If a Son is Not Declared to Be the Son

2008-07-26 22:54

If a son is not declared to be the son, he cannot receive the inheritance of his father. In order to receive the inheritance of his father, he should be the son who can perform his duty of serving his father endlessly. In other words, he must lay down his life before his father.

Such a son is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Bible says, "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." (Romans 1:3-4).

Any son who has no resurrection from the dead is for himself, not for his father. Every son who has been born is not the true son. A son must pass through the process of becoming the son. If he does not, he cannot perform the duty of the son. The way to perform the duty of the son is the message of the cross.

And so, the Bible not only says that God has begotten His Son, but also says that he will be a Son to Him. It is written, "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).

In the above passage, the words, "And again" testifies that any son who has not become the son cannot be declared to be the son.

Therefore, children of God cannot be heirs of God without sufferings. They must be declared to be the sons of God through the suffering of death and the resurrection from the dead. In other words, the children without being united with Jesus Christ by faith cannot be declared to be the sons who will inherit the kingdom of God.

And so, the Bible says, "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).

The children of God, who have eyes that see Jesus crowned with glory and honor for the suffering of death, come to know well through the Spirit of truth what it means.

The Bible says about it, "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. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:9-10).

Therefore, if we died with Christ, we will also live with him. Here is the mystery of faith. It is written, "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him." (Romans 6:8-9).

The Bible says, "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. 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 5:7-10).

The full assurance of faith is in believing in Jesus who learned obedience from the suffering of death and became made perfect. Because he learned obedience and became made perfect, he can also make perfect all who obey him. It is written, "he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."

Therefore, the Bible says, "For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever." (Hebrews 7:28). "The Son who has been made perfect forever." Amen. Thank you, Lord.