Skeptics & Atheists are repulsed by this subject. During the late 1980s, I wrote weekly articles for the Religion Section in our local newspaper.Though writing on a wide range of Bible topics, no objections were voiced till this article appeared. This subject continues to have it's detractors... as in the 3rd & 4th century. Objection comes from both the secular and the religious arenas. The Sonship of Christ is not a moot issue. (1). Matthew 16:15-18 (2). Acts 8:37 (3). Acts 9:20 (4). Ro.1:4 (5). John 14:19 (6). Luke 21:24 & ch.

There are numerous things that give the Christian Religion preeminence over and distinction from other religions. While other religions have their teacher or prophet, the Christian religion has God! The single and most notable distinction of the Christian religion is the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. It was this foundation that Jesus told his disciples he would build his Church upon. 1 When Philip the evangelist was sent south to preach to the eunuch, it was upon the eunuch’s confession, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”, that Philip baptized him. 2 After Saul was apprehended by the Lord on the road to Damascus, he entered into the synagogues and began preaching Christ, “that he is the Son of God”. 3 The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is God’s declaration that he is the Son of God! 4 And his promise to us is, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” 5 The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy and condemned him to be worthy of death because he said that he was the Son of God. Because they rejected the promised Christ in the day of visitation by him, they were cut off as a nation and trampled underfoot by the Gentiles as predicted by Jesus. 6

Sonship of Christ is Two-fold (7). Incarnate means to be endowed with a human body; to provide with flesh or a body. (Webster’s) (8). Isaiah 55:3 & Acts 13:34 (9). John 8:56-58 (10). John 17:5 (11). Hebrews 1:2 & ch. (12). Revelations 22:16 (13). Matthew 22:42-46

The sonship of Christ is two-fold. By virtue of his human nature he is the son of man. Also, by human decent he is the son of David. As such...he is the “off-spring of David” and the legal heir to the Throne of David. It was to David’s offspring...the incarnate 7 Christ, that the sure mercies of David were promised. 8 He now reigns on the Throne over his Kingdom, even in the midst of his enemies. By virtue of his Divine nature he is verily the Son of God. He told that generation of Jews, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” At this point they did not understand and answered, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?” Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” 9 In this encounter with the Jews, Jesus declared his Divinity...his Eternal Sonship. They clearly understood this and would have stoned him right there had they been able.

Because of his Divine nature, he could pray, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” 10 It was the Son of God that created all things. 11 As the Son of God, Jesus is the Root of David. Thus he is both the “Root and the Offspring” of David. 12 As the “Root of David”, Christ is David’s Lord...the Son of God. 13

To deny that Jesus is the Son of God is equivalent to saying that he is not the Christ. The Jews did not deny that he was the son of man, or for that matter, the son of David...they denied that he was the Son of God, the Christ!

John Gill, the learned and prolific Baptist writer of the 18th century, states in his Body of Doctrinal and Practical Divinity, “The Sonship of Christ is an article of the greatest importance in the Christian religion. It is the distinguishing criterion of the Christian religion, and what gives it the preference to all others, and upon which all the important doctrines of it depend.”

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