The word “Christian” means to be a follower of Christ. We believe Christ is the Son of God. Without the Son of God, there is no Christianity. In Christianity, we believe the Son of God was begotten before eternity. The Son of God is fully God and fully man. Christ mediates between us and God. That means Christ is the only way we can come to God. We believe the Son of God is God. This is the only viable conclusion that can be deduced from the bible.
The Son of God is the Word of God.
Christians call the Son of God the “Word of God” because the Apostle John taught this in his gospel. In the first chapter of the gospel of John, John wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4 NAS)
John teaches that the Word of God was with God and equal to God at the same time. He identified the Word of God as Jesus, the only begotten Son of God.
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NAS)
“I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again, and going to the Father.” (John 16:28 NAS)
God communicates the thoughts of His mind through His Word. The Word of God comes from God and is the exact truth that originates from God alone. Christ is the wisdom of God.
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” (1Co 1:30 NAS)
“but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1Co 1:23-24 NAS)
God is not thoughtless or speechless. To believe in a dumb God would be absurd. God thinks, reasons, and communicates. God is eternal, infinite and has no beginning or end. God is not created; but, He always exists. There is no time when God did not think or communicate by His Word. This is why the Word of God is God.
“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? “They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know?” (Job 11:7-8 NAS)
“Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.” (Psa 90:2 NAS)
The Son is begotten from all eternity.
The Son of God, who is the Word of God, was begotten from the Father before eternity. There is no time when God did not speak or think His truth.
“Great is our Lord, and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.” (Psa 147:5 NAS)
Jesus Christ is the image of God. God communicates to His creation by His Son, who is the Word of God.
“And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” (Col 1:15 NAS)
“who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,” (2Ti 1:9 NAS)
Without Christ, nothing would be able to be in the presence of God. We say “begotten” from the Father which means “coming forth from,” “originating,” or “generating” from the Father. The Westminster Larger Catechism says,
Question. 10. What are the personal properties of the three persons in the Godhead?
Answer. It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, and to the Son to be begotten of the Father, and to the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son from all eternity. (WLC Q. 10)
This simply means that God has an order to His nature. Not that God is three gods within Himself; but, that he is self-generating, self-sustaining and in perfect communion with Himself. God is not dependent on anyone or anything. This is the concept of the trinity. God has a Mind, Word, and Spirit. We see God as three in His thought, word, and will. The Word of God is “begotten” or “generated” from the mind of God.
“Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding?” (Isa 40:13-14 NAS)
For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1Co 2:16 NAS)
The Son is the Mediator between God and the Savior humanity.
In order for humanity to be able to know God, they will need to be able to communicate and have a relationship with God. Because humanity is finite and destructible, there needs to be someone who is capable of standing before God to communicate to God. Christ is the one who mediates between God and humanity on our behalf. This is the only way we can have a chance to know God.
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1Ti 2:5 NAS)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” (John 14:6 NAS)
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” (Act 4:12 NAS)
We have no possible way to communicate directly with God or stand before Him. We would be obliterated by His righteousness. There is no possible way humanity can come to know God outside of the Son of God or God’s Word. God’s Word brings us to Him. That is why the Bible says,
“Not that any man has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.” (John 6:46 NAS)
The Westminster Larger Catechism says,
Question. 36. Who is the Mediator of the covenant of grace?
Answer. The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father, in the fullness of time became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two entire distinct natures, and one person, forever. (WLC Q. 36)
In order for humanity to be able to know God, the Son of God must be able to mediate between God and humanity.
Christ must be God to effectually be the mediator.
Christianity teaches that the mediator must be God in order to satisfy the requirement of bringing salvation to God’s people. In order for human kind to be able to stand before God, they must be indestructible. Because humans are destructible, humans cannot stand before God. Only an indestructible being can go before God on our behalf. The Bible says,
“And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” (Act 2:24 NAS)
“Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19 NAS)
“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.” (John 10:17 NAS)
“For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.” (Heb 7:14-16 NAS)
The Apostles taught that Christ could not be destroyed, which, is only true for God. Because Christ is fully God and fully man, He is able to perform the duty of mediator for human kind. The Westminster Larger Catechism states,
Question. 38. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?
Answer. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession; and to satisfy God’s justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation. (WLC Q. 38)
If Christ is not God, He would not be able to stand before God on our behalf.
Christ must be a man to effectually be the mediator.
Not only does the mediator have to be God, He must also be fully man. This is to satisfy the requirement of dying for our sins, remaining in death for three days and raising from the dead. Only a human can act as a substitute for another’s sins.
“Since then, the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” (Heb 2:14-18 NAS)
Christ made what is called a “substitutionary atonement” for our sins. Meaning, He bore the penalty in our place for the sins we committed. This requires Him to be human as an adequate substitution. The Westminster Larger Catechism says,
Question. 39. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?
Answer. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature, perform obedience to the law, suffer and make intercession for us in our nature, have a fellow feeling of our infirmities; that we might receive the adoption of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace. (WLC Q. 39)
Jesus is the eternal, begotten Son of God, fully divine and fully human. As the Word of God, Christ has always existed with the Father and reveals God’s truth to creation. He alone mediates between humanity and God, making relationship with the Father possible. Only Christ, possessing both an indestructible divine nature and a shared human nature, is qualified to atone for sin, conquer death, and bring salvation. Without Him, no one can approach God. Christianity rests entirely on this truth: that Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, is our Lord, our Savior, and our only way to the Father.