Jesus is not the only son of God but he is the only begotten son.

Jesus' being called the "only-begotten Son" (Joh 1:14; 3:16, 18; 1Jo 4:9) does not mean that the other spirit creatures produced were not God's sons, for they are called sons as well. (Ge 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:4-7) However, by virtue of his being the sole direct creation of his Father, the firstborn Son was unique, different from all others of God's sons, all of whom were created or begotten by Jehovah through that firstborn Son. So "the Word" was God's "only-begotten Son" in a particular sense, even as Isaac was Abraham's "only-begotten son" in a particular sense (his father already having another son but not by his wife Sarah).-Heb 11:17; Ge 16:15

They're Angels...

Good evening mornglow, Thanks for your reply. I have some questions for anyone. How do you know that Jesus was the only begotten son of God? If Jesus was the word and the word was with God in the beginning how did Mary conceive him? If the sons of god mentioned in Genesis were already there back then I don't follow how Jesus was different. PJLL MC

crestmead - Ruth, I love angels - I know angels but could you tell me if that's your opinion or scriptural?

Jude 6 may help.. It's scriptual.. You have "Seraphs".Isaiah 6:2,6.. cherubs.. This one was referring to Satan..Ezekiel 28:13-17.. Adam was a "Son"..They're all Son's of God if they are "righteous or approved by God".. Satan and the Angels who followed him along with Adam, lost that privilege, due to sin.. Jesus was son in Heaven and on Earth.. The "anointed" are God's son's, they are "Christ's brothers".. They're "Spirit", so whether they are Angels or not, they are "Son's of God", they just have a certain purpose or responsiblity...

Angel means "Messenger"..

Peace

~Ruth

Yes, I have always found those Scriptures interesting, particularly the one in Genesis. From my Bible research, here is the way I understand it:

Jesus was created by God first and they together with the Spirit created the angels then everything else. In John it says the Word was with God from the beginning, The Word was God and has always been with God. This refers to Jesus but it doesn't contradict with Jesus being the first created by God. Here is the idea: When God thinks it, it comes to be and is. It takes no more than a thought. God is timeless. Time is meant for man, not God. So God's thoughts are timeless as well. So Jesus was with God and a part of God in His timeless thoughts before He was created by God. Another poster said it correctly that Jesus is the only one created directly by God alone. Everything else was created through Jesus Christ, which makes Him the only Son. He and the Spririt make up the Trinity of God (three separate but still of one...take some explaining on that one...can do that later if you wish)

Lucifer and the angels were next in creation. Unlike Jesus, they are not part of the Trinity because they are creations apart from God but are the first to have freewill to obey or disobey God. These are those referred to in Genesis and in Job. The key thing to remember here is that they do not have the same position as Jesus. They must approach God. Jesus sits with God at the throne. My research shows that "sons of god" isn't quite the right wording from the Hebrew, Latin, Arabic and Greek texts but it is the closest thing we've got to the real meaning. The meaning of original text should be more like "created by God with access to God and a close relationship with God."

Consequently, the angels decided to marry human women which produced great warriors but also led to extreme wickedness which then led to the Great Flood. One note here: an child who was from an angel and a human would possess both angelic and human qualities, yes? So what if they had all the powers of angels but with the sin nature of humans---that would be a very destructive thing and, in my opinion, is what led to the extreme wickedness Genesis refers to and why God felt He had to destroy the whole race.

Now, onto Jesus' birth. Jesus already existed spiritually but not as a man. In order to bring salvation to mankind (completely human), Jesus had to become human, suffer what we suffer, be tempted as we are and remain sinless. He had to teach us in a way we can understand (human was the only way to do that), die, and conquer death in the body in order to be victorious over the wages of sin---which are death (and very human). It is interesting that the first time a spirit form (angel) mated with a human, it brought destruction. But this time in the virgin conception, it brought salvation. This was different because this was God's only Son and because it was God who allowed it to be. He did this out of love and holiness, while the angels did what they did out of lust and self-gratification. Jesus had all the powers of God, and the ability to sin from mankind, but yet He did not sin. He conquered sin in every respect where the angel-human children did not.

