 Cor. 11: 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

This is true from Adam and Eve, Noah and Abraham, Caleb and Joshua, Zacharias and Simeon, Paul and Cornelius, and it is still true today, at least according to Scriptures.

You are free to disagree with my understanding, that is fine. But please don't just make up crap to slander me with. The promoters of the mainstream religions of the Prophets time, and Jesus' Time, and Paul's Time did the same thing to those who trusted the Word of God, and it didn't work out to well for them.
 
Not in the Godhead but in humanity. If God is Eternal and God is the Father,Son and Holy Spirit there was never a time when the Son was not the Son, the Father, the Father and the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. The Father/Son/Holy Spirit are the 3 Eternal Persons in the Godhead.
There had to be if we keep calling him the son.

Yes.... to not be misunderstood.... We know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God . YHWH. But he became mortal and then was named Jesus.

Is there anywhere in the old testament that referred to the Messiah by the given name Jesus?

They never started to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit until Jesus said to.

Before Jesus walked the earth there was the Word. Was the Word ever called son in the bible.

If so, please tell me because I do not remember that,

John merely says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"
and vs 14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We know Jesus has told us he was from eternity past.

BUT WAS HE THE SON BEFORE HIS BIRTH? That is the question I question.

The Nicene Creed says

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages
,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.

Yet the Apostles Creed

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.


In other words... He became Son of God after his Birth.
before that he was still in the trinity but as the Word.

That absolutely takes nothing away from the 3 in the Trinity.
It just shows how great the Father is that He is able to have all
of this accomplished for you, me, and everyone with believing faith.

Sorry, I was not going to get into this but I got carried away.
 
There had to be if we keep calling him the son.

Yes.... to not be misunderstood.... We know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God . YHWH. But he became mortal and then was named Jesus.

Is there anywhere in the old testament that referred to the Messiah by the given name Jesus?

They never started to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit until Jesus said to.

Before Jesus walked the earth there was the Word. Was the Word ever called son in the bible.

If so, please tell me because I do not remember that,

John merely says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"
and vs 14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We know Jesus has told us he was from eternity past.

BUT WAS HE THE SON BEFORE HIS BIRTH? That is the question I question.

The Nicene Creed says

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages
,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.

Yet the Apostles Creed

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.


In other words... He became Son of God after his Birth.
before that he was still in the trinity but as the Word.

That absolutely takes nothing away from the 3 in the Trinity.
It just shows how great the Father is that He is able to have all
of this accomplished for you, me, and everyone with believing faith.

Sorry, I was not going to get into this but I got carried away.
The Son had to pre exist His birth as a man to be sent. Many passages declare that the Father sent the Son into the world. IT never says the Father sent Jesus into the world since that is His human name given at His birth. The Son/Word are Synonyms.

Just the same as the Father/ God are synonymous terms.

The Trinity/God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and They are Eternal without beginning.

God sent His only Son which means the Son existed before His human birth as Jesus.
 

Objections Against Incarnate Sonship​

Let every reader remember that the whole concept of eternal sonship and eternal generation arrived by way of Origen’s mystical allegorization and adaptation of Christianity to Greek philosophy. These arguments are the strained efforts of his followers to wrest the plain sense of the Scriptures.

1. God’s Son surely existed before the incarnation, because GOD SENT HIS SON into the world.

Reference texts used to “prove” this point are John 3:16-17; 10:36; I John 4:9; and others. However God sent Jesus into the world, He sent His disciples the same way (John 17:18)! However God sent His Son, He sent His servants the same way before Him (Matthew 21:33-39). When was John the Baptist sent from God (John 1:6)? Before or after he was born to Elisabeth? Isaiah illustrates how a man is sent by God – called to service (Isaiah 6:8; Romans 10:15). The Son God sent forth to redeem was made of a woman (Gal 4:4-5). Note the grammar! If such verses prove eternal sonship, they also prove Christ’s preexistence (Ist Timothy 1:15). Christ existed before being delivered (Romans 8:32), since He was delivered at death (Acts 2:23). Whenever a woman gives birth to a son, she brings a man-child into the world (John 16:21). This is one of the best and most popular arguments for eternal and against incarnate sonship!

2. Proverbs teaches that Christ, as Wisdom, was brought up with God before creation (Proverbs 8:22-31).

Solomon in Proverbs 8 continues to teach godly wisdom. He is not teaching eternal generation! He is continuing a personification of wisdom, Lady Wisdom, from the context (Proverbs 8:1-21; 9:1-6). Any begotten God from here must be a daughter, for the pronouns throughout are feminine! All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ due to His divine nature (Colossains 2:3), so we Jesus Christ only indirectly taught from this passage of the Old Testament scriptures. This type of false allegorizing to develop theology and doctrine was Origen’s favorite method.

3. If the Holy Ghost brought about the birth of Christ (Luke 1:35), then He is the Father of the Son.

The vain attempt with this passage is to try to make it prove something not taught in Scripture. The Holy Spirit regenerates God’s elect (John 3:8; Titus 3:5), yet God is their Father (Ist Peter 1:3). In their divine nature, the Word and Spirit are the Everlasting Father (Is 9:6; I John 5:7).

4. Luke 1:35 teaches that Jesus was called the Son of God, not that He became the Son of God.

There is no other being in all of Scripture addressed as the Son of God but Jesus Christ. God expressly declares the name Son of God is because of (therefore) the virgin birth. Consider further the adverb “also,” which indicates the second reason for the explanation.

5. Claiming to be God’s Son was to claim divinity and equality with God (John 5:17-18; 10:30-36).

The Jews were well aware that the promised Messiah Son would be God (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). Jesus taught that the prophesied Son of David would also be David’s Lord (Matt 22:41-46).

6. Nebuchadnezzar saw the Son of God in the fiery furnace before the incarnation (Daniel 3:25).

Nebuchadnezzar later admits that the fourth person in the furnace was an angel (Daniel 3:28). Since when did a pagan king of a pagan empire determine theology (Daniel 4:8; Matt 16:16). Son is capitalized due to the lack of formal rules of capitalization (Cp Isaiah 7:14; 9:6).

7. Melchisedec was made like unto the Son of God, so Christ was before him (Hebrews 7:1-3).

Paul also teaches, however, the Son was made like Melchisedec (Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:17,21). Jesus was not a priest until He took a body (Heb 2:14-18; 4:14-16; 5:6-10; 10:4-14; etc.). Christ’s intercessory work as High Priest began after His death (Rom 8:34; Heb 9:11-14).

8. The Son of God must be eternal, since His goings forth had been from everlasting (Micah 5:2).

The Word of God has gone forth from of old. Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. The verse does not say that the Son went forth from everlasting. The Son is the Godman.

