Declared to Be the Son of God

2007-02-24 23:14

It is written, "regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romasn 1:3-4).

The Lord Jesus Christ: "The Lord" means God's only begotten Son, and "Jesus" means a descendant of David, and "Christ" means the Son of God.

Although he is God's only begotten Son, if he stays only in God's arms, he cannot perform a son's duties. To be made perfect and to be declared to be the Son of God, God's only begotten Son had to go through the process of fulfilling the will of the Father.

So the Bible said, "having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You'? And again: 'I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son'?" (Hebrews 1:4-5).

If God has begotten a son, he is His son. But then, why did God say again, "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"? The Bible says that all begotten sons are not to become heirs, "Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" (Romans 9:13).

A son cannot become an heir as soon as he has been begotten. The Father waits until the son trains himself and is made perfect and can perform a son's duties. Likewise, Jesus Christ our Lord did not become from the beginning the heir who can sit down at the right hand of the throne of God.

As a man, the descedant of David, the Son of David, he had been tempted in every way as men are, and suffered death. After that, God made Jesus become an heir of God, raising him and putting everything under his feet.

It is written, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (Hebrews 2:9). And also, "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:7).

The Bible also clearly says about it, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:8-10).

This only begotten Son became a man according to the will of the Father, and became obedient to death on a cross. God raised him again on the third day and made him be the firstborn. It is written, "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29).

Therefore, all heirs to the kingdom of God must be conformed to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. And so, they will inherit with him the kingdom of the Father. It is written, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17).

Heirs to the kingdom of God do not stop at the faith of receiving the forgiveness of sins and being born again. In order to share in the division of heirs, they should be not of the world by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and by participating in the sufferings of Jesus, they should crucify the flesh with its passions and desires, just as the Lord Jesus Christ overcame the world by becoming obedient to death.

It is written, "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24). And also the Lord Jesus Christ said, "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." (John 17:16). The sons who belong to the world cannot inherit the kingdom of the Father because they cannot perform a son's duties.

Therefore, it is written about those who just believe the death of Jesus alone and have not been crucified, "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). They cannot inherit with Christ the kingdom of God because they have false faith which cannot be combined with Christ.

However, he who lives by the righteousness of faith will be the son of God and inherit with the Lord the kingdom of God, as it is written, "He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." (Revelation 21:7). Amen. Thank you, Lord.