“Are You Then the Son of God?”

“Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house . . .” — Hebrews 3:6 NIV

It was at an industry conference that I met an employee of one of our competitors. His company was founded in the 1800s and then led by four successive generations of the same family. “It eliminates the cut-throat political race to the top,” he quipped, “because everyone knows a picture of the next president stands somewhere among the family photos on the CEO’s credenza.” He proved prophetic: In the 25-plus years since our conversation, a son from the fifth generation has become that company’s leader. It was just a matter of time.

We have been beholding the Son of God through celestial lenses, “the glory [He] had with [the Father] before the world began”¹ — His oneness with the Father even before He “became flesh and dwelt among us.”² Today we glimpse Jesus’ sonship, itself, for David wrote of it in Messianic song long before Jesus’ incarnation: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’”³ David closed his poem with an imperative and a promise: “Kiss the Son⁴ . . . Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”⁵ Isaiah likewise foresaw divine sonship appearing in our midst: “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us . . .  His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.⁶ And introducing Jesus to the world, the Father proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”⁷ It was this Son whom God appointed “the heir of all things.”⁸

So, Jesus once asked His detractors, “Why do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?”⁹ After all, isn’t this what the prophets foretold? If Jesus fulfills what had been spoken of Him, how can this be blasphemy? Scripture affirms Jesus’ eternal sonship. Then consider this: “both the one who makes people holy [Jesus] and those who are made holy [us] are of the same family. So Jesus [the Son] is not ashamed to call [us] brothers and sisters.”¹⁰ Paul affirms, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”¹¹ The eternal Son has made us to be His forever brothers and sisters. It was just a matter of time.

Father, You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. You chose us in Him before creation to be holy and blameless before You. You adopted us into sonship through Him.¹² Receive our thanks; receive our praise. In Christ we pray. Amen.

¹ John 17:5 NIV
² John 1:14 ESV
³ Psalm 2:7-8 ESV
⁴ In this culture, a sign of homage, and in this context, homage to God’s Son.
⁵ Psalm 2:12 ESV
⁶ Isaiah 9:6 NASB
⁷ Matthew 3:17 ESV
⁸ Hebrews 11:2 ESV
⁹ John 10:36 NIV
¹⁰ Hebrews 2:11 NIV
¹¹ Romans 8:16-17 ESV
¹² Ephesians 1:3