Abdulraheem,

son of God can mean several things in the Bible.

As you've seen, it's used to designate Adam and Christ. It's also used to designate some mysterious characters in Genesis 6:2, and is also used to designate believers in Romans 8:14, Hosea 1:10, Psalm 82:6, and elsewhere.

In the case of Adam, it simply means that God directly created him and played the role of what we would call father to Adam.

In the case of Christ, it means that God the Father begat him before all ages (i.e. outside of time) within the economy of the Most Blessed Trinity. He is, in other words, the Son's originating principle, although the Son is not created.

In the case of Genesis 6:2, two explanations have been adduced:

1. That these are angels (some other references in the Scriptures suggest this), and
2. that they are the godly sons of Shem.

In Romans 8:14, baptism is seen as a rebirth (see John 3:5) on a spiritual level and those reborn are reborn as sons of God (in an adopted sense). Theologically speaking, we are by grace what Jesus is by nature.

• As for your first point in Numbers 23:19, I'm not sure what your question is; can you elaborate?

Eric

Hi Abdulraheem,

When reading Scripture we have to be careful in understanding idioms. In the case of Numbers 23:19, the point here is that God is not a fallen man, with a corrupt and fallen human nature, and therefore does not and cannot lie.

The inspired author is simply drawing an analogy to emphasize the reliability of God's Word, pronouncements, commandments, and so forth. God is trust worthy. That is what the inspired author is saying.

The evidence of the Trinity is found in the very first chapters of Sacred Scripture. In the Beginning God (Elohim) created.

The Hebrew word Elohim is plural. Later, in the same chapter, God says, "Let us make man in our image." (Genesis 1:26) Again, plural pronouns are used to describe a singular God.

John Chapter 1 says:

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . to those who believe He gave the power to become sons of God."

John 3:16 says:

For God so loved the World that He gave His Only Begotten Son . . .

1 Timothy 3:16 says:

Without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness, God was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.

1 John 4:1-4 says:

Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world.

Hence, anyone who denies that God was manifested in the flesh, be it Arius, Mohammed, or modern biblical scholars is preaching heresy!

St. Paul makes it abundantly clear in Galatians 1:3-8:

"grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins that he might rescue us from the present evil age in accord with the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by (the) grace (of Christ) for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!"

And again in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

"For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who masquerade as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. So it is not strange that his ministers also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds."

Under His Mercy,

John DiMascio

Abdulraheem,

This is something that, while solidly taught in the Scriptures, is taught in a more subtle fashion that is easy to miss on first glance.

The first place to go is John 1:1-3 where it says,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made."

The Word here is Christ as subsequent verses attest. So Christ is God.

In John 8:58 Jesus told the Pharisees, "before Abraham was born, I AM!"

Here they sought to stone him because he committed blasphemy. What he was using was language from Exodus 3:14 when God reveals his name to Moses:

"This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

So that is why they tried to stone him.

In John 20:28, Thomas said to Jesus when he finally believe in the Resurrection,

"My Lord and my God!"

So Thomas recognized him as God.

Another example is in Ezekiel 34:11-22 where God says he himself will be shepherd of Israel, which calls to mind John 10:14, where Jesus claims to be the good shepherd. Thus, Jesus is claiming to be God, fulfilling the prophecy of Ezekiel.

Then there is Philippians 2:6-7. Translations vary, but here are a few:

Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men: (Philippians 2:6-7 - NKJV)

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: (Philippians 2:6-7 - KJV)

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:6-7 - NIV)

Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6-7 - NASB)

The theme here is that Christ was God by nature, but did not cling to the trappings of Godhood, so to speak, but emptied himself of his privileges in order to be born as man.

Eric