In this issue:
Blessings “Down Under”
David Clayton
Our trip to Australia began in Montego Bay, Jamaica and ended in Brisbane. We travelled via Montego Bay – Miami – Los Angeles – Brisbane. By the time we arrived in Brisbane, having lost one entire day along the way, we had been on the “road” for more than 24 hours.
Blair Andrew was waiting for us at the airport in Brisbane and he took us to his home in Tamborine Mountain. On the way he filled us in on all the things which had been happening in Australia since we were last there two years ago. We only spent a short time at Blair’s home because we would be staying with a couple named Wayne and Emma Caukill while we were in this part of Australia. In a short while Emma arrived to pick us up.
Emma and Wayne Caukill are farmers. She told us that the were focusing on growing and selling rhubarb and chokos. I had an idea of what rhubarb was, but had never heard of chokos. As we came into the yard we could see something which looked like vineyards with rows upon rows of these chokos growing on the trellises provided for them. Suddenly Howard exclaimed, “look, it’s cho chos!” They were cho chos indeed. At least that is what we call them in Jamaica. These are some fruits which are cooked like vegetables and which grow on vines. They grow all over backyards in Jamaica and the vines are left to run wild over whatever trees or bushes may be available. We were surprised to see these chochos being grown commercially here, under the name of Chokos.
We spent a few days with Wayne and Emma and we became good friends. They are easy people to love and we appreciated their warm, open spirit. They are members of the mainstream Seventh day Adventist church and differ from us in some beliefs, but it was a real blessing to see how they took us to their home and their hearts in a genuine way and treated us like family. We thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent with them and learned something about brotherly love and tolerance from them.
In the few days before the campmeeting, Howard found out that one of Blair’s vehicles could not be started. Blair had already called in experts to come and look at it, but without success and he had already spent quite a bit of money. It was a VW van and the VW expert had told him he should buy new parts which would cost more money. Blair was amazed when Howard took out the spark plugs, poured gasoline on them, wrapped them in newspaper and set them on fire. After this sophisticated process the van started immediately! Apparently such methods are unknown in Australia.
The Log Cabin Campmeeting
Our first meetings were at a campsite called “The Log Cabin” a few miles away from where we were staying. Eighty-five persons attended this first campmeeting. Many of them were old friends, people I had met on previous trips to Australia, but there were a significant number who were new people whom I had never seen before.
One of the purposes which we had on this trip, was to demonstrate more fully how the truth about God is linked to a true understanding of Righteousness by Faith, and how ultimately it is tied to the blessing of the baptism of the holy spirit. We endeavoured to make this connection during the meetings at this camp.
Australia is at present going through a traumatic upheaval. The question of “what is sin,” has fractured the groups which believe in the godhead. We found at least two different camps emerging with those on one side very much up in arms and taking a militant attitude towards the other group. The meetings we attended were fairly unified although we did meet up with questions in every place we visited. However, it seems that the issues are becoming clearer in the minds of people and there is a more positive stand being taken for truth by more and more people as the fog is beginning to clear.
The first three meetings focused on the issues troubling Australia. The topics were, “The nature of sin and righteousness,” “The Two Adams” and “Which death did Jesus die?” The next three sermons focused on the Gospel of the kingdom. The topics were, “The Gospel of the Kingdom,” “Born of the spirit” and “Credible Witnesses.” The first three topics, as was expected, generated a lot of interest, but the good thing was that most people seemed to have had their questions answered by Howard’s presentation. There seemed to be almost one hundred percent agreement, but one lady stated that she needed to go and study some more.
The second set of sermons generated the most interest and questions. This was an area that was brand new to most people and the ideas were thoughts to which they had not been exposed before. It was wonderful to see these ideas taking hold of the minds of the people as the implications of what we were studying came home to them.
We separated from each other with a feeling that the time had been too short. The overall response to the campmeeting was that it was time well-spent and all felt that it was well worth the effort that they made to attend.
On the day following the end of the campmeeting, which was Monday, Blair took us to spend some time with Andy Ellis and His wife Marion and their granddaughter, Summer. Andy had been present at the campmeetings but wanted to share some ideas with us on the book of Daniel. We listened to him and discussed his thoughts. He had some very unusual ideas and we found that we could not agree with him, but the good thing was that we were able to discuss things in an amicable spirit and we separated as friends.
The next day, we went to visit brother Morrie Zahner’s music shop, “Better Instruments, Australia.” Morrie is a master at repairing all kinds of musical instruments. We were impressed as we saw this huge shop with hundreds of instruments such as guitars, violins, trumpets, tubas, saxophones etc. Some for sale and some to be repaired. It was a fascinating place and he showed us some of his methods and tools used in repairing these instruments.