9. God appeared at various times in the Old Testament, thus the Son must be eternal (Gen 32:30).

Paul teaches that Christ was with Israel in the wilderness (Ist Corinthians 10:4,9). Was it His body? Why then did Daniel prophesy that Christ (Messiah) was yet 483 years away (Daniel 9:25-26)? Jesus Christ is the human nature in union with the full Godhead. Did this body preexist? Does God also have an eternal, burning bush (Ex 3:1-6) and an eternal dove (Matthew 3:16-17)? Appearances of God apart from Jesus Christ are temporary similitudes (Num 13:8; John 1:18). These were angels. Did Jacob wrestle with God or an angel, or an angel representing God?

10. Agur the son of Jakeh makes reference to the Son of God in the Old Testament (Proverbs 30:4).

God had already prophesied of His Son coming from David’s bowels (2nd Sam 7:14-16; 23:1-5). David had prophesied in the Psalms about the Son God would have (Psalm 2:7; 89:26-27). If this is to be understood literally, he is denigrating man by his lack of knowledge of God. If this is understood figuratively, he is using a rhetorical question to denigrate their wisdom. There is no evidence in the text or context that he is teaching anything positive about the Trinity.

11. Scripture describes Christ as God’s firstborn, so He must be before all others (Colossians 1:15).

The psalmist declares God’s firstborn had not yet been born in David’s time (Psalm 89:26-27). Jesus Christ is God’s preeminent creature, possessing the full Godhead (Colossians 1:16-18; 2:9). Jesus is the firstborn of every creature. Will you make His divinity a creation? This relationship is described in context by Christ’s person, works, and position. Firstborn in time may not be firstborn in right (Gen 48:13-19; Deut 21:15-17; I Chron 5:1). Jesus is the firstborn by having the rights, rule, glory, and superiority to all other creatures. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18; Rev 1:5). We also will live (I Cor 15:20-23).

12. Since God chose us in Christ before time, He must be an eternal Son (Ephesians 1:3-4; 2nd Timothy 1:9).

Your argument proves too much. God chose you before time. Are you also an eternal son? God has covenant relationships with men apart from a vital relationship. Consider Adam. By God’s eternal power, He is able to call things that are not as if they were (Rom 4:17). Remember that the Word was in the covenant of grace also. He agreed to come as Christ.

13. If “the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14) teaches the preexistence of the Word, then “which was made of the seed of David” (Rom 1:3) teaches the preexistence of the Son of God.

God, Who preexisted (John 1:1), was manifest in flesh (Ist Tim 3:16). He was not made of flesh.

The entirety of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily. His body did not become the entire Godhead. Romans 1:3 has a subordinate clause (“which”) teaching the descent of the Son’s fleshly body. The Son is described in the New Testament as being made of a woman, lower than angels, etc. The resurrection declared (manifested powerfully) Jesus to be the Son of God (Acts 2:32-36).

14. The Son of God reveals God’s glory, but this can only be true of His divinity (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:14).

Consider how far you degrade Christ’s humanity; His body contained full divinity (Colossians 2:9). The first Adam was made in the image or likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), but was he Divine? God being a Spirit, there is no problem in accepting a body as His glorious image (John 4:24). Such reasoning indicates you do not understand the glory of God. See Exodus 33:17 – 34:9! God was well pleased with the complex Godman, why can’t you be pleased with His conduct? God is an invisible spirit, so He created a visible man to reveal Himself (John 1:14,17; Colossians 1:15). When transfigured, Christ revealed His glory as God’s Son (Matthew 17:1-9 cp 2nd. Peter 1:16-18). John, who knew Jesus intimately, didn’t seem to think He was very inferior (Revelation 1:9-18)!

15. The Son of God is addressed in Hebrews 1:8 as God, therefore He is the Son of God as God.

How many non-sequiturs can they form? The Son – Jesus of Nazareth – was fully and truly God! Inspired Paul in this passage is contrasting Christ, Who is God, with created spirits – angels. Do not forget the distinction between Jesus Christ’s two natures. Jesus Christ is fully God.

16. The sacrifice of a begotten humanity is far cheaper than the sacrifice of a begotten divinity.

Even the staunchest advocates of eternal sonship do not teach the divine nature of the Son died! Therefore, God Himself manifest in flesh is the most precious gift He could have given to men. Why didn’t Jehovah ever say anything about His precious Divine Son pleasing Him in eternity? Divinity cannot be sacrificed, since it is dependent on no others for its perpetual perfect pleasure.

17. To be before all things (Col 1:17) and to create all things (Col 1:16) requires an eternal Son.

The verses require an eternal Creator God, but they do not in any way require eternal sonship. The divine nature of Jesus Christ as the Word must be distinguished from the human nature. If these prove eternal sonship, they also prove His human preexistence (John 1:15; Ephesians 3:9). Many apparent difficulties can be resolved by considering the properties of His two natures.

18. Jesus is said to be the beginning of the creation of God, therefore He is an eternal Son (Rev 3:14).


This argument proves far more than most will accept. It would prove Jesus Christ is a creature. Christ’s human nature was created in time (Jeremiah 31:22; Gal 4:4; Col 1:15), but not by this verse. Jesus, as the Word of God in His Deity, began the creation of God. He made all things (John 1:3). Our Lord is appealing to His infinite authority by referencing His role in creation (Colossians 1:16-17).
 
Oh my goodness, what is wrong with you and Civic? I post for you Jesus' confirmation of the OT Prophesies concerning His work after HE is killed, raised from the dead and ascends to His Father, and you accuse me of claiming Jesus is still suffering for sins. I give you the chance of admitting this error, and moving on, but you doubled down on the falsehood. I reply to Civic, and he completely ignores my entire post, creates a question I didn't even ask, they copy and pastes sermons from his preferred "Gamaliel's" on a jihad to demean me by answering a question I didn't even ask. And now, in response to my questions to you, your entire answer is based on the false and quite frankly absurd implication that I am saying the human Jesus came to Adam and Abraham, which I also never did.

It is a cleaver tactic to force others into defending themselves of false claims, to avoid having an actual biblical discussion on the issue. Civic is a master at this tactic.

But why not just address what is written, and ask the questions answered instead of constantly trying to one over on everyone.

So YES! The Spirit that is the Christ, the Light of This World, the Word "of God", was sent into this world at creation, "By His Father and my Father", to teach humans "in the way that they should go". From Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Joshua and Caleb and to Zacharias and Simeon. I believe this because it is written in Scriptures.

Is. 48: 16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened "to my commandments"! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

This Same Spirit, prophesied to become a human and dwell among men, did so in the person of Jesus, in my view. He came, in part, to save Israel, and those who would sojourn with them, who had been led astray by this world's religious system, by men who "professed to know Him" but had rejected His Judgments and were disobedient to His Commandments.

And the Entire Bible teaches this. The promoters of this world's religions don't, but the Christ Inspired Holy Scriptures do.

1 Cor. 11: 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

This is true from Adam and Eve, Noah and Abraham, Caleb and Joshua, Zacharias and Simeon, Paul and Cornelius, and it is still true today, at least according to Scriptures.

