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difficulties, and comes with its own historical baggage, and semantic
complications. But since it is biblically irrefutable that Father and Son
are SEPARATE beings, then for Jesus to have been deemed a Son
through "eternal generation", it must mean it was a past event, and that
he has his own inherent ability to 'self-exist' (i.e. support his continued
existence independently of the Father after being "begotten"). John 5:
26. The problem though is that this second definition is not the way most
'expert sources' define eternal generation, and so if it is to be so defined
it must be deemed the 'unorthodox' definition, just like the 'unorthodox'
definition of 'trinity' which I subscribe to, i.e. the definition more leaning
towards a *trio or triad of divine beings (separate persons). All these
terms, whether "trio", "triad", or "trinity" (simple noun) are all human
labels placed on the self-evident unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All terms can be controversial, and so if one chose not to use them, then
Bible language is best, but if one so desire to use them then careful
definition must be employed to avoid confusion.
*N.B. As to whether Father and Son are personal beings is already a
given, since the Father loved Jesus from the foundation of the world by
(reciprocated of course), and love exist only between among separate
beings. But the Bible can easily demonstrate too that the Spirit is
personal and is God or divine, but to decide on whether they are three
separate persons is a mooted issue for some. But notice that the vast
majority of early Christian writers (1st and 2nd century) accepted not
just that Jesus was literally begotten from eternity (not just of earth), but
also the vast majority accepted three persons of divinity, and equally
worshiped all three as one Godhead. This is telling, and especially
telling when it is considered that Nicea (325 A.D.) had three groups of
Christians representing the major views in Christianity on God, and yet
they all accepted the three persons of the Godhead, INCLUDING Arius
who declared that "there are three persons" or "three subsistences" when
he contended (via his statements of belief) against the homoousios term
regarding the mode of existence of all three. That is actually quite
historically compelling about the common truths among Christians since
the first century!
of the Father from all eternity, and hence is properly an eternal Son; a
paradox of paradoxes!! By the way, the Father did not 'originate'
himself. That's ridiculous. He simply exists from everlasting. Just like
that. The Son likewise exist "from everlasting", but as naturally related
to the Father that he is "the exact copy" of. That's Bible truth!!
e] Finally, if Satan is a master counterfeiter, then we can see why most
false religions have 'god' beings emanating from, or begotten by a head
figure. This was Satan's' way of counterfeiting the original, even while
intending to caricature and cast doubt upon divinity. You don't
counterfeit what is not really in existence in the first place. Notice too
his most favored counterfeit...triads, trios, and trinities. I guess he
cant help himself as a counterfeiter Ian, and it tells us why 1 Cor. 12:46, 11 or Eph. 4:4-6, or Matthew 28:19 are so compelling as to the
"triadic" nature of the Godhead; matters not the protestations of the
unlearned and misguided.
Hope these thoughts of mine are helpful Ian. I am seeing the plain truth
in SD Adventism about God, despite we do have some points not yet
properly worked out. But who can ever claim to be able to "find out
God", or the things of God, to perfection? NONE!! Job. 11:7-9. It is an
ongoing school. And if we humbly accept our own limitations, even
while accepting all that the Bible says, and if we humbly use the family
of humanity as the image of divinity, then much of our difficulties would
be lessened. We must also be willing to learn and unlearn, or else we
would be aptly described by the Apocalypse (the Revelation of Jesus) to
thinking that we are rich and increased with goods, and in need of
nothing.
Derrick Gillespie