Episode 8: Son of God | We Believe: A Study of the Apostles Creed

Understanding Jesus as the Son of God: The Story Unfolds

As we continue our exploration of the Apostles' Creed, we find ourselves reflecting on one of its most profound elements: the declaration that Jesus is the Son of God. In our last discussion, we focused on Jesus' identity in relationship to God the Father, but today, we’ll dive deeper into the significance of calling Jesus the "Son of God" as we trace this title through Scripture. This title is not just a reference to a specific moment in Jesus' life but rather a concept that spans the entirety of biblical history.

From Adam to Jesus: The Origins of Sonship

To understand what it means to call Jesus the Son of God, we begin with the concept of "sonship" found in the Bible. In Luke 3, we read that Jesus' genealogy traces back to Adam, who is called the "son of God." This connection between Adam and Jesus isn’t coincidental—Adam was created in the image of God, and in that sense, he was a son of God, made to reflect God’s glory and nature. However, we know from Genesis that Adam’s disobedience led to a rupture in that divine relationship. The image of God was marred by sin, and humanity fell short of God’s glory, as Paul tells us in Romans 3:23. But while Adam failed, Jesus, the "second Adam," came to fulfill what the first Adam could not.

In Romans 1, Paul points to Jesus’ ascension as the moment when He was officially recognized as the Son of God in power, not that He became the Son at that moment, but that He was revealed in His full glory as the fulfillment of the promises made to David and to all of Israel. Jesus is not a new figure; He is the culmination of God’s long story of redemption, beginning with Adam and continuing through Israel.

Israel: The Nation as God's Son

The concept of "sonship" doesn’t stop with Adam. In the Old Testament, Israel is also referred to as God’s son. In Exodus 4:22, God tells Pharaoh, "Israel is my firstborn son," highlighting the special relationship between God and His chosen people. Throughout the Exodus narrative, we see God’s paternal care for Israel, even as they struggle with rebellion and disobedience. Just as Israel was called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1), so too is Jesus, in His infancy, called out of Egypt to fulfill God’s redemptive plan.

Jesus’ life mirrors the story of Israel in many ways. Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years, disobedient and often failing to trust God. Jesus, in contrast, spends 40 days in the desert, perfectly obedient, resisting the temptations that Israel faced. Where Israel stumbled, Jesus stood firm. This theme of obedience is crucial because, as Philippians 2 reminds us, Jesus was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. In this way, Jesus is the true and faithful Son of God, succeeding where both Adam and Israel faltered.

One Grand Story: The Connection to Christ

When we reflect on the broader narrative of Scripture, we see a unified story pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of all that came before Him. From Genesis, where God promises to send a Redeemer through the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), to the covenant with David, where God promises a king from David’s line who will rule forever, the entire biblical story is leading to Jesus, the Son of God.

The Apostles' Creed connects all these dots—Jesus is not only the Son of God in the New Testament sense but is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Adam, Israel, and David. He is the second Adam, the true Israel, the ultimate King who reigns forever. And this understanding of Jesus as the Son of God isn’t just theological; it’s personal. It reminds us that Jesus came to restore the glory that was lost through sin, offering redemption to all who believe in Him.

As we unpack these truths, we’re reminded that Scripture is one cohesive story, all pointing toward Christ, and in doing so, we see that every part of the Apostles' Creed, every element of God's Word, is intentional and connected. In Jesus, the Son of God, we find the fulfillment of God’s promises and the hope of redemption for all.