You are free to disagree with my understanding, that is fine. But please don't just make up crap to slander me with. The promoters of the mainstream religions of the Prophets time, and Jesus' Time, and Paul's Time did the same thing to those who trusted the Word of God, and it didn't work out to well for them.
HalleluYAH

Everything that you posted from scripture and applied is YEAH and AMEN

Everything beginning in Genesis speaks of Elohim/Plural and focuses on the Word of God, by Whom all things were created and for Whom all things were created an din Whom all things EXIST.
 

Objections Against Incarnate Sonship​

Let every reader remember that the whole concept of eternal sonship and eternal generation arrived by way of Origen’s mystical allegorization and adaptation of Christianity to Greek philosophy. These arguments are the strained efforts of his followers to wrest the plain sense of the Scriptures.

1. God’s Son surely existed before the incarnation, because GOD SENT HIS SON into the world.

Reference texts used to “prove” this point are John 3:16-17; 10:36; I John 4:9; and others. However God sent Jesus into the world, He sent His disciples the same way (John 17:18)! However God sent His Son, He sent His servants the same way before Him (Matthew 21:33-39). When was John the Baptist sent from God (John 1:6)? Before or after he was born to Elisabeth? Isaiah illustrates how a man is sent by God – called to service (Isaiah 6:8; Romans 10:15). The Son God sent forth to redeem was made of a woman (Gal 4:4-5). Note the grammar! If such verses prove eternal sonship, they also prove Christ’s preexistence (Ist Timothy 1:15). Christ existed before being delivered (Romans 8:32), since He was delivered at death (Acts 2:23). Whenever a woman gives birth to a son, she brings a man-child into the world (John 16:21). This is one of the best and most popular arguments for eternal and against incarnate sonship!

2. Proverbs teaches that Christ, as Wisdom, was brought up with God before creation (Proverbs 8:22-31).

Solomon in Proverbs 8 continues to teach godly wisdom. He is not teaching eternal generation! He is continuing a personification of wisdom, Lady Wisdom, from the context (Proverbs 8:1-21; 9:1-6). Any begotten God from here must be a daughter, for the pronouns throughout are feminine! All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ due to His divine nature (Colossains 2:3), so we Jesus Christ only indirectly taught from this passage of the Old Testament scriptures. This type of false allegorizing to develop theology and doctrine was Origen’s favorite method.

3. If the Holy Ghost brought about the birth of Christ (Luke 1:35), then He is the Father of the Son.

The vain attempt with this passage is to try to make it prove something not taught in Scripture. The Holy Spirit regenerates God’s elect (John 3:8; Titus 3:5), yet God is their Father (Ist Peter 1:3). In their divine nature, the Word and Spirit are the Everlasting Father (Is 9:6; I John 5:7).

4. Luke 1:35 teaches that Jesus was called the Son of God, not that He became the Son of God.

There is no other being in all of Scripture addressed as the Son of God but Jesus Christ. God expressly declares the name Son of God is because of (therefore) the virgin birth. Consider further the adverb “also,” which indicates the second reason for the explanation.

5. Claiming to be God’s Son was to claim divinity and equality with God (John 5:17-18; 10:30-36).

The Jews were well aware that the promised Messiah Son would be God (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). Jesus taught that the prophesied Son of David would also be David’s Lord (Matt 22:41-46).

6. Nebuchadnezzar saw the Son of God in the fiery furnace before the incarnation (Daniel 3:25).

Nebuchadnezzar later admits that the fourth person in the furnace was an angel (Daniel 3:28). Since when did a pagan king of a pagan empire determine theology (Daniel 4:8; Matt 16:16). Son is capitalized due to the lack of formal rules of capitalization (Cp Isaiah 7:14; 9:6).

7. Melchisedec was made like unto the Son of God, so Christ was before him (Hebrews 7:1-3).

Paul also teaches, however, the Son was made like Melchisedec (Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:17,21). Jesus was not a priest until He took a body (Heb 2:14-18; 4:14-16; 5:6-10; 10:4-14; etc.). Christ’s intercessory work as High Priest began after His death (Rom 8:34; Heb 9:11-14).

8. The Son of God must be eternal, since His goings forth had been from everlasting (Micah 5:2).

The Word of God has gone forth from of old. Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. The verse does not say that the Son went forth from everlasting. The Son is the Godman.

9. God appeared at various times in the Old Testament, thus the Son must be eternal (Gen 32:30).

Paul teaches that Christ was with Israel in the wilderness (Ist Corinthians 10:4,9). Was it His body? Why then did Daniel prophesy that Christ (Messiah) was yet 483 years away (Daniel 9:25-26)? Jesus Christ is the human nature in union with the full Godhead. Did this body preexist? Does God also have an eternal, burning bush (Ex 3:1-6) and an eternal dove (Matthew 3:16-17)? Appearances of God apart from Jesus Christ are temporary similitudes (Num 13:8; John 1:18). These were angels. Did Jacob wrestle with God or an angel, or an angel representing God?

10. Agur the son of Jakeh makes reference to the Son of God in the Old Testament (Proverbs 30:4).

God had already prophesied of His Son coming from David’s bowels (2nd Sam 7:14-16; 23:1-5). David had prophesied in the Psalms about the Son God would have (Psalm 2:7; 89:26-27). If this is to be understood literally, he is denigrating man by his lack of knowledge of God. If this is understood figuratively, he is using a rhetorical question to denigrate their wisdom. There is no evidence in the text or context that he is teaching anything positive about the Trinity.

11. Scripture describes Christ as God’s firstborn, so He must be before all others (Colossians 1:15).

The psalmist declares God’s firstborn had not yet been born in David’s time (Psalm 89:26-27). Jesus Christ is God’s preeminent creature, possessing the full Godhead (Colossians 1:16-18; 2:9). Jesus is the firstborn of every creature. Will you make His divinity a creation? This relationship is described in context by Christ’s person, works, and position. Firstborn in time may not be firstborn in right (Gen 48:13-19; Deut 21:15-17; I Chron 5:1). Jesus is the firstborn by having the rights, rule, glory, and superiority to all other creatures. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18; Rev 1:5). We also will live (I Cor 15:20-23).

12. Since God chose us in Christ before time, He must be an eternal Son (Ephesians 1:3-4; 2nd Timothy 1:9).

Your argument proves too much. God chose you before time. Are you also an eternal son? God has covenant relationships with men apart from a vital relationship. Consider Adam. By God’s eternal power, He is able to call things that are not as if they were (Rom 4:17). Remember that the Word was in the covenant of grace also. He agreed to come as Christ.

13. If “the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14) teaches the preexistence of the Word, then “which was made of the seed of David” (Rom 1:3) teaches the preexistence of the Son of God.

God, Who preexisted (John 1:1), was manifest in flesh (Ist Tim 3:16). He was not made of flesh.

