Is there really a difference?
2007-08-16 00:22:39 · 25 answers · asked by Lyonn 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because Jesus was the "only" one to ever be procreate spiritually and a reproduction of God Himself who came in the flesh through Jesus Christ.
I can't see any other way to answer your question. Hope this sheds some light as an answer.
2007-08-23 14:57:36 · answer #1 · answered by airlines charge for the seat. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible calls Jesus the "only-begotten Son" of God. (John 1:14; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9) Trinitarians say that since God is eternal, so the Son of God is eternal. But how can a person be a son and at the same time be as old as his father?
Jesus, the only-begotten Son, had a beginning to his life. And Almighty God can rightly be called his Begetter, or Father, in the same sense that an earthly father, like Abraham, begets a son. (Hebrews 11:17) Hence, when the Bible speaks of God as the "Father" of Jesus, it means what it says—that they are two separate individuals. God is the senior. Jesus is the junior—in time, position, power, and knowledge.
When one considers that Jesus was not the only spirit son of God created in heaven, it becomes evident why the term "only-begotten Son" was used in his case. Countless other created spirit beings, angels, are also called "sons of God," in the same sense that Adam was, because their life-force originated with Jehovah God, the Fountain, or Source, of life. (Job 38:7; Psalm 36:9; Luke 3:38) But these were all created through the "only-begotten Son," who was the only one directly begotten by God. Colossians 1:15-17.
2007-08-16 09:23:32 · answer #2 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The word begotten refers to the fact that He had a human mother.If the words the only son of God were used, it would refer more to a spiritual being.
2007-08-24 07:29:51 · answer #3 · answered by walt631 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course there's a difference.
Jesus, the second member of the Holy Trinity, is eternally begotten of the Father, and of the same godly essence. Hence Jesus IS God.
We're not talking about the incarnation here, either. That is a whole different story.
All the rest of creation, including the angels and man can also be called "sons" of God, but they are only creatures, and not eternal, nor of God's own uncreated "essence".
Big difference!
2007-08-16 07:48:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
This mystical suggestion is further supported with Jesus being called the only begotten Son of God. In Psalm 2:7, the Lord said to David: "...Thou art my son: this day have I begotten thee."
Does this mean that God had two sons? Jesus also said that God is not only his Father but also your Father (Matthew 5:45, 48). Luke 3:38 says: "...Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the Son of God."
Who is mentioned in Hebrews 7:3 as like unto the Son of God? It is Melchisedec, King of Salem, as mentioned in Hebrews 7:1. He (Melchisedec) is more unique than Jesus or Adam. Why is he not preferred to be the Son of God? Moreover, Adam did not have a mother or father, but was the first human being created by God and in the likeness of God to exist in the Garden of Eden and on earth. Wouldn’t this give more rights to Adam to be called the Son of God in its truest meaning?
2007-08-16 07:30:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because "The only begotten son of God" is a mistranslation. The actual translation reads "The UNIQUE son of God."
2007-08-16 07:40:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That word "begotten" means "born of", in the physical sense; that is to say, an embryo that emerged from a womb.
Though it enrages my fundie friends and family, I feel compelled occasionally to point out the two references, in Genesis and Job, to the "Elohiym", or "SONS of God"... this implies, at least to my poor demented brain, that God has sons, plural.
While casting dispersions on my moral fibre and possibly invalid salvation, said fundies nonetheless refer to Yehushua - "Jesus" - as the Bible does; " the Only Begotten Son of God", which would indicate that He alone of all and any of God's sons was born in the usual physical manner, of a fleshly womb.
2007-08-16 07:44:20 · answer #7 · answered by danrevell 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because He was born into flesh. Conceived by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary according to the Synoptics (Gospels) except of John's account.
So the word "begotten" denotes and stresses the importance of everyone to know that Jesus became flesh and although a human He was still God, the Son of God.
2007-08-16 07:31:58 · answer #8 · answered by Marcus Maximus 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Yes, there is. Jesus was God's first creation, after him all other things were created. God has many sons - the angels are all his sons. Therefore we distinguish Jesus as being the only begotten son of God.
2007-08-16 07:32:12 · answer #9 · answered by RF57 1 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Only Begotten Son of God means that he is the only son he physically concieved with a woman while the rest of us were only created spiritually.
2007-08-16 07:29:54 · answer #10 · answered by Cat's Eye Angie 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