The Son of God

The earthly life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ constitutes the foundation of the Christian faith. He came from above, was born of a virgin, lived as a man, and after His Resurrection returned whence He came. He said of Himself "I and My Father are one" but that this did not imply a unity of personality is evident from His words on other occasions. He referred to God as His Father and declared Himself to be the Son of God.

John refers to Him as the "Word" Who, from being with the Father, was made flesh and dwelt amongst men. The "Word" (Greek Logos) had been with the Father from before the beginning of creation, the Father's agent in all that was subsequently made. He laid aside that glory which He had with the Father "before the world was" and became man—perfect and sinless but nevertheless man—"for the Suffering of death." Thus He became "God manifest in the flesh" the only manner in which God, invisible to human sight, could be discerned by the natural senses. This was how Jesus could say "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father."

Having thus taken hold of human nature, Jesus fulfilled His purpose in coming to earth, that of dying for man's salvation. The Apostle Paul says "the man Christ Jesus...gave himself a ransom (anti-lutron—corresponding price) for all." The precise manner in which the death of Jesus constituted man's ransom has been the subject of theological debates for centuries, but the Scriptures should be sufficient when they say "As by man came death, so by man came also the resurrection of the dead." "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." It was Adam that sinned, and the human race was condemned in him. It was Christ Who gave His humanity a corresponding price for Adam and the human race are delivered in Him.

He lay in the grave for three days and on the third day God raised Him from the dead, not in the form of a man, for His humanity had been given on the cross, a ransom, but to the glory of spiritual being which He had possessed before coming to earth. He appeared a few times to His disciples, under different forms, such as that of a gardener to Mary, but after the fortieth day He appeared no more. He was set down at the Father's right hand, from whence He comes, at His Second Advent, not as a man, but in the spiritual glory of His Divinity, to establish His Kingdom upon earth.

AOH