On Wednesday we started out with Blair on the long drive to Cooranbong which would take us a couple of days. We stopped for lunch at Bruce and Kitsy Hunter’s home. It was a pleasant interlude and we were happy to renew acquaintances with this dear old couple whom we had met on the previous trip to Australia. As usual they fed us and gave us a little taste of Jamaican food. Kitsy had made sure to have some cassava ready for us so we could feel at home.
We traveled on after lunch and stopped for the night at David and Christine Taylor’s home out in the bush, about 30 Kilometers from Byron Bay. A nice crowd of about 20 people turned up for the study in the evening which was entitled, “What profit is there in serving God?” Again, we enjoyed being in David’s and Christine’s home and the fellowship with the brethren was warm and satisfying.
Thursday was more travel. In the evening we arrived at Wauchope where we spent the night in the lovely home of Bob and Vicky Maggs. The night meeting was taken by Howard who spoke on “The Gospel of The Kingdom.” Two other families came to the meetings. They were members of the local SDA church who have embraced the truth about God. Sandy and Kane came with their four children. Shelly and Trevor also were present with their seven children. Howard involved the children in his study and it was very much appreciated. After good fellowship, we moved on the next day to Cooranbong where we would meet with Nader and Imad and have meetings on the Sabbath.
Cooranbong:
Cooranbong is the center of Adventism in Australia. It is the small town where the Adventist University, Avondale is and is the place where Sister White lived while in Australia.
This was an interesting stop because it is very close to the present controversy which has caused a rupturing among godhead believers in Australia. Several of those who are at the center of this controversy live in, or close to this area.
In Cooranbong we stayed with Imad Awde, His wife Melissa and their two little boys, Daniel and Marco. This was our first opportunity to get to know Imad. Our first encounter with him in 2010 had been under circumstances where we were on opposite sides of a disagreement and we had not been able to develop much rapport with him. We relished this opportunity to develop a friendship and to get to know him better. The time spent in his home was a pleasant one and we felt a sense of being genuinely welcome.
On Sabbath we had meetings in Morriset in a rented building. There were about 53 persons present. The topics were, “The Nature of Sin and Righteousness,” and, “Which Death Did Jesus Die?” and “Under the Law.” There was some uncertainty and disagreement on the question of which death Jesus really died. I realized that the presentation had not been as clear as I had wanted it to be. However, there were some who expressed satisfaction and an experience of being blessed by the day’s presentations.
The next day we had a Lebanese breakfast at Imad’s, It was the first time we were tasting Lebanese food and although it was different we found it enjoyable. Later we had lunch with Esther Walker, who, along with her daughter Glenys Walkom and Glenys’ daughter Jessica are long time friends of ours. I met them on my first trip to Australia and over the years they have grown to be as close as family. It was a joy to be with them again. In the evening we had supper or “tea” (the Australian term) with Nader and his wife, Natasha and Imad, We all talked long into the night as we had done on the previous night.
The next day we said goodbye. We left at about 11.00 and drove for about 5 hours to Bannister, near Goulboune, to the home of Glenys and her husband Gary. They live on a farm of 400 acres, a massive place to two Jamaicans who live on tiny pieces of land less than a quarter of an acre in size.
The next day Jessica was very busy on the farm and Howard joined her. I stayed at home to have Bible studies with Glenys and a friend, Jenny Granger, but Howard learned how to round up sheep with a bike and how to treat them for blow flies. This was a messy job. I went up to the shed to watch for a while and found a great admiration for Jessica as I watched her manhandle the sheep. She was treating those sheep which had become maggot-infested, a common problem at this time of the year. She had to shave those areas which had become infested and pour a chemical over the infected areas to kill the worms.
The next morning an unusual thing happened. Howard went for a walk and got lost! He has such a good sense of direction that he is the last person in the world I would have expected this to happen to, and he got lost on a straight road! What happened was that he walked about two kilometers, then turned around and walked back, but he was so lost in thought that he walked right past the house. Much further on he began to wonder why he was feeling so tired and why he could not see the house. He walked further and started to notice that he was seeing things that he could not remember passing. Finally he turned around and walked back, almost exhausted having walked about 12 kilometers.
Next day I went sheep-herding with Jessica and Howard and Trixie the sheep dog. We used trail bikes to herd the sheep ably assisted by Trixie. Actually, it is better to say that we were assisting her. I found myself filled with admiration for her as I saw her intelligence and quick response to every attempt by the sheep to break away while we were herding them in a particular direction. It was a cold and windy day and I had been reluctant to go out on the bike, but Jess said, “you can’t come here and not go sheep herding.” So I was persuaded and I am happy that I did.
The next day we left at 3.00 am to catch an early flight for Adelaide. Adelaide is in the South of Australia and it was not feasible to drive so we flew there from Cooranbong.
