100 BIBLE LESSONS - ALBAN DOUGLAS - LESSON # 10 - THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SON TO THE FATHER

                             100 BIBLE LESSONS - ALBAN DOUGLAS
               LESSON # 10 - THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SON TO THE FATHER


                                 INTRODUCTION
 
     This is a controversial point with many cults who deny the deity of Christ. They say that Jesus, like us, is a son of God, but not God. They maintain that He is a son who is subservient to the Father and quote Scriptures to prove it. How do we evangelicals answer their seemingly unanswerable arguments? I believe that in brief, the answer is this: As God, Jesus, in His pre-incarnate state, was, is and always will be equal with God the Father. However, in His incarnate state, He is definitely subservient to the Father. A study of the pre-incarnate Christ will help us to appreciate what the Son emptied Himself of in order to become our Savior, Philippians 2:5-8.


                                 I - JESUS CHRIST AS GOD IS EQUAL TO THE FATHER 1 John 2:23

     John 5:18 "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him because He not only broken the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." The Jews recognized but one God, "The Lord our God is one Lord," and considered Christ's as blasphemous and worthy of death by stoning, Leviticus 24:12. John 10:30 "I and My Father are one," is certainly a proof of His equality with God.
John 14:9 "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou (Philip) then, Shew us the Father?" They are one and indivisible.
Colossians 1:15 "Who (Christ) is the image of the invisible God...." Jesus Christ is the visible reflection of the invisible God---invisible because He is a Spirit.
John 10:33 "For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because Thou being a man, makest Thyself God." Jesus was trying to prove to them that He was God but they stubbornly refused to believe.
Philippians 2:5,6 "....Christ Jesus who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Jesus was honestly equal with the Father God.
The writer of Hebrews also adds his testimony. Hebrews 1:8, But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." God the Father calls His Son, "God." To say the least, Christ is perfect and complete in deity---lacking not one thing.   


                               II - JESUS CHRIST AS MAN IS SUBORDINATED TO THE FATHER

     When Jesus Christ became man He voluntarily took the lower place- a place of humility and subordination to the Father God.
John 14:28 "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come unto you. If you love Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I." Jesus the human, is speaking of the eternal God.
When Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit, then Christ entered into a new relationship with God.
Hebrews 1:5 "For unto which of the angels said He (the Father) at any time, "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?" This occurred in Luke 1:35.
The begetting refers to that which transpired in Luke 1:35, when the Holy Spirit came upon the Virgin Mary and the human Jesus was conceived, Luke 1:35.

A) WAYS IN WHICH THE SON WAS SUBORDINATED TO THE FATHER

1. Jesus' earthly life was lived because of the Father: John 6:57 "As the living Father hath sent Me, I live by the Father." The Father sustained the Son.
2. Jesus could not do anything independently of the Father: John 5:19 "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."
3. Jesus Christ was sent to earth by the Father. John 6:29 "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." Also John 8:29, 42.
4. The Father gave the Son authority and directions: John 10:18 "I lay it (My life) down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." Also John 13:3.
5. Jesus Christ received His messages from the Father: John 8:26 "I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him."
6. The Father gave to the Savior certain works to accomplish: John 5:36 "The works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me." Also John 17:4
7. The Father assigned a kingdom to the Son: Luke 22:29 "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me."
8. During this present Church age, Jesus is subjected to the headship of the Father: 1 Corinthians 11:3 "The head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."
9. Christ has become the way by which men are able to approach God: Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."
10. Jesus has become the way to God, the way of salvation. He is the only way: John 14:6.
11. Jesus referred to the Father as "My God." John 20:17 "Jesus saith unto her...I ascend unto...My God." Also in Matthew 27:46, the forth saying from the cross.

B) THE EXTENT OF THIS SUBORDINATION--HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
     Luke 22:29 says that the Father gave the Son a kingdom. The Son will return this to the Father. 1 Corinthians 15:24 "then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father."
The period of subordination to extend beyond this--beyond the consumation of this age, even beyond the Great White Throne judgment.
1 Corinthians 15:27,28 "For He hath put all things under His feet...then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."


                         CONCLUSION

     If we understand the Scripture aright, there is no conflict here. The pre-incarnate Christ is and always has been equal to the Father God Almighty.
The human incarnate Christ laid aside this position and in His self humiliation, chose a place of subordination to the Father as a child to his parent.
The more we study the seven fold humbling of Christ (Philippians 2:5-8), the more we see manifested His tremendous love for us while we were still ugly sinners. Let us hasten this wonderful message to all nations.




            SOURCED FROM 100 BIBLE LESSONS by ALBAN DOUGLAS