… God sent his Son,
Summary: In today’s passage, we have four words that capture the essence of a mystery surrounding our God.
Have you ever wondered who God was talking to when he created the world? For example, in Genesis 1:3, God says, “Let there be light.” Was he talking to himself or someone else?
Later, in Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness …” Once again, we ask, “Who is he talking to?”
The first chapter of John’s gospel account reads:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1-4)
As we read in John 1:14, the “Word” is actually the Son of God.
According to Genesis and John, Jesus was with God when God created all things. This helps us understand why God would say, “Let us make mankind …”
Why, then, would Jesus say, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30)? Given that it is Jesus who is speaking, one has to conclude that his words are true.
How can this be?
In the Book of Ezekiel, the prophet records a vision that might help us understand. In his vision, he sees “four living creatures” (Ezekiel 1:5). Each of the creatures has four faces: a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle.
To the human mind, this makes no sense. How could one mind operate four faces? How could four sets of eyes integrate within one mind?
Do you see what is happening here? My human mind is trying to force the vision to fit my human experience. But what if the vision shows something beyond human experience? What if there is no physical reference point for a spiritual being?
When Job is confronted by the Living God, his response is telling. He says:
“Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:3)
When Scripture tells us that “God sent his Son,” we are learning “things too wonderful for [us] to know.” I have met people who claim to understand how this works, but I have never met anyone who convinced me they knew what they were talking about.
All I know for certain is what Scripture tells me: “God sent his Son…”
Application: Accept that there are things we cannot know or understand.
Food for Thought: Why would God reveal himself as “Father and Son”?
You know this is something I often ponder. Not is a sense of doubt about who God is and who Christ is, but in a sense of how it all come together. My human mind wants to know the LOGISTICS! But The Father and Son are well beyond my capability of experience and understanding. So I can offer no real answers, only more questions.
Here is one that keeps me up at night (lol).
[Talking about the Son, Christ]
Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Firstborn of all creation
–The very first free will God created? Sounds like it to me. One that is God, share’s God will, but also has a will independent of God, but uses His will to follow God’s will.
By Him all things were created
Through Him all things were created
For Him all things were created
He is before all things
In Him all things hold together
–The Creator, the instrument of Creation, and the keeper of Creation.
Here is where my mind races. God is eternal, has always existed and will always exist. But somewhere in eternity He created another, His first gift of life. How that looks, I can’t even speculate. But that life He created, is also Himself. From that life, an abundance of life, of Creation, came forth. Father and Son loved that life so much, that the Father sent His Son, and His Son was willing to die for it. I just can’t articulate how mind-blowing it all is.
Chris,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I agree, it is “mind blowing!” 🙂
Why would God reveal himself as “Father and Son”?
Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, ” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways. And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Scripture identifies God as being three in one. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. He is three united as one.
As we study 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, we see, God’s Wisdom is revealed to mankind by His Spirit according to His knowledge of what we need to know to be effective in the ministry He has in mind for each of us. This question is not one of the why’s I have, and I look forward to reading the responses of others.
Ron,
I think you have touched on a couple of key points.
First, is the supremacy of God’s thoughts and ways.
Second, is the sufficiency of what God tells us about himself.
Well said! Thank you!
Good response Jeff. Thank You!
Ron
I agree with the other comments and like the Scriptures already shared. The Scriptures are sufficient to know what God wants us to know about Himself. Others have already shared Scriptures about Yahweh being Triune. In fact, we know the personal name Yahweh because He reveals it to us in His word (Exodus 3: 13 – 15). And Jesus reveals that this singular name refers to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (eg Mathew 28: 19). He also reveals that the Father and Son are one (John 10: 30).
Thank you, Rich!
I love your command of Scripture!
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,…“. (Matthew 28: 19)
Yes, Jesus does put it all together for us rather neatly. 🙂
👏