The entirety of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily. His body did not become the entire Godhead. Romans 1:3 has a subordinate clause (“which”) teaching the descent of the Son’s fleshly body. The Son is described in the New Testament as being made of a woman, lower than angels, etc. The resurrection declared (manifested powerfully) Jesus to be the Son of God (Acts 2:32-36).

14. The Son of God reveals God’s glory, but this can only be true of His divinity (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:14).

Consider how far you degrade Christ’s humanity; His body contained full divinity (Colossians 2:9). The first Adam was made in the image or likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), but was he Divine? God being a Spirit, there is no problem in accepting a body as His glorious image (John 4:24). Such reasoning indicates you do not understand the glory of God. See Exodus 33:17 – 34:9! God was well pleased with the complex Godman, why can’t you be pleased with His conduct? God is an invisible spirit, so He created a visible man to reveal Himself (John 1:14,17; Colossians 1:15). When transfigured, Christ revealed His glory as God’s Son (Matthew 17:1-9 cp 2nd. Peter 1:16-18). John, who knew Jesus intimately, didn’t seem to think He was very inferior (Revelation 1:9-18)!

15. The Son of God is addressed in Hebrews 1:8 as God, therefore He is the Son of God as God.

How many non-sequiturs can they form? The Son – Jesus of Nazareth – was fully and truly God! Inspired Paul in this passage is contrasting Christ, Who is God, with created spirits – angels. Do not forget the distinction between Jesus Christ’s two natures. Jesus Christ is fully God.

16. The sacrifice of a begotten humanity is far cheaper than the sacrifice of a begotten divinity.

Even the staunchest advocates of eternal sonship do not teach the divine nature of the Son died! Therefore, God Himself manifest in flesh is the most precious gift He could have given to men. Why didn’t Jehovah ever say anything about His precious Divine Son pleasing Him in eternity? Divinity cannot be sacrificed, since it is dependent on no others for its perpetual perfect pleasure.

17. To be before all things (Col 1:17) and to create all things (Col 1:16) requires an eternal Son.

The verses require an eternal Creator God, but they do not in any way require eternal sonship. The divine nature of Jesus Christ as the Word must be distinguished from the human nature. If these prove eternal sonship, they also prove His human preexistence (John 1:15; Ephesians 3:9). Many apparent difficulties can be resolved by considering the properties of His two natures.

18. Jesus is said to be the beginning of the creation of God, therefore He is an eternal Son (Rev 3:14).


This argument proves far more than most will accept. It would prove Jesus Christ is a creature. Christ’s human nature was created in time (Jeremiah 31:22; Gal 4:4; Col 1:15), but not by this verse. Jesus, as the Word of God in His Deity, began the creation of God. He made all things (John 1:3). Our Lord is appealing to His infinite authority by referencing His role in creation (Colossians 1:16-17).
This cut n paste denies the Eternal Trinity as Father, Son , Holy Spirit.

This post is my actual words not a cut n paste of someone else’s words, study.

It stands to reason if the was no Son before the Incarnation there was no Father.

Another denial of the Godhead.

You are left with only the Holy Spirit.

I already refuted your position from Jesus, Paul and John with 16 passages I quoted proving the Pre existence of the Son prior to His birth as a man called Jesus. You are holding an unbiblical position by what you were taught by men in the pulpit or from books. You did not arrive at your belief on your own from Scripture alone. I can promise you that Jim.

Let me say this the traditions and teaching of men are hard to reject since we have been taught them for years. This is the same with the Eternal Sonship of Christ. The scriptures I presented fly in the face with Jesus becoming Gods Son at birth. As the 2nd Person of the Godhead He is the Eternal Son just the same as there is the Eternal Father.

The Father did not become the Father at Jesus birth as a man. If anyone believes this about the Father/Son then there is no Trinity. the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Eternal Godhead- always has been always will be Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Neither the Father/Son became Father/Son-They are Eternally Father/Son.


John 17:1, 5
“Father,
the hour has come; glorify Your Son,that the Son may glorify You,

And now, Father, glorify Me in your own presence with the glory that I had with youbefore the world existed.

Notice above its the Son with the Father sharing the same glory together with Hm before creation, before the world came into existence. The same below. The Word who was God is the Son. Scripture interprets scripture. Hermenuetics 101.

Hebrews 1:1-2
1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

Verse 2 is talking about the son and it says that God made the universe through him, (in the context of him being a son).

Hebrews 1:8-12
But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9;You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
10He also says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.

And Here Jesus who is both God and man says that the Father sent the Son. This shows the Son existing before becoming man.

John 3:17
"For God did not send the Son into the worldto judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.

John tells us the same below:

1 John 4:9
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

1 John 4:10
10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.


And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.

As does Paul below:

Romans 8:3
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, / to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

You cannot send Someone who does not exist, ie the Son.

Hope this helps !!!
 
Is there anywhere in the old testament that referred to the Messiah by the given name Jesus?
Sort of ... but that is a tricky question.
  1. technically, NOBODY called him "Jesus" while he was incarnate (He was a Jew speaking Aramaic and Jesus is an English transliteration of the Greek version of a form of a Hebrew name).
  2. Jesus = Joshua = "God saves" ... that is a prophetic description used of the messiah (anointed one) if you knew where to look.
So it is what "Buck Denver" would call a "tricky question" and let Phil Vischer answer it. ;)
 
Let every reader remember that the whole concept of eternal sonship and eternal generation arrived by way of Origen’s mystical allegorization and adaptation of Christianity to Greek philosophy. These arguments are the strained efforts of his followers to wrest the plain sense of the Scriptures.
Whose HANDS formed Adam from the clay/earth in Genesis?
Who was the FOURTH person walking around in the Fiery Furnace in the book of Daniel?

Which "person" of the Godhead has hands and feet?
Eternal sonship may predate Origen.

Proverbs 30:4 [CSB]
Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in his hands?
Who has bound up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name,
and what is the name of his son --
if you know?
 
The Son had to pre exist His birth as a man to be sent. Many passages declare that the Father sent the Son into the world. IT never says the Father sent Jesus into the world since that is His human name given at His birth. The Son/Word are Synonyms. Just the same as the Father/ God are synonymous terms. The Trinity/God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and They are Eternal without beginning. God sent His only Son which means the Son existed before His human birth as Jesus.
Not in the Godhead but in humanity. If God is Eternal and God is the Father,Son and Holy Spirit there was never a time when the Son was not the Son, the Father, the Father and the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. The Father/Son/Holy Spirit are the 3 Eternal Persons in the Godhead.
I am not disagreeing with this.

I am disagreeing that until The physical body of Jesus walked the earth we never heard anyone call anyone the son or the father.

We were toldThere was God YHWH, The Holy Spirit, and the Word.

We know they make up the Godhead.

We know that about 2000 years ago the Word became Jesus. AND then was called the son. Because Mary was told to call Him that because he was the Savior and it meant that.

We know that Jesus had a physical mom. He also had the Holy Spirit , who made Mary pregnant. (I dont know and I dont care)

We know that somehow the Word became that baby who grew into a man who was the savior and now He is Christ Jesus.