One more interesting point: If God's thoughts are timeless regarding everything else, wouldn't they also be timeless regarding your creation as well? In Jeremiah, it indicates this is true because it states that God knew you well before you were even conceived. So, in a sense, you existed before you were born also---the moment God thought of you.

When the Bible refers to becoming the "sons of God" in reference to those who believe, accept and follow Jesus Christ, the translation there is different from reference to the angels. The translation means literally, the children of God. The Bible teaches that once we accept Jesus we become "adopted" into God's family and can approach Him as his children. His Spirit then comes to live in us to make us truly spiritual beings as well as humans. This is one reason why Jesus focuses much of His teaching on God as a Loving Father---because He is our Father even though we are born completely human. We are also adopted as God's chosen people as well (Romans), which means we have the same spiritual position as the Jewish people.

I hope this hasn't confused you further and helps in your understanding. It's a tough subject to wrap your brain around because timelessness, creation and spiritual beings are not finite things we know of on an everyday basis.

Melshop1

Hello Ruth & melshop 1 Thanks for your replies! You have given me food for thought and it will take me a while to respond. BBL PJLL MC

since you talk trinity who or what do you think God's holy spirit is?

The first human beings "Adam" were called "the son of God" (Luke 3:38), "son" because it was considered to be ONE ENTITY. In Romans 8:18 - 23, the job of the "sons of God" are to release creation from their bondage of corruption/decay as the Sons of God become aware of their placement, adoption as "sons" and this is the redemption of their bodies...

To be a "Son of God", you must be BORN FROM THE DEAD, EXACTLY AS JESUS OF NAZARETH IS BORN FROM THE DEAD...NEVER TO DIE AGAIN...THIS IS THE EXPERIENCING OF IMMORTALITY, AND IT IS TIED IN WITH THE PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIZEDEC, THE PRIESTHOOD FROM HEAVEN...THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE HUMAN BODY...IT IS TRANSFORMED INTO IMMORTAL...THIS IS THE SUPERNATURAL OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (ROMANS 8:11)

THESE PEOPLE WILL NEVER SEE DEATH AND BE BURIED, BECAUSE WE EXPERIENCED THIS THROUGH JESUS OF NAZARETH WHEN HE DIED, WAS BURIED AND WAS RAISED BACK TO LIFE...THIS IS THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, IT KEEPS THE OTHER SONS OF GOD ALIVE FROM THE DEAD, THE GRAVE, CORRUPTION, DECAY, WE AFFECT ALL CREATION...WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANIFESTING THE RELEASE FROM DECAY, CORRUPTION...WE ARE THE VESSELS CHOSEN BY GOD TO PERFORM HIS WORK...

THE OTHER CREATURES CREATED BY GOD APPARENTLY, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SEE DEATH AND DECAY, ARE CONSIDERED TO BE "SONS OF GOD" ALSO.

JESUS OF NAZARETH IS THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD, AND HE HOLDS THE PREEMINENCE OF THE EXALTED, SON OF GOD BECAUSE HE WAS MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE OTHER IMMORTAL CREATURES, SO THAT HE COULD TASTE OF DEATH FOR ALL THINGS, AND HE IS THE ONE CHOSEN BY GOD TO DIE FOR THE RESTORATION OF ALL CREATION AND HE WAS GIVEN THIS HONOR, THIS TITLE FOR A SEASON, UNTIL GOD MAKES ALL HIS ENEMIES HIS FOOTSTOOL...

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING THESE DAYS, THE HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS IS BEING "RENEWED" AND IT IS TRANSFORMING US INTO IMMORTALITY...THESE ARE THE SONS OF GOD...

Hi Mornglow,

I think I read on another post that you are having some trouble with the Trinity. That's Ok, it's a difficult subject to comprehend and even more difficult to explain but I will try.