Adelaide
We were met at the Adelaide airport by Glenn Coopman. Glenn is an old friend whom I had met on my first trip to Australia back in 2001. This was the second time we were meeting and it was a happy reunion. I remembered that he was a jogger and he still looked as fit and trim as I remembered. He took us to the Granada motel where we spent the next four nights very comfortably. We were able to turn the heat up to the level that suited us so we didn’t pay much attention to the cold outside when the temperature dropped. We were able to spent some time with Glenn and Suzanne his wife in their home in the hills. They live in a nice quiet area. The only downside was, from my point of view, it is often colder there than in other surrounding places.
On Sabbath we drove for two hours to a place named Tununda where we met at the home of Ron and Helen Dixon. There were about a dozen people present. Among them were pastor Des Williams and his wife and others whom I had first met 10 years ago. Howard spoke on the topic, “the gospel of the kingdom,” and I, on “the Broken Curse.” Both messages were very well received. Most of the people who attended this meeting are older folks, mostly retired, but they showed much interest in the thoughts which were shared.
On Sunday we spent a half of the day with Glenn and Suzanne but the following day we stayed at the motel and caught up on our computer work. Howard was restless and went out walking three times for the day.
On Tuesday morning Suzanne took us to the airport. We spent these last few minutes cementing our friendship and getting to know each other better. Glenn had been planning to meet with us to say goodbye, but unexpected changes in his work schedule had made this impossible so we had to leave without getting to say goodbye to him.
Melbourne
When we arrived in Melbourne, our next stop, we were met at the airport by Tony Milekic. He took us to his home out in the country one hour from Melbourne in a place called Baynton. It was not a boring drive because Tony is a good talker and we had an animated discussion all the way to his home.
Tony lives on a property of five acres. It is a nice place in a country area and he has a little farm of sorts. His main focus seems to be growing berries and fruit. There is a lot of empty pastureland on his farm, but the pasture is taken care of by a beautiful horse who keeps the grass down. He also has two dogs – Panda and Sabre. One thing that was a constant on this trip was the cold. Of course, I always seem to feel it more than most, but even then, I was told that it was not normal for it to be so cold at this time of the year.
We saw a lot of Kangaroos and rabbits out by Tony’s place. The kangaroos came out in herds of close to thirty in the evenings and we saw them several times congregating in the fields.
Tony’s wife Narelle and his daughter Ruth were absent from home for most of the day for the first couple of days. Narelle’s job kept her away until late while Ruth had the same challenge because of schoolwork and because she has to travel with her mother. We didn’t see much of them for the first couple of days, but we felt the warmth of their greetings and hospitality when they arrived home late in the evening.
While we were here we did enjoy some relaxed times. Tony lit a bonfire one night and we all sat around drinking herbal tea and snacking. A cold wind was blowing but the bonfire overcame the challenges of the wind. Tony is a trail bike enthusiast and he took Howard riding with him and two other friends one evening. I was apprehensive as I watched Howard being dressed up in all the paraphernalia. It looked like he was going to fight some terrible battle, dressed up in all that armour, rather than just going for a ride. However, he came back safe and sound having experienced only one fall, but he was full of tales of how hair-raising the experience had been. They were all daubed with mud when they came back and when I saw them outside in the freezing weather washing off their gear I was very grateful that I had not gone with them.
When we had originally planned the trip with Blair, the plan had been for us to end the journey in Melbourne, however, while we were in this process of planning, a campmeeting had been planned in Ballarat by Michael and Therese Vincent-Rori and they had contacted me with the inquiry as to whether or not we could attend this campmeeting. This campmeeting was scheduled for the fifth weekend after we left Jamaica and I felt initially that this was too long a time for us to stay away from home – particularly since there were also tentative plans for us to travel with a brother to Kenya after we left Australia. However, after discussions with Blair we decided that it was worth a little extra time to attend this campmeeting as it was likely to be a very important one. Later on it turned out that the plans to visit Kenya did not materialize, so everything fell into place.
Mildura
Blair had departed from us in Cooranbong to return to his home in Tamborine Mountain, but now he flew down to Melbourne with his wife Caroline and they met up with us at Tony’s home. He drove us from there in one of Tony’s cars all the way to a town named Mildura, to the home of Adrian and Lorelle Ebens. It was a long drive of close to six hours and the landscape was monotonous – level, bare with a few small trees.
For those who have not heard of him, Adrian Ebens is a Seventh-day Adventist minister who accepted the truth about God about 14 years after he first heard it. When he shared it with his fellow ministers and church leaders, the eventual consequence was that he lost his ministerial credentials and will probably also lose his membership soon. Adrian has since established a significant presence on the internet with his website, maranathamedia.com and has become a leading influence in promoting the truth about God around the world. Circumstances had prevented me from meeting Adrian on my previous trip to Australia, but now, by the grace of God and the efforts of Blair it had become a reality.
