Only Begotten Son of God

Why is the expression only begotten used? Why did the Gideons International so object to the NIV translation of John 3:16 as to publish their own amended edition? Is this a real issue? Well, it is certainly important that we distinguish between the only begotten Son and the many adopted sons of God.  We must make a difference between the sense in which Christ is the Son of God and the sense in which we are sons of God.

It is uniquely special to be the only begotten Son, and hugely privileged to be the adopted sons of God.

Let us consider sonship under two heads.

I THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON

I do not know all that this means.  I cannot take it in.  I know what it does not mean.  For example, we should not think of Christ as coming into being either at the incarnation or creation.  In deed, creation was made through Him.  He is the eternal Son.  What Christ's Sonship does mean is that He has a right to all that is the Father's.  He is the rightful heir.

II THE MANY ADOPTED SONS

This is about belonging to a Father and a Family.  Our sonship seems to be under-emphasised in reformed theology.  Systematic theologies usually make adoption a footnote to or subsection of justification.  The forensic (legal) idea of justification or right standing with God has been emphasised quite rightly.  Unfortunately the familial (of the family) doctrine of adoption has been neglected or diminished.  The charismatic movement has brought the doctrine back to our attention.  We note with great approval that, unlike most reformed authors, J I Packer has a separate chapter devoted to adoption.  He begins this chapter with these words: "What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father."

In our fragmented and lonely western society men so much need to feel that they belong.  Of course, we do not affirm adoption because it meets this "felt need", but because it is Biblical truth.  See our sonship in John's Gospel, Romans, Hebrews, the Sermon on the Mount, and so on. 

What blessing attaches to being a son of God:

(i) We are in close relation to God.  We were naturally, in a sense, children of the devil - the father of lies, which we tell so readily.  By God's great grace He rescued and adopted us.  (Romans 8:15)

(ii) We are in relation to a worldwide family of the church.  They say that blood is thicker than water, but we are related to one another by the blood of Christ.  What precious family relationship.

(iii) Forgiveness is out of the merciful heart of our Father.  Of course, it is on the basis of the finished work of Christ.  Yet it comes from the heart of a God who could hardly cast off forever His adopted children.  It is as we pray "Our Father" that we ask Him to "forgive us our trespasses."

(iv) He leads us in godly living.  The righteous influence of the Spirit is deliberately associated with sonship in Romans 8:14.

(v) Our Father disciplines us because we are His much loved sons (Hebrews 12:5-6).  Even the rebuke or harsh providences that we do not enjoy are for our blessing.

(vi) We are heirs.  We share with Christ in an amazing inheritance (Romans 8:17).