We know this because John 1 said In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

We know this how? John again John 1:14 John 1:14 in the King James Version states, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

So the Word was always. As was God YHWH and the Holy Spirit.

But it is the begotten one needs to look at.

Do you remember all those begats in the bible? They were there to show lineages and bloodlines.

do you know begat and begotten are related? Both derive from the verb "beget," which means to bring a child into existence. "Begotten" is the past participle form, while "begat" is the simple past tense.


ACTS 13: 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’

(Reread that, please. You are My Son, TODAY I have begotten you.

Its important because He could easily have said You were begotten from before time but today
I am publicly acknowledging you or something like that but He said TODAY I have begotten you
meaning Jesus became the son not from the very beginning... And if the Word was the intended here then becoming the Son part was not from before time.)


back to the link

What is the meaning of "have begotten" (Acts 13:33)?
γεγεννηκα (gegenneka), the original Greek word translated "have begotten," is typically understood to mean "having fathered" or "having brought forth from the womb," but it literally means just "having brought forth" or "having caused to arise," and is being used in this literal sense in this passage (see below). It should thebe noted that γεγεννηκα (gegenneka) is different from μονογενης (monogenes), which means “only” or “unique” but mistranslated as “only begotten” in some English translations (see monogenes).

So Jesus was begotten. Mary was the mom and the Holy Spirit the reason Jesus could be born.

So I am still firm in my belief that yes... the Trinity always was. Elohim, the Word, and the Holy Spirit

But later on... in Yahweh's perfect timing, to fulfill His perfect plans that he laid out long before the Spirit was hovering over the waters his only Begotten Son came to be.

Now, I have no idea how the scribes wrote what they did in certain instances. We are told they were inspired. But also
I recently read where they relied also on some word of mouth things passed down.

We are relying on the translations... and as you have seen thee are many of those all slightly different.

So bless you civic for your firm beliefs. Most of which I am 100% with, but I will be at odds on this one.
 
I am not disagreeing with this.

I am disagreeing that until The physical body of Jesus walked the earth we never heard anyone call anyone the son or the father.

We were toldThere was God YHWH, The Holy Spirit, and the Word.

We know they make up the Godhead.

We know that about 2000 years ago the Word became Jesus. AND then was called the son. Because Mary was told to call Him that because he was the Savior and it meant that.

We know that Jesus had a physical mom. He also had the Holy Spirit , who made Mary pregnant. (I dont know and I dont care)

We know that somehow the Word became that baby who grew into a man who was the savior and now He is Christ Jesus.

We know this because John 1 said In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

We know this how? John again John 1:14 John 1:14 in the King James Version states, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

So the Word was always. As was God YHWH and the Holy Spirit.

But it is the begotten one needs to look at.

Do you remember all those begats in the bible? They were there to show lineages and bloodlines.

do you know begat and begotten are related? Both derive from the verb "beget," which means to bring a child into existence. "Begotten" is the past participle form, while "begat" is the simple past tense.


ACTS 13: 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’

(Reread that, please. You are My Son, TODAY I have begotten you.

Its important because He could easily have said You were begotten from before time but today
I am publicly acknowledging you or something like that but He said TODAY I have begotten you
meaning Jesus became the son not from the very beginning... And if the Word was the intended here then becoming the Son part was not from before time.)


back to the link
What is the meaning of "have begotten" (Acts 13:33)?
γεγεννηκα (gegenneka), the original Greek word translated "have begotten," is typically understood to mean "having fathered" or "having brought forth from the womb," but it literally means just "having brought forth" or "having caused to arise," and is being used in this literal sense in this passage (see below). It should thebe noted that γεγεννηκα (gegenneka) is different from μονογενης (monogenes), which means “only” or “unique” but mistranslated as “only begotten” in some English translations (see monogenes).

So Jesus was begotten. Mary was the mom and the Holy Spirit the reason Jesus could be born.

So I am still firm in my belief that yes... the Trinity always was. Elohim, the Word, and the Holy Spirit

But later on... in Yahweh's perfect timing, to fulfill His perfect plans that he laid out long before the Spirit was hovering over the waters his only Begotten Son came to be.

Now, I have no idea how the scribes wrote what they did in certain instances. We are told they were inspired. But also
I recently read where they relied also on some word of mouth things passed down.

We are relying on the translations... and as you have seen thee are many of those all slightly different.

So bless you civic for your firm beliefs. Most of which I am 100% with, but I will be at odds on this one.
Mono-genes Kittle
"only-begotten [Mono-genes]

Usage outside the New Testament: In compounds like [Greek] suggests derivation [Greek] rather than birth. Nouns as the first part of the compound give the source, e.g., from Zeus, the earth. Adverbs describe the nature of the derivation, e.g., noble or common. Mono-genes is to be explained along the lines [Greek], rather than [Greek]. The genes does not denote the source (footnote: "Deriving from one alone" would be meaningless) but the nature of derivation. Hence Mono-genes, means "of sole descent," i.e., without brothers or sisters. This gives us the sense of only-begotten. The ref. is to the only child of one's parents, primarily in relation to them. Mono-genes is stronger than [Greek], for it denotes that they have never had more than this child. But the word can also be used more generally without ref. to derivation in the sense of "unique," "unparalleled," "incomparable,"

