The Divine Son: Understanding Jesus and the Trinity

God became man in Christ Jesus, the word became flesh and lived among us. One writer says if Jesus were only a man, he would be at an infinite distance from God, and if Jesus was only God, he would be at an infinite distance from us. So here is the marvelous truth at the center of the gospel that God who is at an infinite distance from us has become man in Jesus Christ. [00:01:15]

When did God become Father? The answer is that God has always been Father. He is the everlasting Father. When did Christ become the Son? The answer is He has always been the Son. He is the eternal Son. That is why in John in chapter 17 Jesus speaks to the Father about the glory He says that I shared with you, He says to the Father, before the world began. [00:03:52]

The Son reflects who the Father is. Whoever has seen me, Jesus says, has seen the Father. Now normally we use the word son to describe a dependent relative, but in the Bible, the word son is also used to describe a reflected nature. Let me give you an example. In the book of Acts, we are introduced to a man by the name of Joseph. [00:08:24]

The Son can do nothing of his own accord but only what he sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. Now in the ancient world, at least the vast majority of people did not have to worry about choosing a career. It was all very simple. If you were a boy, you did what your father did. [00:11:26]

Only God gives life, only God can raise the dead, and God alone is the judge of all the world. These are God's things, and Jesus says right here that he does them. Look at verse 20: whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise, for the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. [00:14:12]

The Son gives life as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to those whom he will. Giving life is what the Father does; this belongs to God alone, and Jesus says that's what I do. Then the Son raises the dead. Verse 25: truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is here. [00:15:11]

The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son. So bringing the world to justice is something that only God can do; that is a God thing, and Jesus says, I am the one who will do that. So think about this: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, holds the keys to the womb, to tomb, and to doom. [00:15:54]

As the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. Now, your life is a gift from God that came through the union of your father and your mother. Without them, you would not exist, so honor your father and your mother. Only God has life in himself. [00:17:27]

The Son reflects who the Father is; he is God with us, God in the flesh. The Son does what the Father does; he gives life, he raises the dead, he is the one who will bring the world to justice, he pronounces judgment over every person who has ever lived, and the Son has what the Father has, that is, life in himself. [00:20:32]

God shows his love for us in this: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Now the Bible makes it very clear that the Father laid the guilt and the punishment for our sins on his Son, and that this was a demonstration of God's love. But think about this for a moment: if the Son were not God, the cross would be an act of utter cruelty. [00:24:41]

The Father gave his Son for you, the Son gave himself for you, the Spirit gives himself into the life of all who will believe and receive, and the more you come and see the amazing love that God has for you, the more you really will love him, and that love will lead you to worship, to worship him. [00:36:56]

Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. Whoever believes, if you will hear this word of Jesus today, believe the Father who sent him, trust the Son who came into the world in order that you may know the Father. [00:34:26]