The Trinity and Salvation Part 4

So far, I have established that the Son of God is God, that he has existed as God from all eternity and that he is also known as the Logos.  Now, I hope you will see that the Son of God has always been in relationship with the Father as a Son.  The term translated as “only begotten” (John 1:14; 3:15, 18; 5:18; 17:5) in English, holds the key to understanding this truth.

John MacArthur, in his article about the Eternal Sonship writes the following: 

“The Greek word translated "only begotten" is monogenes. The thrust of its meaning has to do with Christ's utter uniqueness. Literally, it may be rendered "one of a kind"--and yet it also clearly signifies that He is of the very same essence as the Father. This, I believe, is the very heart of what is meant by the expression ‘only begotten.’”

After understanding that monogenes does not have to do with time or origin, in reference to God’s Son, John MacArthur renounced «incarnational sonship» in favor of Eternal Sonship stating: 

“Careful study and reflection have brought me to understand that Scripture does indeed present the relationship between God the Father and Christ the Son as an eternal Father-Son relationship. I no longer regard Christ's sonship as a role He assumed in His incarnation.” 

So, instead of establishing that the Sonship had a beginning in time, we see that the term, monogenes (only begotten), simply and succinctly establishes the uniqueness of the Son of God.  He is the Son of God in a way unlike any other of God’s sons; he shares his Being, his essence.  The term speaks of relationship, not procreation.   God the Father and the Son relate in a father-son way.

These verses teach this truth clearly.  Read them in their most natural-sounding sense, without forcing them to fit some secret or hidden interpretation:

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The word “with” here means the same as the word “to” in the phrase “face-to-face”.  It has to do with relationship.   James R. White, in his book, “The Forgotten Trinity”, page 52, says, “...the Word was eternally face-to-face with God, that is, that the Word has eternally had a relationship with God.”

John 1:18 makes the same point even clearer:  “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

First it is in agreement with the other verses that call the Son both God and begotten.  Second, it shows the close relationship they have, as if the Son were held close by the Father.  Trinitarians understand that this intimacy has always characterized the relationship between God the Father and the Only Begotten God (the Son). 

John 17:5 shows us that the Son of God, had glory with the Father before the world was.  John 17:24 shows us that the Father loved the Son before the creation of the world.  Hebrews 1:8, God honors his Son before the incarnation, saying, 

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.

“You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness above Your companions.”

And in verse 10, God praises his Son again, prior to the incarnation, and says, 

“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;

11 They will perish, but You remain;
And they all will become old like a garment,

12 And like a mantle You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.”

These passages form the basis for believing in the eternal Father-Son relationship within the Godhead.  

In the next installment, I will give the scriptural evidence for point number 3:  The Son of God is a person, in the sense that He can relate to others through love, communication, submission and Lordship. Person is used here in a theological sense, and is not the same as human or being.