I don’t know what I really expected, but Adrian surprised me. I suppose I expected guarded conversation and a little verbal sparring and maybe a tense atmosphere. I could not have been more wrong. From the first I felt like I had known him and his family for a long time. I felt completely relaxed and comfortable in their presence and I found him to be a warm, welcoming person. We spent the first day in much talking and we had very good discussions in which we openly discussed the areas in which we did not see eye to eye. We did not always end with perfect agreement, but somehow, it did not seem to be a major issue between us. I found this a wonderful thing and it was especially refreshing in light of the dislocation and rejection which is taking place in the godhead movement at present, where entirely different attitudes are being displayed.. We found we had kindred spirits. Our methods of labour are a little different, but we found much harmony and a common union in our love for Christ.
The days spent with Adrian proved to be a real blessing. The more we talked, the more we recognized that there was a mutual blessing in our discussions and we developed a real friendship. Adrian was not planning to attend the campmeeting in Mildura because the differences in his approach to certain issues had resulted in friction in the past. There was some tension between him and some persons which made him disinclined to attend. However, after we had been there a couple of days we urged him to attend and after prayerfully considering the matter, he agreed to go with us. This proved to be God’s doing and turned out to be one of the great blessings of the camp.
Ballarat Campmeeting
The campmeeting was held in a very nice location, out in the country at a facility with very few distractions around. We found that Howard and I were to share rooms with Nader Mansour and Imad Awde, a brother named Merv Brown, and Pastor Livingston Kul who was from Papua, New Guinea. I was very happy for this arrangement for it was an opportunity to get to know Nader and Imad better as well as a chance to talk with Pastor Kul, for I had read a lot about Papua New Guinea from the time I was a boy and was fascinated by the stories I had heard about the place and the people.
It must be said that until we stayed with Imad in Cooranbong, we had not known either Nader or Imad very well, even though they had been accused of being influenced by our teachings and of having accepted our “heresies.” Nothing could have been further from the truth. In fact, Imad told us that he had deliberately avoided listening to our sermons or reading our materials so he could form his own opinions. We respected this, but were happy for this opportunity for fellowship and becoming better acquainted with these young brothers who we felt were genuine Christian men, desirous of serving God in spirit and in truth.
Two years previously we had met with brother Imad, Tom and Bill Pinto and a few other brethren in an encounter which proved to be unpleasant and unprofitable. However, even then both Howard and I had been impressed with brother Imad’s demeanour. We had found his attitude to be a humble Christian one, in spite of the fact that at that time he had strongly disagreed with our position on the question of, “What is Sin.” Subsequent events had caused him to study the issue more thoroughly and now we found ourselves in much greater harmony. This campmeeting was an opportunity to further cement the friendship which we had begun in Cooranbong.
Adrian was placed at the other end of the camp, some distance away from our quarters. However, we had a few unoccupied beds in our apartment and at the first opportunity we invited him to switch rooms and to stay with us. He was happy to do this and he joined us along with his son Michael who had come with him. We spent blessed moments discussing issues which had caused misunderstanding, clarifying rumours, getting to know each other better. It was a wonderful time and it was one of the highlights of not only the trip, but also my life. It was a great experience for me to have people all around who could discuss these issues with me in depth and who were able to understand the importance of these issues and to see the implications of the things which we talked about. This experience was a lesson for me and it taught me how things could be made plain and simple if there was only a willingness on the part of brethren to meet together in a spirit of humility and love, with respect for one another.
An extra blessing
God did a wonderful thing for the campmeeting through Adrian. At the end of one of Howard’s presentations he went to the front of the assembly and confessed to the 100 or so people who were assembled, that he had made mistakes in his dealings with people in the past and he apologized. He expressed the fact that his experience as a past SDA minister had created certain attitudes which had impacted on the way he related to brethren after he was put out of the ministry. He acknowledged his fault and asked for forgiveness. This was a wonderful moment and all the people were moved. There was a spontaneous prayer session in which many prayed, including small children, thanking God for His wonderful mercies. This created a blessed atmosphere and it was wonderful to see the joy and happiness with which the people interacted with Adrian and the previous tension was turned to trust and happy fellowship.
I could not help thinking as I saw all this of other situations where friction existed among former brethren and how different attitudes had made it impossible to see the same result. We all felt not only greater respect for Adrian, but also greater affection for him after that. Adrian had been a highly respected and experienced minister in the organized SDA work and even today he is held in high esteem not only among members of the church, but also among independents all over the world. It is often difficult for persons in such a position to be humble. I am not here seeking to put him on a pedestal, but it did make an impression on my mind and it made such an impact on the campmeeting that I believe it must be highlighted as an illustration of what God can do when He finds us willing to cooperate with Him.
