John 3:16, An Amendment to the Word Begotten
In the song, John 3:16, the phrase first begotten son is used and before anyone finds fault with the phrase, an understanding must be cleared up. In eternity, Jesus had no need to be a begotten son of God. He was a part of the Godhead already in His divinity. It is true that Jesus was the only begotten of the Father as John 3:16 says but God’s creation process doesn’t end there. Its important to see that Jesus as the only begotten son did not have human nature. When He became incarnate He put on human nature.
1st John 4:3, ” And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist wherefore ye have heard that it should come and even now already is in the world.”
What does God say about the flesh?
Genesis 6 breaking into verse 3 we read, “My Spirit shall not strive with man for that he is also flesh”.
Mary,the Mother of Jesus
Mary, who was the Mother of Jesus, was still in the “Old man” at the time of her conception. Although she was a virgin, physical as well as spiritually, and had not known any man. She had, as have all mankind, the serpentine nature within her flesh as 1st John 4:3 says. Jesus was conceived into a flesh womb.
The Lord Jesus was of body soul and spirit as we all are, see 1st Thessalonians 5:23; these are to be preserved blameless. Jesus, because He was confined to a body of flesh in His Mother’s womb, was not of a pure three part trinity as the Godhead describes baptism in Matthew 28:19, after His death,resurrection and ascention. He was limited and confined to the flesh and had to struggle because of it.
1st Peter 3:18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh.”
Christ, because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit didn’t have an easy time. Because He was confined to a flesh body. He was attacked and abused His entire life, that is, until it was time for Him to go to the cross. Although He was God among us, His flesh, although never sinning had to be dealt with.This is how He defeated Satan, when He went to the cross, He brought Satan, who was within the flesh, along with him, Hebrews 2:14.
God Enters Into a Flesh Woman
In His incarnation, as the promised seed, He was confined to the flesh for nine months while in the womb. Then he was confined another 33 and 1 half years within His own flesh. So He could not have been a begotten Son of God during these years. He was not yet complete as far as the full representative of the Godhead is concerned. It was at the time of His death and resurrection and the putting off His body of flesh, when He became truly a begotten son. It was at this time that He brought Divinity into humanity and the completed process brought humanity into divinity.
1st Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Which according to His abuntant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
We who have been begotten of the Father are putting on His nature and holiness, therefore Hebrews 2:11 says that He is not ashamed to call us His brethren. Because He defeated the flesh, Jesus has become our sanctifier.as Hebrews 2:11 says. As the begotten Son this santificing of those in the flesh could never have happened. As the First born Son He became the one who santifieth those He calls.
Psalms 2:6, “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion: 7, I will declare the decree:” The Lord hath said unto Me, “Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten thee.”
“Thou art My Son; this day I have begotten thee,” is quoted in Acts 13:33.
Which day is this? It is the day of resurrection, and eighth day, The same day that circumscision was commanded for a newborn son. It is also the day after God’s seventh day sabbath rest, an eighth day, when God created and formed a new man, the Adam of Genesis two. This is the man who fell from God’s grace because of his taking of the forbidden tree in the Garden.
The Old Man and the New Man
Ephesians 4,22, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (creation), the old man, which is corrupt according to the deicetful lusts. 23, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24, and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
The Old man Adam, including those created of the similitude of Adam, had a death sentence placed upon them because of God’s judgment. Adam as well as mankind are all included in that death sentence. Should it not be so that all those who are in Christ, as a new man, are born into His new life, His eternal life. Both the old man as well as the new man would not exist if it were not a complete man. Christ without a body would not be fully a man. Christ in the Godhead was complete, but entering into the realm of flesh He had to bring many sons to glory as He became glorious,
Hebrews 2:10, “For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Just as Christ had to suffer because of flesh, these honorable sons and daughters were required do the same thing.
Adam was not a true son of God
Although God is Adam’s Creator outwardly, he was not a true son of God. He was a living soul who was not filled with the Tree of Life inwardly. A tree is known by its fruit. Eve gave to Adam of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and he ate,Genesis 3:6.
1st Corinthians 15: 45, And so it is written, “the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”
Since Jesus is called the last Adam, He is included in the Adamic race, confined to the womb of His mother who was of the cursed race, that is , under a death penality.
We read that when Jesus was baptized by John, Matthew 3:14-16, a voice from heaven , saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
We understand that baptism is a picture of death and resurrection. Jesus had a ministry to accomplish before going to the cross. He had many trials and abuses to go through before He was brought to the cross. It was after His death and resurrection that He became an only begotten Son of God. He had to put off His flesh before He was able to accomplish God’s process and purpose.
1st Corinthians 4:15, “For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”
Notice that Paul says Christ Jesus. Jesus was made the Christ through death and resurrection. Jesus became a son through the birthing of a flesh body containing the full measure of spirit, Luke 4:1.He emptied Himself of His position in the Godhead when He inhabited the flesh. It was after His death and resurrection when He was truly the begotten son and the firstborn of many brethern, Romans 8:29.