The Mystery of God the Son and God The Father

With all the confusion and controversies surrounding the arguments as to whether Jesus Christ is God, there is the need to refer to scriptures for understanding to guard against justifying what may appear true but inaccurate.

Diverse views emerge about the persona of Christ, but a true testimony is devoid of doubt and freely expressed without controversy, easily appreciated with confirmation to biblical objectives.

In all these arguments, “God is not the author of Confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Therefore any doctrine that contravene this principle creates unnecessary debates without glorifying the name of God.

The relevance of God as a supernatural being or deity is not limited to a particular belief or the Christian faith alone but of all other religious society, so this article will be disassociated with any other religion which may have “God” as a principal preference, while seeking to unravel the true identity and personalities of God.

The Cambridge dictionary defines the word “God” as (a spirit or being believed to control some part of the universe or life and often worshipped for doing so, or something that represents this spirit or being)

REVELATIONS FROM BEGINNING OF TIME

John’s testimony about the legacy of Jesus may have confused many in believing that since Jesus existed from the beginning of the universe and all things made through Him, then it presupposes that everything was made by Him (John 1:1-3).

Indeed John’s testimony was confirmed by Jesus own statement when He told the teachers of the law that Abraham rejoiced at the vision of His (Jesus’s) days and concluded emphatically that before Abraham was born, He existed (John 8:58). With authority, Jesus again revealed that David was given a vision of his mission (Matthew 22:44, Psalm 110:1).

If Jesus made these categorical statements of truth to reconcile with the account of Major prophecies as mentioned together with Paul’s own confessions “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” (1 Timothy 3:16), then could all these and more conclude Jesus Christ is truly God himself?

THE REVELATION OF THE HOLY NAME

In an encounter with Moses, God revealed His holy name for the first time ‘’I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” (KJV Exodus 6:3)

This is the first of rare scriptures God spells out His own identity by mention of His Holy name, leaving all other associated known names (Lord, God, God Almighty) as honorary titles and as expected, He reminds us to Keep His name Holy and not to misuse or mention in vain (Exodus 20:7) similar to the respect conferred to names of leaders in high authorities in society.

So if the Almighty God bears unique name, on what basis do some claim Jesus is same as God. Do they mean to say Jesus Christ is Jehovah God Almighty? Clearly, not so.

As complex as it may seem, we see clearly a revelation of Jesus Christ as one who have been in existence from the beginning of time and indeed to the end of time (Revelation 22:13, Matthew 28:19). Jesus Christ is revealed as a working vessel “the word” in accord with his Father (Genesis 1:26, John 5:17; John 1:1-3).

THE MYSTERY OF THE GOD

Mankind was created by God (Genesis 5:2), should the first Adam been conceive by God other than a creation of dust, certainly man would have been a god! And as mankind gave forth Mankind (Genesis 5:3), in same fashion a Son of God becomes a God “But the one and only son, who is himself God…” (NIV John 1:18). The nature of Jesus Christ is of God, same as the nature of the Father.

To crystalize this mystery, we must keep in mind the voice that came to John the Baptist concerning Jesus Christ, “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). And by this voice, John the Baptist testified “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (KJV John 1:33-34). Thus the Son of God manifested on earth “He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world…” (1 Timothy 3:16).

THE UNION OF THE GODS

In an interaction with his disciples, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions…” (John 14:1) making Philip requesting to see the Father, Jesus again responded “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”(John 14:9-10) Again Jesus offended the unbelievers with bitter revelations because they did not understand him. The Jews, persuading Him to confirm his identity as the Messiah, Jesus backlashes them with a staggering revelation, He said “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

UNIFIED IN PURPOSE, DISTINCT IN PERSONALITY

Unfortunately for the arrogant Pharisees who were already displeased by His mission did not reflect to understand that by Jesus saying “I and My Father are one”, He literally uncovered the same concept established in the first union of Marriage “That the two shall become one” (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5). Literally, oneness and unity in work and decision making, just as expected in a perfect marriage.

For Philip to have requested to see God, Jesus agreed there exists a God in heaven of whom he bears unity and for the period they have been together, the manifestations and actions of him (Jesus) is of divine authority and inspired by God, of equal result as being with the Holy Father who sent him. And that is the manifestation as believers, we hold as God revealed the fullness of his glory in his son as Man on earth (1 timothy 3:16).

Peter re-affirmed the persona of Jesus as the only begotten Son of the Lord almighty saying “For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17).

So in a gathering of the Pharisees, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”(Matthew 22:42), this was after He has sought from his disciples what they thought of him after living with Him, which Peter confessed “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

THE GLORY AND MISSION OF GOD

In all of Jesus life ministry, He manifested the love and will of God on earth, he prayed earnestly to his Father whiles angels ministered to his glory. Since he himself bore same nature as God and indeed is God, he refers to the Father God as Father in his statements and prayer of submissions. And at a point of crucifixion, he prayed “My Father, if it possible, may this cup be taken from me” (Matthew 26:38).

The gospel of Christ teaches all believers that, we are truly heirs of the Almighty God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus.

“The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16-17).

Certainly God bearing a son will operate His glory in his Son in all his works and accomplishments rather than the notion of God acting as Father and acting again as a Son not supported by scripture. The God Father and God Son are unified in purpose but distinct by personality, “Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God the father.” (Mark 16:19)

The Son of God made a prophecy about himself in reflection to the mission of the Father “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.

But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”(Luke 20:9-15)

Before he could accomplish his mission on Earth, He prayed that all believers share in the Godly union “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21-23).

The Son of God resurrected from the dead, and He commissioned all believers to make disciples of all nations and all authority in heavens and on Earth have been given to him, and he shall be with us till the end of time (Matthew 28:19) and we are assured of his second coming “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

And this is a caution of truth, “For He has set a day when He is going to judge the world with justice through the man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).