The theme of the campmeeting was, “Who Shall be Able to Stand?” There was only one practical way to answer such a question and of course, the predominating theme of most of the messages was, “Christ and His Righteousness.” Howard and I had decided to focus on the Kingdom of God and the gift of the holy spirit. The message of Christ and His Righteousness as we understand it, cannot be preached in its purity without leading us into a focus on the gift of the holy spirit. Christ and His Righteousness is not a legal theory. Legality is often the focus of the many discourses which take place on the subject, but since we understand that the holy spirit is literally the very life of Jesus Christ, then it is a simple matter to understand that Jesus’ righteousness becomes our own in a very real and literal way when we receive of His life, the holy spirit. All that Jesus legally did for us in His life, death and resurrection, is only theoretical religion if we do not receive the actual reality of what He did when He gives us His very life, when we are born again. This is the very heart of the doctrine of Righteousness by Faith. This is why the teaching that we are capable of righteousness from the moment we are born, is a grave error. The new birth is the only means by which true righteousness can become our reality. The gift of the holy spirit is, of course, interwoven with the truth of the kingdom of God. We can never truly preach, or experience the gospel of the kingdom until we understand this. The messages were received with great joy. Only time will tell how lasting will be the fruit borne from the seeds that were sown at this campmeeting.
On the last day as we said good byes, there were visible tears. It was heart wrenching to separate from the loved ones to whom we had grown so close in just a few short days. I was left thinking, “if these few days were so blessed when we were only able to receive drippings of the Lord’s spirit, what will it be when we are able to receive it in the measure that is available to us?”
I truly have a strong conviction that we will have the answer to that question very soon. I have not the slightest doubt in my mind that God is doing something extraordinary for those who are willing to receive His direction. The things which have been revealed over the past few years have been too wonderful for words. God has opened up His word and revealed aspects of what He has done for us in Jesus which are almost too good to be true. Those who have been following what has been happening know the truth of this.
At the end of our tearful good byes, we went to the home of Mark and Debbie Barravechia where we spent our final night in Australia. As always, it was difficult to sleep. We had to leave at 4.00 in the morning to be in time for our 9.30 flight from Melbourne. Howard sat up all night on his computer and didn’t sleep a wink! I was able to relax enough to get about 4 hours sleep.
Next morning we flew out of Melbourne and after nearly 30 hours we arrived home safe and sound at our own homes in Jamaica, dirty, and not sure whether it was day or night, but thankful to God and still basking in the glow of what had been a wonderful trip.
Thrice the Son of God
David Clayton
Jesus Christ was and is, the Son of God. This is a truth which is acknowledged by all who profess to be Christians. However, not all professions mean the same thing. Even among Christians there are actually several different ideas concerning what is meant by the statement that Jesus is the Son of God.
A great majority of the Christian world believe that Jesus was not truly God’s Son in the way that we commonly understand sonship. Some believe that He was designated as God’s Son and plays the role of a son, although He is not really a son. Others believe that he became the son of God when He was conceived by the holy spirit in Mary’s womb. Still others believe that He became God’s son when He was raised from the dead.
The first question is this: Is understanding this really important? As long as we conclude that Jesus is the Son of God, what does it matter how we define that sonship?
The claim is often made that Jesus was condemned because He claimed to be God, but this is not supported by the Bible. Jesus never ever claimed to be God, but always declared that He was the Son of God. Notice that the Jews wanted to stone Him because according to them, He, being a man, made Himself GOD. Did Jesus claim to be God? No, in His own words, “I said I am the Son of God!”
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (34) Jesus answered them …. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:33-36)
It is not that the Jews did not hear Him, or that they did not understand His meaning. They understood that when He claimed to be the Son of God, He was claiming to be divine in the same way that God was divine. Not that He was God Himself, but that He was equal with God in being divine. This is why they accused Him of making Himself God. They understood Him to be claiming divinity when He said that He was the Son of God.
But how could Jesus be a divine being if He was not God Himself? This is easy to understand if we accept that Jesus is the begotten Son of God, one who came forth from the very life of God Himself. This makes it perfectly simple. Jesus, being literally begotten of God, possessing the very same life as exists in His Father, must possess the same divine nature as His Father. Yet at the same time, since He Himself is not the eternal source of all things, He cannot be God in the supreme sense. There is one greater than He, who was before Him.
There can be no question that the sonship of Jesus is a vital truth and that it is necessary that we understand it correctly. In fact, no one can have a proper understanding of the gospel and the plan of salvation, unless he understands that Jesus truly was the Son of God and understands what this means.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5)
A begotten Son
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Notice that in this verse Jesus is referred to as the “only begotten son” of God. This description of Jesus carries great weight – in fact, this description of Jesus is given by the highest possible authority there can be for it was Jesus Himself who spoke these words. Surely, He knew His own identity; surely He knew what His relationship to God was! Modern theologians have gone to great lengths to try to demonstrate that Jesus is not actually begotten of God, in the sense in which the word “begotten” is commonly understood. That is, they reject the idea that it means that Jesus came into being by a process where His life was actually derived from the Father’s own life, a process in which He became a separate and distinct Being from God the Father.