B. The Use in the New Testament: 1. In the NT Mono-genes occurs only in Lk, Jn. and Hb., not Mk., Mt. or Pl. It is thus found only in later writings. It means "only-begotten." Thus in Hb. Isaac is the Mono-genes, of Abraham (11:17), in Lk. the dead man raised up again at Nain is the only son of his mother (7:12). the daughter of Jairus is the only child (8:42), and the demoniac boy is the only son of his father (8:42). 2. Only Jn. uses Mono-genes, to describe the relation of Jesus to God. Mk. ... The further step taken by Jn. to describe Jesus corresponds to the fact that believers who as children of God are called [Greek] the same word as is applied to Jesus - in Mt., Pl. etc., are always called [Greek] in Jn., 1:12; 11:52; 1 Jn.3:1, 2, 10; 5:2, while [Greek] is reserved for Jesus. Jn. emphasizes more strongly the distinction between Jesus and believers and the uniqueness of Jesus in His divine sonship. It is not that Jesus is not unique in this sonship for Mt., Pl. etc. also. His Messiah-ship proves this. But Jn. puts it in an illuminating and easily remembered formula which was taken up into the baptismal confession and which ever since has formed an inalienable part of the creed of the Church. To Mono-genes, as a designation of Jesus corresponds the fact that God is the [Greek], of Jesus, Jn. 5:18; for [Greek], means to be in a special relation to Jesus which excludes the same relation to others. Mono-genes occurs in Jn. 1:14,18; 3:16,18; 1 Jn. 4:9. What is meant is plainest in Jn. 3:16 and I Jn. 4:9. Because Jesus is the only Son of God, His sending into the world is the supreme proof of God's love for the world. On the other side, it is only as the only-begotten Son of God that Jesus can mediate life and salvation from perdition. For life is given only in Him, Jn. 5:26. But the fact that He is the only-begotten Son means also that men are obligated to believe in Him, and that they come under judgment, indeed, have done so already, if they withhold faith from Him, 3:18. Mono-genes is thus a predicate of majesty. This is true in Jn. 1:18. Here we are to read [Greek]. 14 As the only-begotten Son Jesus is in the closest intimacy with God. There is no other with whom God can have similar fellowship. He shares everything with this Son. For this reason Jesus can give what no man can give, namely, the fullest possible eye-witness account of God. He knows God, not just from hearsay, but from incomparably close intercourse with Him. In 3:16, 18; 1 Jn. 4:9; 1: 18 the relation of Jesus is not just compared to that of an only child to its father. It is the relation of the only-begotten to the Father. Similarly in Jn. 1:14: [Greek], His glory is not just compared with that of an only child; it is described as that of the only-begotten Son. Grammatically both interpretations are justifiable. But the total usage of Mono-genes is very emphatically against taking [Greek] Mono-genes as a mere comparison. In Jn. 1: 14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 Jn. 4:9 Mono-genes denotes more than the uniqueness or Incomparability of Jesus. In all these verses He is expressly called the Son, and He is regarded as such in 1-14. In Jn. Mono-genes denotes the origin of Jesus. He is Mono-genes, as the only-begotten. What Jn. means by [Greek] Mono-genes [Greek] in detail can be known in its full import only in the light of the whole of John's proclamation. For [Greek] is simply a special form of [Greek] Mono-genes [Greek]. When Jn. speaks of the Son of God, he has primarily in view the man Jesus Christ, though not exclusively the man, but also the risen and pre-existent Lord. The relation of the pre-existent Lord to God is that of Son to Father. This comes out Indisputably in 17:5, 24. Jesus is aware that He was with God, and was loved by Him, and endued with glory, before the foundation of the world. This is personal fellowship with God, divine sonship. It is true that neither In the prologue, nor 8:58, nor c. 17 does Jn. use the term "son" for the pre-existent Lord. But He describes His relation to God as that of a son. To maintain that in Jn. the pre-existent Lord is only the Word, and that the Son is only the historical and risen Lord, is to draw too sharp a line between the pre-existence on the one side and the historical and post-historical life on the other. In Jn. the Lord is always the Son. Because He alone was God's Son before the foundation of the world, because the whole love of the Father is for Him alone, because He alone is one with God, because the title God may be ascribed to Him alone, He is the only-begotten Son of God. (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament", Gerhard Kittel, Buchsel, 1967, Vol. IV, p 737-741)

MONOGENÊS

BAGD:
"In the Johannine lit[erature] m[onogenês] is used only of Jesus. The mngs. only, unique may be quite adequate for all its occurrences here...But some (e.g., WBauer, Hdb.) prefer to regard m[onogenês] as somewhat heightened in mng. in J and 1J to only-begotten or begotten of the Only One." (Bauer, it will be remembered, believed the Gospel of John was a gnostic text, and hence saw a theology behind John's writing compatible with the creation of the Logos as a semi-divine intermediary between the Monas and the creation with which He could not directly interact).

Louw & Nida: "Pertaining to what is unique in the sense of being the only one of the same kind or class - 'unique, only.'"

Moulton & Milligan: "Literally 'one of a kind,' 'only,' 'unique' (unicus), not 'only-begotten....'"

Grimm/Thayer: "Single of its kind, only, [A.V. only-begotten]." (Note that Thayer's insertion merely cites the KJV translation, which owes considerable debt to the Vulgate of Jerome, who translated monogenês "unigenitus").

NIDNTT: "The only begotten, or only....RSV and NEB render monogenês as 'only.' This meaning is supported by R. E. Brown, The Gospel According to John, Anchor Bible, I, 1966, 13 f., and D. Moody, “God’s Only Son: The Translation of John 3:16 in the Revised Standard Version,” JBL 72, 1953, 213-19. Lit. it means “of a single kind,” and could even be used in this sense of the Phoenix (1 Clem. 25:2). It is only distantly related to gennao, beget. The idea of “only begotten” goes back to Jerome who used unigenitus in the Vulg. to counter the Arian claim that Jesus was not begotten but made."

Newman: "Unique, only."

LSJ: "Only, single" (references John 1:14, the only NT verse cited).

TDNT: defines monogenês as "only begotten," but distinguishes between nouns ending in -genes and adverbs ending in -genês. The former denote the source of the derivation, the latter the nature of the derivation. Thus, the author (Buchsel) concludes that monogenêsmeans "of sole descent." But Pendrick argues strongly against this view:


monogenes (‎monogenh/$‎, NT:3439) is used five times, all in the writings of the apostle John, of Christ as the Son of God; it is translated "only begotten" in Heb 11:17 of the relationship of Isaac to Abraham.

With reference to Christ, the phrase "the only begotten from the Father," John 1:14, RV (see also the marg.), indicates that as the Son of God He was the sole representative of the Being and character of the One who sent Him. In the original the definite article is omitted both before "only begotten" and before "Father," and its absence in each case serves to lay stress upon the characteristics referred to in the terms used. The apostle's object is to demonstrate what sort of glory it was that he and his fellow apostles had seen. That he is not merely making a comparison with earthly relationships is indicated by para, "from." The glory was that of a unique relationship and the word "begotten" does not imply a beginning of His Sonship. It suggests relationship indeed, but must be distinguished from generation as applied to man.

We can only rightly understand the term "the only begotten" when used of the Son, in the sense of unoriginated relationship. "The begetting is not an event of time, however remote, but a fact irrespective of time. The Christ did not become, but necessarily and eternally is the Son. He, a Person, possesses every attribute of pure Godhood. This necessitates eternity, absolute being; in this respect He is not 'after' the Father" (Moule). The expression also suggests the thought of the deepest affection, as in the case of the OT word yachid, variously rendered, "only one," Gen 22:2,12; "only son," Jer 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech 12:10; "only beloved," Prov 4:3, and "darling," Ps 22:20; 35:17.

In John 1:18 the clause "the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the Father," expresses both His eternal union with the Father in the Godhead and the ineffable intimacy and love between them, the Son sharing all the Father's counsels and enjoying all His affections. Another reading is monogenes Theos, "God only-begotten." In John 3:16 the statement, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son," must not be taken to mean that Christ became the only begotten son by incarnation. The value and the greatness of the gift lay in the Sonship of Him who was given. His Sonship was not the effect of His being given. In John 3:18 the phrase "the name of the only begotten son of God" lays stress upon the full revelation of God's character and will, His love and grace, as conveyed in the name of One who, being in a unique relationship to Him, was provided by Him as the object of faith. In 1 John 4:9 the statement "God hath sent His only begotten son into the world" does not mean that God sent out into the world one who at His birth in Bethlehem had become His Son. Cf. the parallel statement, "God sent forth the Spirit of His Son," Gal 4:6, RV, which could not mean that God sent forth One who became His Spirit when He sent Him. (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Vincent Greek NT
The only begotten son (ὁ μονογενὴς υἱὸς)

Several of the principal manuscripts and a great mass of ancient evidence support the reading μονογενὴς Θεὸς, "God only begotten."

