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-45-
The God Who Is
Begotten—In What Sense
The Son of God is Divine, i.e. He is Deity, or God incarnate. He is called "Immanuel," or God with us." But if He is a Son, in what sense is He "begotten?" And, if the Son of God is eternal and all-wise, how could He be begotten?
Some people deny the eternal Sonship of Christ because they equate "sonship" with humiliation. It is true that when the Lord Jesus came into the world, He "humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 1:8); but humiliation is not necessarily a part of sonship. Jesus was already a Son when He came to earth. Only then did He lay aside the independent exercise of His Divinity to "learn obedience by the things which He suffered" (Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 5:8).
In Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse 5 we read, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Note, first that if the Son of God humbled Himself, why should we be unwilling to humble ourselves? "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
Second, If the Son of God learned obedience by the things which He suffered, let us learn obedience by our suffering.
Third, Our Lord was willing to be obedient "unto death;" yet as the writer of Hebrews said, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin" (Hebrews 12:4). Note also, that God the Father receives glory when we confess that Jesus Christ is "Lord."
Begotten—When
The Bible says, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:8,9). Note, that the Son of God was begotten from eternity, and not in time. At the time of His incarnation, He was already a Son. It is therefore incorrect to assume that the state of humiliation is essential to sonship.
The Lord Jesus was already the Son of God before He came into this world. He then humbled Himself, and learned obedience by the things that He suffered. But when was He "begotten?"
If "In the beginning" He already was, He had to have been begotten in eternity past; yet we shall see that this is not altogether correct. He was begotten from eternity, and not in time, so there never was a time when He was not, and there will never be a time when He is not. He did not become the Son of God when He was born of the virgin Mary. He was already a son. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8).
But note verse 9: "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." The only way He could become the author of "eternal salvation" is if from eternity He had authority over eternity. He is the author of eternal salvation because He is in control of eternity.
In Proverbs chapter 8, Solomon personifies wisdom. What he says of wisdom is applicable to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Beginning in verse 22, we read, "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
"When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: when he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: when he gave to the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ..." (Proverbs 8:22-30).
The Son of God is not a Son on account of his humiliation in time, but He is a Son from eternity. Yet, it is clear from the Bible that there is a generation of the Son. Note, then, the nature of this generation.