The phrase, “only begotten,” is actually a translation of the Greek word, “monogenes.” The claim is made that this word is better translated as “unique,” and that it does not indicate that Jesus was born of God, but rather, that He was God’s Son in some unique and special way, and not in the sense in which the word “son” is commonly understood. What is interesting however, is the fact that this word is used only nine times in the New Testament. In every place where it is not referring to Christ, it indicates a child who was literally begotten of the parents (as opposed to one adopted). It is not reasonable to give the word a different meaning when applied to Jesus, than when applied to the other instances in the New Testament.
This reinterpretation of the word, “monogenes” becomes necessary in order to sustain the unscriptural doctrine of the Trinity, for it is obvious that if Jesus is truly and literally the only begotten Son of God, then the doctrine of the Trinity which teaches three members of a co-equal, co-eternal triune God cannot be true. Here, as in other places, traditional Christendom has adjusted the Bible to suit its dogmas rather than adjusting its dogma to correspond with the Bible.
Those who deny the literal sonship of Jesus Christ, often emphasize the fact that the Bible points to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem as being the time in which He became the Son of God. Others show that the Bible also indicates that Jesus became God’s Son by means of the resurrection. It is true that the Bible does refer to the occasions of Jesus’ birth and resurrection as events which made Him become the Son of God. It is dishonest, however, to pretend that these are the only ways in which Jesus is recognized to be God’s Son. The Bible clearly and unmistakably identifies Jesus as being the Son of God long before He ever arrived on this earth, long before the incarnation or the resurrection.
But why is Jesus identified as the Son of God in these three different ways? Why would it be necessary for God to say the same thing in three different ways and with three different meanings? This is an important question. Some have looked at the meaning of sonship in the context of His incarnation and resurrection and embraced these implications, but have blatantly denied the glaring biblical declarations that Jesus was, from long before He ever came to this earth, the true, begotten Son of God, in the fullest and most literal sense.
Let us examine some of these verses which speak of the sonship of Jesus Christ. We will see clearly that some of them refer unmistakably to His identity as God’s Son before He came to this earth, some to Him being God’s Son as a result of being conceived of God in Mary’s womb, and again, to His being God’s Son as a result of the resurrection from the dead.
Before the incarnation
Jesus as divinity
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)
There is no mistaking the emphasis of these verses. God’s love is the focus and we are told that this love of God was manifested or revealed in the gift that He gave for the world. We can see that this love of God may be measured by the greatness of the gift given. How can we measure God’s love? We can look at the value of what He gave. This is the point of the verse.
But what is the value of the gift which was given? How shall we measure it? God Himself gives us the standard by which we may measure His love when He declares that it was His Son whom He gave. Not just His Son, but His “only begotten Son.” Our understanding and appreciation of the love of God will depend upon how we understand the statement that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son. If He was a Son by designation, or by adoption, then how can we really empathize with what is said? Most of us have no real appreciation of how we would feel about a son who only bears the title, but is not really our son.
But notice another important point: The verses say that “God sent His only begotten Son into the world!” Let us consider this carefully. The implications should be obvious to any honest person. When God sent Jesus into the world, where was Jesus? Was He already in the world when He was sent? This is simple reasoning. If God sent Him into the world, as the verse says, then when He was being sent, He could not yet have been in the place to which He was being sent. God sent Him while He was still in heaven, and then, after being sent, He left heaven and came into the world.
The verses say that God sent His only begotten son. This was His identity at the moment when He was sent. He was not sent to become the Son of God, but was already the Son at the moment when He was sent, and not just the Son of God, but the “only begotten Son of God.” It is difficult to understand how anyone can read these verses and conclude that Jesus was not God’s Son before He came to this earth.
Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. (Mark 12:6)
These verses, in fact, are the guarantee that Jesus is a divine Being. These are the verses which tell us that Jesus was born of the Father long before He ever came to this earth. They tell us that He truly is divine by nature, because He proceeded and came forth from God, this is His origin and when God sent His Son to die for us, it was truly a sacrifice of unspeakably great proportions. It was His only begotten, divine Son whom God tore from His bosom and sent to this earth to suffer and take the sin of humanity upon Himself.
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)
The Bible teaches that God created all things by Jesus Christ.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Eph 3:9)
Therefore, we are assured that Jesus must have existed before all things. Those who insist that Jesus is God Himself, say that since He created all things, then He must have always existed, and that therefore, He cannot be God’s Son in a literal sense. However, the apostle Paul shows us clearly that Jesus is the Creator of all things which were ever created, Just as John tells us in John 1:1-3. But He explains to us that this privilege of creating all things was possible for Jesus because He Himself was BORN before He did the work of creating all things.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col 1:15-17)
Notice the point. He is before all things, therefore, He was able to create all things. But how did He come to be before all things? He is the firstborn of all creation – of all that exists. He is the firstborn, this is how He came to be before all. God brought Him forth from His own being, His own life. He was not created, He was brought forth from what already existed, that is, the Father’s own life. Therefore He was able to create all that was created, for He Himself was not created. The life in Him was a life which had existed forever.