Another and minor difference in reading relates to the article, which is omitted from μονογενὴς by most of the authorities which favor Θεὸς. Whether we read the only begotten Son, or God only begotten, the sense of the passage is not affected. The latter reading merely combines in one phrase the two attributes of the word already indicated - God (John 1:1), only begotten (John 1:14); the sense being one who was both God and only begotten.

Who is in the bosom (ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον)

The expression ὁ ὢν, who is, or the one being, is explained in two ways: 1. As a timeless present, expressing the inherent and eternal relation of the Son to the Father. 2. As interpreted by the preposition. εἰς, in, literally, into, and expressing the fact of Christ's return to the Father's glory after His incarnation: "The Son who has entered into the Father's bosom and is there." In the former case it is an absolute description of the nature of the Son: in the latter, the emphasis is on the historic fact of the ascension, though with a reference to his eternal abiding with the Father from thenceforth.

While the fact of Christ's return to the Father's glory may have been present to the writer's mind, and have helped to determine the form of the statement, to emphasize that fact in this connection would seem less consistent with the course of thought in the Prologue than the other interpretation: since John is declaring in this sentence the competency of the incarnate Son to manifest God to mankind. The ascension of Christ is indeed bound up with that truth, but is not, in the light of the previous course of thought, its primary factor. That is rather the eternal oneness of the Word with God; which, though passing through the phase of incarnation, nevertheless remains unbroken (John 3:13). Thus Godet, aptly: "The quality attributed to Jesus, of being the perfect revealer of the divine Being, is founded on His intimate and perfect relation to God Himself."

The phrase, in the bosom of the Father, depicts this eternal relation as essentially a relation of love; the figure being used of the relation of husband and wife (Deuteronomy 13:6); of a father to an infant child (Numbers 11:12), and of the affectionate protection and rest afforded to Lazarus in Paradise (Luke 16:23). The force of the preposition εἰς, into, according to the first interpretation of who is, is akin to that of "with God" (see on John 1:1); denoting an ever active relation, an eternal going forth and returning to the Father's bosom by the Son in His eternal work of love. He ever goes forth from that element of grace and love and returns to it. That element is His life. He is there "because He plunges into it by His unceasing action" (Godet).

He (ἐκεῖνος)

Strongly emphatic, and pointing to the eternal Son. This pronoun is used by John more frequently than by any other writer. It occurs seventy-two times, and not only as denoting the more distant subject, but as denoting and laying special stress on the person or thing immediately at hand, or possessing pre-eminently the quality which is immediately in question. Thus Jesus applies it to Himself as the person for whom the healed blind man is inquiring: "It is He (ἐκεῖνος) that talketh with thee" (John 9:37). So here, "the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father - He hath declared Him."

hope this helps !!!
 
Sort of ... but that is a tricky question.
  1. technically, NOBODY called him "Jesus" while he was incarnate (He was a Jew speaking Aramaic and Jesus is an English transliteration of the Greek version of a form of a Hebrew name).
  2. Jesus = Joshua = "God saves" ... that is a prophetic description used of the messiah (anointed one) if you knew where to look.
So it is what "Buck Denver" would call a "tricky question" and let Phil Vischer answer it. ;)
God did not "play tricks" with us in hiding the Identity of the Lord.

He did make it a Mystery and as the Mystery it is, HE hid the Name above all names in "plain sight" in the Scriptures.

God loves to prepare mysteries and hidden treasures in His word = only for us who desire more of God

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. -
Prov 25:2

Shalom
 
@civic
This cut n paste denies the Eternal Trinity as Father, Son , Holy Spirit.
These points were a combinations of several men and that from a few different faith, (mainly Baptist) not limited to the group I was part of when this was put together, back in the mid eighties. I have articles that I have done that I do cut and paste, yet it does not mean that I myself did not originally put it together. I saved some my notes in my draft box, for quick reference from keep redoing it over and over again. Most of what I put out is from off the top of my head daily. No problem of me doing so, after all, I have been doing this for over fifty years now.
denies the Eternal Trinity as Father, Son , Holy Spirit.
Wrong, it preserves the Godhead as ONE God, manifest to us as three, only according to each respective work in the redemption of God's elect.

1st Corinthians 8:5-7a​

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:............"
And according to Isaiah, the Lord Jesus Christ in his divine nature, IS the everlasting Father of all things!

Isaiah 9:6​

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

The son that was given is no other than the everlasting Father, and he DID NOT have father according to his divine nature, only did he so by his fleshly nature! A great mystery of godliness, that's still hidden from your eyes.
This post is my actual words not a cut n paste of someone else’s words, study.
I have no problem what a man does, as long as he can defend what he posit. Is not #156 a cut and paste, which I have not read as of yet? Moving forward I will only give you my own study of this subject.
It stands to reason if the was no Son before the Incarnation there was no Father.
That's correct, because until Jesus was begotten by the power of the Highest in the womb of Mary, the only record we have concerning WHEN he became the Son of God, God did not have a Son, for if prior to this, then you end up with a begotten god, that it would be impossible for him to be the Alpha and Omega, which he does claim for himself.

Revelation 1:11​

“Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

Jesus Christ did not proceed from the Father as most believe: "begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God~if you believe this, then civic you are in error You are destroying Jesus' deity as the God of Genesis 1:1. Only Jesus' humanity came from Mary, by the Holy Ghost conceiving in her His Holy Son in TIME.

Isaiah 7:14​

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Immanuel was not conceived, Jesus of Nazareth was ~Immanuel joined Himself to the Tabernacle of Jesus and lived in this world for around 33 1/2 years.

civic, there are no other records as to WHEN Jesus became the Son of God than what is recorded in the scriptures and the eternal sonship doctrine is not there ~only in the creeds of men.
I already refuted your position from Jesus, Paul and John with 16 passages I quoted proving the Pre existence of the Son prior to His birth as a man called Jesus. You are holding an unbiblical position by what you were taught by men in the pulpit or from books. You did not arrive at your belief on your own from Scripture alone. I can promise you that Jim.
Are you speaking to me or Jim? Your sixteen passages I will take one at a time and address them, most which I think have already been addressed, I will not do double work.

