The Name: Son

The church at large has truly missed the intricacies of God’s plan. So much so, that many think it is blasphemous to even consider some of the things that God has declared concerning His children. However, we will not be accused of such unbelief; instead, we will boldly declare and teach the things the Father has freely given to us.

Hebrews 1:1-2

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

It is evident that there has been a transition from the dispensation of the law to the dispensation of Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets; therefore, He is now the only one authorized to minister to the people of God, as it is stated in the Word;

Isaiah 54:13

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

And again,

Deuteronomy 18:15

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

It is then clear that anyone ministering to the people of God must do so by way of the Spirit of God. It must be the Lord speaking through them.

Hebrews 1:3

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Though He was the Word of God, the glory of God, and the creator of all things, He took on flesh and made Himself the sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

Hebrews 1:4

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Now here is where the rubber meets the road. The writer at this point begins to give a comparison between Jesus and the angels. He states that Jesus is superior to the angels, and it is this superiority that he continues to illustrate throughout the chapter. However, take a look at how the writer proves Jesus’ superiority.

…as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Jesus is considered superior to the angels because He has obtained an excellent name. The first response of most is to think upon the name of Jesus. As Philippians 2:9-10 states; 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth;

It is evident that the name of Jesus has been exalted. However, it is another name being referred to in the context of Hebrews 1.

Hebrews 1:5

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

“SON” is the name that Paul is referring to. The fact that Jesus is the son of God has automatically made Him superior to the angels because if He is indeed the son of God, He then is of God’s kind. Similar to how a Prince, through blood relations to the King, surpasses a Duke in status, it is the same in the case of Christ. While angels are God's creation, Jesus is God's offspring.

Hebrews 1:6

And again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.

The created beings are instructed to pay homage to the son of God. They are to treat the Son in the same manner as they treat God.

To the church’s shame, even the scribes and Pharisees saw the depth of the name “son”

John 10:30-36

30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 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, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 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?

Back then, the terminology “son of God” carried more weight in the minds of people than it does now because of the cliché it has become. However, we cannot escape the truth. The name, “son of God” is not a title that is dubbed on created beings; it is a name that refers only to those that were born of God’s seed (Romans 8:9).

Hebrews 1:7-8

7 And of the angels he says, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son he says, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

There is no way to be of the offspring of God and not be of God’s kind. By God-kind, I am simply referring to the nature of God. The son of God is the same type of creature that God is. Hence, God, when He spoke to His son Jesus, He called Him God. Jesus is truly God manifest in the flesh.

Now let us unfold what the Lord is trying to relay to us.

1 John 3:1-2

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore, the world knoweth us not because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The church, the body of Christ, has shared in the divinity of Christ. The reception of the Holy Ghost is more than the reception of a gift; it is a rebirth.

James 1:18

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

We, even as Jesus, have been begotten of God. We are now the family of God (Ephesians 3:14-15), and the siblings of Christ (Romans 8:29).

Consider God’s prophetic declaration in the book of Psalms.

Psalm 82:6-8

6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

The church is the body of Christ; thus, they are joint-heirs with Him (Romans 8:17). They will share in His inheritance; hence, in Jesus’ message, he taught;

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

We are those that will rule and reign in times to come. We will sit on thrones and judge the world and angels. A day will come when immense glory and even worship will be ascribed to the sons. However, the present moment is NOT that time.

Philippians 2:5-8

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Now is our time for humility. Our knowledge of our nature should not puff us up with pride; rather, it should humble us. Now is our time to minister, not to be ministered unto - to serve, not to be worshipped. Now is our time to obey God even through the sufferings we face, proving ourselves worthy of the Kingdom to come. Let us stand fast in righteousness, that we may gain the rewards promised to us.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God.