Notice this striking verse in the Old Testament which shows clearly that Jesus existed as the Son of God long before He was ever born in Bethlehem.
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? (Prov 30:4)
When we honestly examine these passages we see clearly that the Bible teaches that Jesus was God’s only begotten Son before He came to this earth, in fact, before there existed anything except God and His Son.
When we understand that Jesus is literally God’s only begotten Son, then we recognize that Jesus is a divine Being, One who is Himself of the very same nature as God, although He is not the supreme authority in the universe and therefore, is not God in the ultimate sense.
God’s Son by the incarnation
Human and Divine
Jesus, the begotten Son of God before the ages, became the Son of God again in a new sense when He was born of the virgin Mary.
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)
Notice the words of the angel Gabriel: He shall be “called the Son of God.” Clearly, this indicates that Jesus was to be God’s Son in a different sense than in His original state as the begotten Son of God. Jesus was to be born as a man, to become one of the human race. The fact that He was born of a woman, in a human body, genetically linked with the children of Adam, made Him a human being just like one of us. However, the angel’s words indicate that there was to be something unusual about this human being. He was to have no human father. He was to be conceived of the holy ghost. As to the question of who was His father, the answer was, He was the Son of God.
This does not refer to His sonship in His original state, but to His relationship to God as a man . As one of us, His origin was unlike any other man. The only person whom He could claim as His Father, was God. This establishes the fact that Jesus was unique, though He was fully a human being, and that this uniqueness consisted of a special relationship to God, different than that ever held by any other human being.
The fact that He was God’s Son in this special way, supernaturally conceived of the holy spirit, set Him apart as a human being with a special purpose, specially chosen by God and especially qualified and empowered for His unique mission.
Notice that this was Jesus’ emphasis in identifying Himself in the following verse:
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:36)
Here, we see clearly that He identifies Himself as God’s Son because He was “sanctified and sent into the world.” He links the fact that He was sanctified and sent with the fact that He sees Himself as the Son of God. It is clear that Jesus taught that in this secondary sense, He was the Son of God. We conclude that Jesus was God’s Son, twice, born of God, twice. Once, begotten before the ages, and again, conceived of God’s holy spirit in the womb of Mary.
God’s Son by the resurrection
Jesus as exalted humanity
There is yet a third way in which Jesus is recognized in the Bible as the Son of God.
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, (33) God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. (Acts 13:32-33)
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; (4) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Rom 1:3,4)
These verses indicate that Jesus became the Son of God, or was “begotten of God,” when He was raised from the dead. Some confused Christians have concluded that this was the only time that Jesus was begotten by God. But as we have seen, when Jesus was sent to the world, He was already God’s only begotten Son. Therefore this begetting at the resurrection must refer to something other than what is taught in John 3:16, and the word, “begetting, there, must mean something else.
In what sense then was Jesus “begotten” of God by the resurrection from the dead, and in what sense did this event declare Jesus to be the Son of God?
The emphasis here is on Jesus’ position as a representative of the human race. Jesus Christ came originally from heaven, the only begotten Son of God, torn from the bosom of His Father and becoming man, a human being and a member of Adam’s fallen race. He came to us as the Son of God, but became the Son of man. It was as the Son of man that He had to be humanity’s representative, He could not represent us as the Son of God. It was to uplift humanity that He came to us, but to do this, He had to truly become one of us in every sense. He was a perfect man, but He was fully a man.
When Jesus died and was resurrected, it was a man that died – a member of Adam’s race. It was a man who was raised from the dead, but now, there was a difference. It was a victorious man who rose from the dead, one who had taken the curse of humanity upon Himself and defeated it. This human being had taken the humanity which was cursed, which had been condemned, which was unfit to appear in the presence of God, which was under the dominion of Satan and He had restored that humanity to its place of Sonship with God. As Adam had once been the Son of God, so Jesus restored humanity to that place by defeating the curse which Adam had brought upon humanity.
Notice that Jesus, in this new identity as the Son of God is declared to be the “firstborn among many brethren.”
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom 8:29)
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Col 1:18)
In this new relationship of sonship to God, where a human being is now again the Son of God, Jesus is begotten by the resurrection from the dead and has become the first of many others like Himself, human beings who have also become the sons of God. In this sense, all who belong to Christ are also begotten of God. Jesus was the first human being who was ever qualified to rise from the dead because He was the only one who fell under the power of the grave who did not deserve to be there. Therefore death could not keep Him.
(Acts 2:24) Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Death could not hold him, for it had no legitimate claim on Him. So when He was resurrected from the dead, He was raised as the first man since Adam whose relationship with God was perfect, who was so much in union with God that death could not keep Him. Therefore, it was the resurrection from the dead which made Him – as a member of the human race – the Son of God. He became the first man (since Adam) who was qualified to be the Son of God.
