The Only Begotten Son of God

 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, cand we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:14-18 ESV).

 

Can you imagine having an argument with a group of Christians about whether Jesus Christ is God? Today, Christians everywhere accept the fact that Jesus, God’s Son, is fully God. But in the early church, Christians argued vehemently about whether Jesus could be God if he was God’s only Son.

 

When we call someone a son, we naturally conclude that the father came first and the son came second. So, when we refer to Jesus in the Apostles’ Creed as God’s “only Son,” are we somehow putting him in second place?

 

No. Since the fourth century the church has officially upheld what the Holy Spirit inspired John to write in our passage for today: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

 

We can’t fully comprehend the mysterious relationship of God the Father and his only Son. But by faith we believe that Jesus is God’s Son. By faith we believe, with John, that through God’s only Son all of creation was made (cf. John 1:1-3). By faith we also believe that only God’s own Son, through his death, could bring us into a new life filled with everlasting peace and joy.

 

This is a part of the great mystery of the Doctrine of the Trintiy. God is One. And, God has manifested Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In acknowledging the truth of this through the Apostles’ Creed, the early fathers of the faith were affirming the greatness of God to be all, and more, than we can imagine or understand. And they were affirming the perfect nature of Jesus to accomplish all that was necessary to redeem us. As we live in the love of God and his Son each day, we can look for ways, wherever we are, to share that love with others.