To understand the Trinity, we first have to get past labels (so Tolle, I know). Most of us are taught in most religions that God is a Person and that He is a He and that the Spirit is a He and a Person as well. I personally, as a woman, had a little issue with that because Genesis said that "both male and female" were created in the image of God. So what are they? God and the Holy Spirit are both Entities. Jesus is definitly a Person---to our minds--- because He was born into flesh, was born into this world as a male, and is also Immortal. The question of Jesus being an Entity is probably one where there could be several viewpoints and isn't pertinent to this discussion at the moment.

So now the question becomes what is an entity? The standard dictionary definition is "a real being whether in thought or in fact, being, essence, existence." While this definition is inadequate, I want to work through it. So now they are real beings, real Persons because that is what entities are: real and separate persons. The real core of being an entity; to have always existed and to continue to exist. Another aspect of an entity is sovereign power, which God and the Spirit have. There is no Scripture I am aware of where the Spirit reports to God. Jesus said He only does the will of His Father. This could be taken as He "reports" to God (no sovereign power) or simply that He is so intune with His Father that the Father's will is all He does (my view). If that is true, then He has sovereign power as well and is also an Entity. The key thing to remember is there is no need to report to God because they are of the same mind, seeking the same end. This is the concept of the Trinity---where they are one. All three have separate roles, but to the same end.

Now to the male, female thing. Entities are not male and female. They are perfect in both male and female characteristics but are not bodily male or female. This is extremely hard to comrehend. The reason why we call God "He" and the Spirit "He" is really just a pronoun issue. They aren't "Its" because they are Persons and "it" is for inanimant objects. The English language uses "He" in generic uses for such purposes of desciptions when a sex is non-applicable.

So when man and woman are created in God's image, both are created with attributes of God. God just chose to separate the attributes into two. That's why marriage is a sacred thing. "The two shall become one flesh." This is a direct reflection of God's Entity, combining His perfect attibutes into one unit. The Spirit is likewise perfect in both male and female components. Even Jesus, though male in body, was perfect in both male and female characteristics.

Think about it. God can create life, which is typically something females do. He is also a judge, protector, and avenger, characteristics typically listed as male. The Spirit can discipline, teach, comfort, nurture, chase, capture---some more male oriented and others more female oriented. Jesus showed aggression in turning over the tables but also ultimate mercy (typically a thing attributed to female). The difference is their individual roles but there is a shared sovereign power.

The best analogy we have as humans of this concept is the family. (Which is why we think of the family as sacred). The same blood runs through all three, and they have the same purpose in mind, but operate different functions. Still, this example remains somewhat inadequate because family members don't always have the same mind of purpose.

I hope this helps though I fear it may not answer all of your questions.

Melshop1

Pleae excuse the off topic intrusion but inphinite could I ask that in the future you refrain from using all caps in your posts. Being visually impaired makes it difficult for me to get through all the posts and when the type is all caps and in green it makes it exhausting for me. Blue or red are not as bad. Comic sans is the easiest for some reason. I don't know why it just is and I have accepted that. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks ever so much. MC

Ruth & Melshop I didn't notice what versions of the Bible you each use and where you got the information. Could you please reply with that? I am working on comparring translations to see if there is anything to differences in translations that contribute to our divisions. Thanks!!! PJLL MC

I compare the KJV, the new KJV and the Scoffield Bible...plus a Bible Dictionary and Bible Encyclopedia (which talkes about customs, cultures, geography etc.) The computer version of the Bible which shows the Hebrew, Greek and English translation side by side and verse by verse has been helpful in the past when I have researched this topic. That belongs to my dad so I don't know who the publisher is.

Melshop1

You can cross referrence them online with the concordance.. It's explanatory to me...

Sorry but Jesus was never created by the Father God, Jesus always has been and that also includes the Holy Spirit. God is who he is and always has been and always will be.

It is hard for us to understand this because God is of such a unique being that he is a triune being. The Bible states that God had no beginning and he has no end, this applies to the Godhead..Father,Son,Holy Spirit,

God Bless, Nancy