Concerning learning from others, WE ALL HAVE and DO, most men in our days have benefitted from others since the apostles, with we ourselves learning certain passage different than what we have heard from others, but not that much., if we are honest ~ which there are no new doctrines to be taught, but what we have heard from the beginning.
Let me say this the traditions and teaching of men are hard to reject since we have been taught them for years. This is the same with the Eternal Sonship of Christ. The scriptures I presented fly in the face with Jesus becoming Gods Son at birth. As the 2nd Person of the Godhead He is the Eternal Son just the same as there is the Eternal Father.

civic, two things quickly: 1) It is hard to overcome something once we have come to accept it as the truth, and the Sonship doctrine are one of them ~folks just assume that what the preacher was saying had to be the truth, since after all, most are saying the same thing, so folks accept it as the truth, since most are too lazy to search for themselves. Studying is a very hard work to do, it is weariness to our flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:12​

“And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”
The Father did not become the Father at Jesus birth as a man. If anyone believes this about the Father/Son then there is no Trinity. the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Eternal Godhead- always has been always will be Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Neither the Father/Son became Father/Son-They are Eternally Father/Son.
You said: "The Father did not become the Father at Jesus birth as a man." Then you show me when and where he did using scriptures to prove your position.

Again, you said: "If anyone believes this about the Father/Son then there is no Trinity" civic, there is, according to each respective work in creation and the redemption of God's elect. The redemption of God's elect must have a trinity at work, for many reasons. God who is a Spirit could not do what Jesus as a man could and did do, for many reasons which we shall consider later.

Again, you said: "always has been always will be Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Only according to God's eternal purposes, just as we were in God's eternal purposes, yet we have not always been.

You said: "Neither the Father/Son became Father/Son-They are Eternally Father/Son." Well, I just gave you Isaiah 9:6 above which should prove to you one Of Jesus' titles are: the everlasting father...do you agree with what Isaiah said?

"They are Eternally Father/Son"~ only according to God's eternal purposes. It's getting late.

Brother, I'm not here to expose your teaching per se, more so to help us both to be more scriptural in our understanding of God's words, and if any progress is made, then we shall bow our heads in thanksgiving to God for being merciful to us in showing us his truth. Later....RB
 
@civic
Good theology is an invitation to look deeper into the things we believe. When it comes to the most important doctrines, we have the advantage of a rich history of carefully crafted creeds and confessions to help us along the way. For example, we believe that God the Son is “eternally begotten, not made, without beginning, being of one essence with the Father.” What is eternal generation and how important is it?
What I do agree with you on, in this statement, is this: living where we do at the end of the last days of the last times, we have certain advantages over others, by the fact we get to carefully consider many writings of others that have gone on before us, and creeds which I would not say well crafted as you have said, for the Nicene Creed is against God's testimony of His truth concerning His Son.

You said: "Good theology is an invitation to look deeper into the things we believe" ~ civic, it is not good theology if it denies the the truth of Jesus being the I AM THAT I AM of Genesis 1:1. Eternal generation, or eternally begotten does just that!

Btw civic, I still would like for you to address my posit #133, 134 concerning questions and reasons I reject the eternal Sonship position.
Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is the very essence of being a Christian.
I agree, and neither side rejects Jesus as being he Son of God, we disagree as far as knowing when he became the Son of God, for then and only then, do we see if one truly holds to Jesus being just whom the scriptures declares him to be: The God of Genesis 1:1, the Word, which was God in the beginning "without any" qualifications, or modification whatsoever. Even though without any qualifications, we do come to the knowledge of this truth by giving the scriptures their proper sense concerning the two complex natures of Christ.
But once we have confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, we have good reason to ask ourselves how deep his sonship goes, or how far back it reaches.
God's purposes ae eternal, yet that does not make either Jesus, or us eternal even though grace was given to us before the foundation of the world.

You do not need to assume something you cannot proves and certainly cannot explain. But what we both can do, is believe the record God has provided for us concerning the conception and birth of his Son, Jesus of Narareth. It is very simple for me to see and understand, and it should be for you as well. God's record protects Jesus' deity as the I AM THAT I AM. The trinity you are so desperately trying to protect, does not exist. God the Father is a Spirit, period! God the Son is the Godman, fully God, fully man. Now, let me ask you this question, Where does this leave the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost in your theology? I'll wait on your answer before giving you a biblical answer. Pretty sure your side can never give a sound biblical answer to that question, but I'll see.
The answer is that the sonship of the Son goes as deep as the depths of God; it goes all the way back into the very being of God. There was never a time when the Son was not the Son.
As far as being a Son of God he had a beginning, yet as far as Jesus' deity, being the God of Genesis 1:1 he had NO BEBINNING he's eternal both ways! Again, address these points that I provided above:
Question #1~ Can true Divinity be deprived or propagated? The very thought of this in a positive way is blasphemy against the God of the holy scriptures. What is real Divinity of the Most High God? The following attributes have ever been conceived as essential to it: Self-existence, Infinity, Independence, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Immutability, eternal both ways, and Infinite in every way possible that is imaginable to the human mind.
Reason #1~The Eternal Sonship is a dogma that is discredited logically by self contradiction. To contend that Jesus was eternally begotten is a manifest contradiction of term. We ask: can an object begin and not begun? No. The saying within itself is most absurd. Why do not people consider this, and understand it? Acts 28:25-27 is the answer. I'm putting my next statement this in a box quote to emphasize its important and to isolate it so one can fully ponder the words carefully and think on them before responding:
Please consider carefully: Eternity is that which has no beginning, nor stands in reference to time~Son supposes time, generation, and father; time is also antedent to such generation~therefore, the conjunction of the two terms: Son and eternity~is absolutely impossible as they imply different and opposite ideal. Words must have meaning, or else, how can we communicate with each other on a level where we can understand each other? I understand eternity and I also understand the word son, and so do my readers, and we should know how to use each word properly, without confusing the meaning of either.

Are There Alternatives?
I say no, truth is truth, and if taught the way the word of God teaches us, then Jesus' deity is well protected as being the Mighty God as prophesied by Isaiah to come. Isaiah 9:6.

Coming back to address more of your posit.
 
@Red Baker, @civic

This discussion from both sides appears to be as much a squabble in semantics as a theological study of the nature of God who is Spirit.

Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning, God [Hebrew - eloheem] created the heavens and the earth". One can do a study on the actual meaning and usage of that Hebrew word in Scripture. And there are many of those. Having read some of these in the past but not so much recently, it seems to me that again it becomes a study in semantics. Similarly is the study of the meaning of "begotten" son. The word begotten, from the verb "to beget" in its basic meaning indicates a beginning. It means to cause, to produce, to bring into being, all of which would deny eternal existence which clearly is counter to who and what is intended in a description of the Lord and Savior, the Messiah.

Thus, it seems to me that using the words, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are really only identifiers, not absolute descriptors of God of the Bible. And it also seems to me to be foolish to try to explain absolutely the meaning of "Triune God" using physical terms with physical meanings, if only because in the absolute sense THREE is not ONE. But nevertheless, there is ONE God, and the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are indeed established in the scriptures as three different and distinct spiritual beings operating independently if yet in absolute conformity and unity. Here again we run into a semantics problem assigning the word "being" which we can understand only in a physically experiential sense to the spiritual realm.
 
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