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Heb 5:8,9)
Another Soldier Down
On March 10, 2012, Pastor Willis Smith of Cleveland, Ohio passed away. Pastor Smith was a dedicated minister and his untiring labor for others has been an inspiration to many. He is greatly missed. He touched many lives during his faithful ministry and every individual was special to him.
He always endeavoured to do what he believed to be right regardless of the consequences, he lived his beliefs. At times men spoke evil against him, but it was not his way to retaliate.
His radio programs touched many lives. It was an inspiration to see God at work through him.
Please pray for Willis’ family and church family who are left behind. His church family have requested prayer for God’s will to be done, that they would not lose heart, and that they would be strengthened to carry on with the work God began through Pastor Smith.
Seeing is Believing
Lenworth Frankson
From the time that I was old enough to remember, I was told that if I ate a lot of carrots my vision would improve. Up until recently I believed it to be true. However, the notion that eating carrots will improve your vision may be a myth. No studies to date show that your eyesight will get sharper just by eating more carrots. Carrots do, however, contain vitamin A which is a nutrient your eyes need to function properly so a deficiency would be bad news for your eyes. Vitamin A helps maintain healthy eyes, skin, teeth, and bones. It is also essential for cell division in our bodies which means renewal. It also plays a key role in keeping the immune system strong.
A second popular myth is that working on a computer is in itself bad for your eyes. The truth is that computer eyestrain has less to do with computers and more to do with the way you work on them. Most of us forget to blink and take breaks as often as we should while working or reading, so all that time spent staring at the screen can make your eyes tired and dry. It might even give you a headache. But it won’t damage your eyes, especially if you treat your eyes right while working.
Three ways to avoid eye fatigue on the computer are: 1) Make sure your eyes look down slightly when you work. 2) Look away from your screen every half hour, and focus on something 20 feet away. And 3) leave your desk completely once every hour to give your eyes a break from the screen.
A third myth is that reading in dim light damages your eyes. Reading in lower light won’t hurt your eyes, but it is very likely to tire them out. That’s the extent of the damage it will do. It is in your best interest however that you make things easier on your eyes and work in adequate lighting as much as possible.
The real contributors to poor vision are things like aging, injury, disease, or genetic factors
What I have personally proven to be true is that if I am eating the right foods-for my eyes- and get the amount of sleep that my eyes and body need, my vision for that day is much improved and at times I can even read small print without the assistance of my glasses. I believe that rest and sleep are vital for good eye health. Our eyes play a very important role in our lives and it is only by taking care of them that they are able to function well.
I would strongly recommend getting your eyes checked by an Optometrist yearly. There are illnesses like glaucoma (an eye disorder marked by unusually high pressure within the eyeball that leads to damage of the optic disk) that if diagnosed early, can be treated to prevent blindness. For most if not all of us, as we age our vision weakens. We can however help our eyes to function healthily if we are informed with the truth regardless of the many myths that are out there. Knowing the truth will not only set you free but help you see.
7 Foods for Healthy Eyes
Spinach: Cooked spinach, callaloo, kale, collards, and turnip greens (along with broccoli and eggs) are crammed full of lutein and zeaxanthin — two powerful antioxidants that may help protect against retinal damage and the onset of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Oranges: Vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies — like oranges, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, and red bell peppers — help support blood vessels in the eye and may reduce the risk of cataracts.
Peanuts: Peanuts are a good source of vitamin E, a nutrient known for protecting eyes from free-radical damage. Vitamin E may also hinder the progression of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Almonds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts are other good sources of vitamin E.
Kidney Beans: Your eyes do love a cup of red kidney beans straight. Why? Red kidney beans are a good source of zinc, a mineral that is vital to eye health. It helps get vitamin A from the liver to the retina for eye-protective melanin production, and proper amounts of zinc help with night vision and cataract prevention, too.
Mangoes: One small mango has one-fourth of your recommended daily boost of vitamin C, about two thirds of your dose of vitamin A, favorable quantities of vitamin E and fiber. Mangoes also have vitamin K, phosphorus and magnesium. Vitamin C helps to repair the cells of the skin and body as well as boost the immune system. Also, along with vitamins A and E, mangoes are good foods to eat to strengthen the immune system and ward off germs and illnesses. Vitamin E helps the body use energy and vitamin A helps to keep your eyes functioning properly.
Whole Grains: Use high-fiber whole grains instead of refined carbs. Think quinoa, brown rice, whole oats, and whole-wheat breads and pasta rather than products made from refined grains or refined, enriched flour.
Pumpkin: Pumpkins are rich in beta carotene, a carotenoid that the body converts to vitamin A. Research shows that beta carotene may help with night vision — and possibly even play a part in preventing cataracts. Carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe, and winter squash are other great sources of beta carotene.
Open Face is published bi-monthly and is sent free to all who desire to receive it.
David Clayton: Editor and Publisher
P. O. Box 23 Knockpatrick
Manchester, Jamaica W.I.
Phone: (876) 603-0821 Or (304) 932-4543
email: david@restorationministry.com
