The 'son of god'

[Malaikah]

Hello.

I didn't want to take another thread off topic, so I thought I would make a new thread here... I would have asked in the Questions for Christians thread, but that seems to be closed for now...

For some reason Muslims always want to say this, and I am not sure if this is something you have learned incorrectly or just overheard in another thread but I do not worship Jesus, I respect Jesus to a great extent being Gods only son. I worship God and only God, I just understand that God can show himself to us in many ways (the holy trinity).

^In relation to that quote, how many different understandings are their about what the 'son of God' means?

From what I understand from other Christian members here, Jesus was a 'third' God who manifest himself in the form of a human, meaning that he is God himself, and also is to be worshipped.

But the above quote seems to contradict that. Is there a difference of opinion amongst the Christians what it actually means to be the son of God?:?

 

[Keltoi]

Firstly, there is no such thing as a "third" God, it is all one God. As for MTAFFI's post, I can't speak for him, but that isn't the predominant Christian belief. I say predominant, because there will always be individuals and groups who deviate from the core beliefs of Christianity. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the "Son of God", but not from any physical "fertilization", so to speak. Jesus Christ was God-incarnate on Earth, that is the principle belief of Christianity. I'm not going to get into another circular argument over the Trinity here, as this has been covered in other threads.

 

[Malaikah]

^thanks. So that means the main belief is that Jesus is God? And he is worshipped?

 

[Keltoi]

^thanks. So that means the main belief is that Jesus is God? And he is worshipped?

Absolutely. The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy for calling himself the "Son of God", which meant he was claiming divinity. The reason this issue can be confusing to some people is because He spoke as both God and Man. I've read some posts claiming confusion because they believe if Jesus Christ was God, then there was no God in Heaven. That isn't true either. This goes back to the Trinity, and I don't want to debate that here.

 

[Keltoi]

I should also point out that when Christians pray to Jesus they aren't praying to anyone other than God.

 

[Grace Seeker]

^thanks. So that means the main belief is that Jesus is God? And he is worshipped?

Yes.


The main perspective (or belief as you put it) has been well summarized in a few of the ancient creeds:

The Chalcedonian Creed, circa 451 A.D.

Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.

And even before that there was

The Nicene Creed, circa 325 A.D.

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Nicene Creed is the most ecumenical of creeds used by Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and most Protestant churches (those that don't, don't because they reject its theology, but because they don't like to use creeds). Nevertheless, in contrast to Eastern Orthodox churches, the western churches state that the Holy Spirit proceeds not only from the Father, but from the Father and the Son (Latin, filioque). To the eastern churches, saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both Father and Son threatens the distinctiveness of the person of the Holy Spirit; to the western churches, the filioque guards the unity of the triune God. This issue remains unresolved in the ecumenical dialogue.

Note that in many ways the Nicene Creed is in essence the same as the Apostles' Creed, with a little bit expansion of the second paragraph relating to the "Son". (If you are looking for an even more detailed expansion of those ideas you might check out The Athanasian Creed.)

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

Legend has it that the Apostles wrote this creed on the tenth day after Christ's ascension into heaven. That is not the case, though the name stuck. However, each of the doctrines found in the creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period. The earliest written version of the creed is perhaps the Interrogatory Creed of Hippolytus (ca. A.D. 215). And the teachings themselves are ones that are inferred from scripture. It might work best to think of these creeds in the manner that a Muslim might think of a fiqh.